Science

SCI Foundation works to conduct and support scientific and technical studies around the world. These scientific and technical studies ensure that the best-available science is being used to make management decisions and inform science-based policy. Over the past 15 years, SCI Foundation-supported projects have produced hundreds of peer-reviewed articles, technical bulletins, and updates.

International Union for Conservation of Nature
Predator Killsite ID Manual

Below you can find a listing of many of the publications from a few of our projects. We are currently building a database to showcase all of our science and make these publications accessible to you. Please check back soon to see the completed database.

Newfoundland Caribou Project

Peer Reviewed Publications

Bastille-Rousseau, G., Schaefer, J. A., Mahoney, S. P., & Murray, D. L. (2013). Population decline in semi-migratory caribou ( Rangifer tarandus ): Intrinsic or extrinsic drivers? Can. J. Zool. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 91(11), 820-828. doi:10.1139/cjz-2013-0154

Bastille-Rousseau, G., Potts, J. R., Schaefer, J. A., Lewis, M. A., Ellington, E. H., Rayl, N. D., . . . Murray, D. L. (2015). Unveiling trade-offs in resource selection of migratory caribou using a mechanistic movement model of availability. Ecography, 38(10), 1049-1059.

Bastille-Rousseau, G., Schaefer, J. A., Lewis, K. P., Mumma, M. A., Ellington, E. H., Rayl, N. D., . . . Murray, D. L. (2015). Phase-dependent climate-predator interactions explain three decades of variation in neonatal caribou survival. Journal of Animal Ecology J Anim Ecol, 85(2), 445-456.

Ellington, E. H., Bastille-Rousseau, G., Austin, C., Landolt, K. N., Pond, B. A., Rees, E. E., . . . Murray, D. L. (2014). Using multiple imputation to estimate missing data in meta-regression. Methods Ecol Evol Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 6(2), 153-163. doi:10.1111/2041-210x.12322

Mahoney, S. P., Weir, J. N., Luther, J. G., Schaefer, J. A., & Morrison, S. F. (2011). Morphological change in Newfoundland caribou: Effects of abundance and climate. Ran Rangifer, 31(1), 21. doi:10.7557/2.31.1.1917

Mahoney, S. P., Lewis, K. P., Weir, J. N., Morrison, S. F., Luther, J. G., Schaefer, J. A., . . . Latifovic, R. (2015). Woodland caribou calf mortality in Newfoundland: Insights into the role of climate, predation and population density over three decades of study. Population Ecology Popul Ecol, 58(1), 91-103. doi:10.1007/s10144-015-0525-y

Mayor, S. J., Schaefer, J. A., Schneider, D. C., & Mahoney, S. P. (2007). Spectrum Of Selection: New Approaches To Detecting The Scale-Dependent Response To Habitat. Ecology, 88(7), 1634-1640. doi:10.1890/06-1672.1

Mayor, S. J., Schneider, D. C., Schaefer, J. A., & Mahoney, S. P. (2009). Habitat Selection at Multiple Scales. Ecoscience, 16(2), 238-247. doi:10.2980/16-2-3238

Mayor, S. J., Schaefer, J. A., Schneider, D. C., & Mahoney, S. P. (2009). The spatial structure of habitat selection: A caribou’s-eye-view. Acta Oecologica, 35(2), 253-260. doi:10.1016/j.actao.2008.11.004

Mccarthy, S. C., Weladji, R. B., Doucet, C., & Saunders, P. (2011). Woodland caribou calf recruitment in relation to calving/post-calving landscape composition. Ran Rangifer, 31(1), 35. doi:10.7557/2.31.1.1918

Mumma, M. A., Soulliere, C. E., Mahoney, S. P., & Waits, L. P. (2013). Enhanced understanding of predator-prey relationships using molecular methods to identify predator species, individual and sex. Molecular Ecology Resources Mol Ecol Resour, 14(1), 100-108. doi:10.1111/1755-0998.12153

Mumma, M. A., Adams, J. R., Zieminski, C., Fuller, T. K., Mahoney, S. P., & Waits, L. P. (2015). A comparison of morphological and molecular diet analyses of predator scats. JMAMMAL Journal of Mammalogy, 97(1), 112-120. doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyv160

Mumma, M. A., Zieminski, C., Fuller, T. K., Mahoney, S. P., & Waits, L. P. (2015). Evaluating noninvasive genetic sampling techniques to estimate large carnivore abundance. Molecular Ecology Resources Mol Ecol Resour, 15(5), 1133-1144. doi:10.1111/1755-0998.12390

Potts, J. R., Bastille-Rousseau, G., Murray, D. L., Schaefer, J. A., & Lewis, M. A. (2014). Predicting local and non-local effects of resources on animal space use using a mechanistic step selection model. Methods Ecol Evol Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 5(3), 253-262. doi:10.1111/2041-210x.12150

Rayl, N. D., Fuller, T. K., Organ, J. F., Mcdonald, J. E., Mahoney, S. P., Soulliere, C., . . . Murray, D. L. (2014). Mapping the distribution of a prey resource: Neonate caribou in Newfoundland. J Mammal Journal of Mammalogy, 95(2), 328-339. doi:10.1644/13-mamm-a-133.1

Rayl, N. D., Fuller, T. K., Organ, J. F., Mcdonald, J. E., Otto, R. D., & Mahoney, S. P. (2014). Den Abandonment and Transitional Day Bed use by Black Bears Ursus americanus in Newfoundland. Wildlife Biology, 20(4), 222-228. doi:10.2981/wlb.00020

Rayl, N. D., Fuller, T. K., Organ, J. F., Mcdonald, J. E., Otto, R. D., Bastille-Rousseau, G., . . . Mahoney, S. P. (2015). Spatiotemporal variation in the distribution of potential predators of a resource pulse: Black bears and caribou calves in Newfoundland. Jour. Wild. Mgmt. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 79(7), 1041-1050. doi:10.1002/jwmg.936

Schaefer, J., & Mahoney, S. (2013). Spatial dynamics of the rise and fall of caribou ( Rangifer tarandus ) in Newfoundland. Can. J. Zool. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 91(11), 767-774. doi:10.1139/cjz-2013-0132

Schaefer, J. A., Mahoney, S. P., Weir, J. N., Luther, J. G., & Soulliere, C. E. (2015). Decades of habitat use reveal food limitation of Newfoundland caribou. JMAMMAL Journal of Mammalogy, 97(2), 386-393. doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyv184

Technical Reports

Technical Bulletin No. 001: Caribou Data Synthesis – Progress Report Overview of the status of woodland caribou in insular Newfoundland: research methodology, results, interpretations and future projections. Sustainable Development and Strategic Science, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s, NL. Mahoney, S. P. and Weir, J. N. 2009.

Technical Bulletin No. 002: Caribou Calf Mortality Study. A summary and analysis of the patterns and causes of caribou calf mortality in Newfoundland during a period of rapid population decline: 2003-2007. Sustainable Development and Strategic Science, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s, NL. Trindale, M., Norman, F., Lewis, K.P., Mahoney, S.P., Weir, J. and Soulliere, C. 2011.

Technical Bulletin No. 003: Projection of woodland caribou populations in Newfoundland: An application of Leslie – Matrix population models to predict future of Newfoundland caribou herds (2010 – 2035). Sustainable Development and Strategic Science, Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Newfoundlandand Labrador. St. John’s, NL, Canada. Morrison, S. F., Weir, J. N., Mahoney, S. P. and Luther, J.G. 2012.

Technical Bulletin No. 004: Population projections of Newfoundland caribou using Population Viability Analysis. Sustainable Development and Strategic Science, Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. St. John’s, NL, Canada. Randell, H., Weir, J. N., Luther, J. G. and Mahoney, S. P. 2012.

Technical Bulletin No. 005: Application of distance sampling to determine calving ground abundance and aggregation of parturient females in the Middle Ridge herd, June 2012. Sustainable Development and Strategic Science, Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. St. John’s, NL, Canada. Fifield, D.A., Lewis, K.P. and Gullage, S.E. 2012.

Technical Bulletin No. 006:  Noninvasive genetic sampling and predator density estimates for black bear (Ursus americanus) and coyote (Canis latrans thamnos) in Newfoundland 2009-2011. Sustainable Development and Strategic Science. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s, NL. Fifield, D. A. and Lewis, K. P. 2013.

Technical Bulletin No. 007: Spatial ecology of black bear (Ursus americanus), coyote (Canis latrans) and lynx (Lynxcanadensis) in Newfoundland. Sustainable Development and Strategic Science. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s, NL. Fifield, D. A., Unger, K., Lewis, K. P., Gullage, S. E., and Mahoney, S. P. 2013.

Technical Bulletin No. 008: Caribou Data Synthesis –Progress Report #2. Status of the Newfoundland population of woodland caribou. Sustainable Development and Strategic Science, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s, NL. Weir, J. N., S. F. Morrison, J. G. Luther, and S.P.Mahoney. 2014.

Technical Bulletin No. 009: Caribou survival, fate, and cause of mortality in Newfoundland: a summary and analysis of the patterns and causes of caribou survival and mortality in Newfoundland during a period of rapid population decline (2003-2012). Sustainable Development and Strategic Science. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s, NL. Lewis, K. P. and Mahoney, S. P. 2014.

Technical Bulletin No. 010: Experimental manipulations of black bear (Ursus americanus) and Eastern coyote (Canis latrans thamnos) to improve caribou calf survival in Newfoundland 2010-2013.Lewis, K. P., Gullage, S. E., Fifield, D. A., Jennings, D. H., and Mahoney, S. P. 2014.

A Report on the Newfoundland Caribou, October 2015.

Theses and Dissertations

Bastille–Rousseau. (2014). Demography and Habitat Selection of Newfoundland Caribou. Trent University

Dekelaita, D. J. (2013). An examination of shifting caribou calving habitat in Newfoundland. University of Montana

Ellington, E.H. (2014). Coyote Ecology on Newfoundland: The Role of Cognitive Maps & Mesopredator-Apex Predator Continuum. Trent University

Hebert. (2012). The habitat preferences of Newfoundland woodland caribou across range components and scales: Implications for management. Concordia University.

Mayor, S. J. (2006). The spatial structure of habitat selection by caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Newfoundland: New multi-scaled approaches with applications to limiting factors. Memorial University of Newfoundland.

McCarthy, S. C. (2011). Landscape composition and configuration influences woodland caribou calf recruitment. Concordia University.

MacNearney, D. (2013). Using patterns in snow distribution and forage abundance to predict woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) habitat use in forested and non-forested regions of Newfoundland. Lakehead University

Mumma, M.A. (2014). Using Molecular Tools to Investigate Predator-Prey Dynamics in Newfoundland.  University of Idaho

Rayl, N. D. (2012). Black bear movements and caribou calf predation in Newfoundland. University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Rayl, N.D. (2015).  Black bear spatial ecology and habitat selection in Newfoundland.  University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Soulliere, C. E. (2008). Anti-predator behaviour of maternal caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in west-central Newfoundland. Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Sutherland, M. B. (2010). Human dimensions of black bears, caribou and coyotes on the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador. Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Wilkerson, C. D. (2010). Population genetics of woodland caribou (rangifer tarandus caribou) on the island of Newfoundland. Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Michigan Predator-Prey Project

Peer-reviewed Publications

Bled, F., Summers, S., Martell, D., Petroelje, T. R., Beyer, D. E., & Belant, J. L. (2015). Effects of Prey Presence and Scale on Bobcat Resource Selection during Winter. PLOS ONE PLoS ONE, 10(11). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0143347

Duquette, J. F., Belant, J. L., Beyer, D. E., Svoboda, N. J., & Albright, C. A. (2011). Bald Eagle Predation of a White-Tailed Deer Fawn. Northeastern Naturalist, 18(1), 87-94. doi:10.1656/045.018.0108

Duquette, J. F., Belant, J. L., Beyer, D. E., & Svoboda, N. J. (2012). Body condition and dosage effects on ketamine-xylazine immobilization of female white-tailed deer. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 37(1), 162-167. doi:10.1002/wsb.233

Duquette, J. F., Belant, J. L., Beyer, D. E., & Svoboda, N. J. (2012). Comparison of pregnancy detection methods in live white-tailed deer. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 36(1), 115-118. doi:10.1002/wsb.115

Duquette, J. F., Belant, J. L., Svoboda, N. J., Beyer, D. E., & Albright, C. A. (2014). Comparison of occupancy modeling and radiotelemetry to estimate ungulate population dynamics. Population Ecology Popul Ecol, 56(3), 481-492. doi:10.1007/s10144-014-0432-7

Duquette, J. F., Belant, J. L., Svoboda, N. J., Beyer, D. E., & Lederle, P. E. (2014). Effects of Maternal Nutrition, Resource Use and Multi-Predator Risk on Neonatal White-Tailed Deer Survival. PLoS ONE,9(6). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0100841

Duquette, J. F., Belant, J. L., Svoboda, N. J., Beyer, D. E., & Lederle, P. E. (2015). Scale Dependence of Female Ungulate Reproductive Success in Relation to Nutritional Condition, Resource Selection and Multi-Predator Avoidance. PLOS ONE PLoS ONE, 10(10). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0140433

Petroelje, T. R., Belant, J. L., Beyer, D. E., Wang, G., & Leopold, B. D. (2013). Population-level response of coyotes to a pulsed resource event. Population Ecology Popul Ecol, 56(2), 349-358. doi:10.1007/s10144-013-0413-2

Petroelje, T. R., Belant, J. L., & Beyer, D. E. (2013). Factors affecting the elicitation of vocal responses from coyotes Canis latrans. Wildlife Biology, 19(1), 41-47. doi:10.2981/12-022

Stillfried, M., Belant, J. L., Svoboda, N. J., Beyer, D. E., & Kramer-Schadt, S. (2015). When top predators become prey: Black bears alter movement behaviour in response to hunting pressure. Behavioural Processes, 120, 30-39. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2015.08.003

Stricker, H. K., Belant, J. L., Beyer, D. E., Kanefsky, J., Scribner, K. T., Etter, D. R., & Fierke, J. (2012). Use of modified snares to estimate bobcat abundance. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 36(2), 257-263. doi:10.1002/wsb.137

Svoboda, N. J., Belant, J. L., Beyer, D. E., Duquette, J. F., Stricker, H. K., & Albright, C. A. (2011). American black bear predation of an adult white-tailed deer. Ursus, 22(1), 91-94. doi:10.2192/ursus-d-10-00024.1

Svoboda, N. J., Belant, J. L., Fitzgerald, S. D., Beyer, D. E., Duquette, J. F., & Cooley, T. M. (2012). Aspiration pneumonia in an American black bear. Ursus, 23(1), 1-5. doi:10.2192/ursus-d-11-00028.1

Svoboda, N. J., Belant, J. L., Beyer, D. E., Duquette, J. F., & Martin, J. A. (2013). Identifying bobcat Lynx rufus kill sites using a global positioning system. Wildlife Biology, 19(1), 78-86. doi:10.2981/12-031

Project Progress Reports and Technical Updates

Quarterly Report October 1–December 31, 2008: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report January 1–March 31, 2009: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report April 1–June 30, 2009: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report October 1–December 31, 2009: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Annual Report 2009: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report January 1–March 31, 2010: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report April 1–June 30, 2010: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report September 1–November 20, 2010: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Annual Report 2010: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report December 1–February 28, 2011: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report March 1–May 31, 2011: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report September 1–December 31, 2011: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Annual Report 2011: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report May 1–August 31, 2012: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report September 1–December 15, 2012: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report December 16, 2012–March 15, 2013: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report March 16, 2013–June 30, 2013: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report September 16, 2013–December 15, 2013: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Annual Report 2013: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report December 16, 2013–March 15, 2014: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report March 16, 2014–June 15, 2014: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report September 16, 2014–December 15, 2014: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Annual Report 2014: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report December 16, 2014–March 15, 2015: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Quarterly Report March 16, 2015–June 15, 2015: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Michigan Predator-Prey Project: Phase I findings and management implications. July 2015

Quarterly Report September 16, 2015–December 31, 2015: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Annual Report 2015: Role of predators, winter weather, and habitat on white-tailed deer fawn survival in the south-central Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Theses and Dissertations

Duquette, J.F. (2014). White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population dynamics in a multi-predator landscape. MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

Petroelje, T.R. (2013). Factors affecting elicitation of vocal response from coyotes and population-level response to a pulsed resource event. MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

Stillfried, M. (2012). Adjustment of movement behavior of blackbears (Ursus americanus) related to different risk levels imposed by hunting. Freie Universität Berlin, Leibniz-Institut für Zoo und Wildtierforschung, Berlin and Mississippi State University

Since 2000, SCI Foundation has provided more than $80 million to promote science-based conservation through wildlife research, capacity building in governments, youth and teacher education, and humanitarian programs that show the importance of the hunting community in society around the world. Growth of SCI Foundation has continued to gain momentum through charitable donations from SCI members and direct grants from local chapters and the SCI organization. Throughout the world, SCI’s approximately 50,000 members and 190 chapters contribute time, talent, and financial support to local, national, and international projects.

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