Pierre River Mine Project

TERRESTRIAL AENV SIRS 44 – 78
References
Section 13.1
Garshelis, D.L. 2000. Delusions in habitat evaluation: Measuring use, selection
and importance. Pp. 111-164 in Research techniques in animal ecology,
controversies and consequences. L. Boitani and T. K. Fuller (eds).
Columbia University Press, New York.
van Horne, B. 1983. Density as a Misleading Indicator of Habitat Quality.
Journal of Wildlife Management 47(4): 893-901.
Request 63c With respect to the discussion of moose and carrying capacity, Shell suggests
that most moose will be displaced and that it is expected that moose density in
the surrounding areas would double to 0.44 moose/km2. Is Shell asserting that
this density doubling (greater than the highest density of 0.43 moose/km2
reported earlier in the discussion) will remain for the 80-year period during
which the project will displace moose? If not, and it is expected that moose
densities will revert to existing levels, a reduction in abundance would be
expected since density is area based. Discuss.
Response 63c Population density is controlled by many factors that may operate independently
of habitat abundance. Moose population density could be maintained at high
levels (e.g., 0.44 moose/km 2 ) for the 80-year period before project reclamation.
However, the factors controlling moose population densities within intact habitat
beyond the lease boundaries are largely outside of Shell’s control. Moose
population densities within the regional study area (RSA) may be strongly
affected by wildlife management activities, as well as regional land use activities.
References
Crete (1987) and Messier (1994) have suggested that a food-limited carrying
capacity for moose in North America is about 2 moose/km 2 . Site-specific
carrying capacities will vary as a result of such factors as habitat quality, while
population densities may be suppressed by harvest and predation. For example,
there has been a documented relationship of increasing moose populations with
increasing levels of human development in northern Alberta (Schneider and
Wasel 2000). This has been hypothesized to be associated with lower predation
and hunting pressure near areas of extensive human development in Alberta, as
well as increasing forage availability with increasing forest fragmentation
(Schneider and Wasel 2000). Mean moose population density in the White Zone
of northern Alberta has been estimated to be about 0.50 moose/km 2 (Schneider
and Wasel 2000). Moose populations in the Oil Sands Region may be able to
reach this level or higher, depending on wildlife management actions and the
trajectory of landscape change.
Crete, M. 1987. The impact of sport hunting on North American moose. Swedish
Wildlife Research Supplement 1: 553-563.
Messier, F. 1994. Ungulate population models with predation: a case study with
the North American moose. Ecology 75: 478-488.
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