Joseph M. Northrup

Populations living in geographically isolated regions are expected to have reduced gene flow, increased genetic drift, and elevated levels of inbreeding, influencing both genetic load and possibly the distribution of structural variants. The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is widely found across Ontario, Canada, where populations inhabit diverse landscapes ranging from relatively intact contiguous forested landscapes to isolated regions such as the Saugeen Peninsula. Here, we investigated the population genomic history across five Ontario black bear populations using a combination of short-read (SR) and long-read (LR) sequencing data. We compared population genetic metrics including nucleotide diversity (π), Tajimas D, runs of homozygosity (ROH), and genome-wide structural variants (SVs) to assess population health and identify signatures of isolation. Our results showed that the isolated Saugeen Peninsula population is genetically distinct and exhibited reduced nucleotide diversity, greater ROH and SV abundance compared with mainland populations. The population also showed elevated genetic load in all genomic features, suggesting increased exposure of deleterious variation that are expressed in ROH and population specific SVs. We further discuss the integration of ROH, SVs and genetic load in conservation assessments.

Accounting for spatial structure within populations is critical for defining appropriate scales of management, particularly in the Arctic, where habitats of ice‐dependent species such as the polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) are being transformed at an accelerated rate. We examined broad‐scale patterns of space use and finer‐scale habitat selection by adult female polar bears in James Bay, located at the southernmost extent of the species' global range. Using satellite telemetry data collected during the annual on‐ice period from 2012 to 2017, we estimated individual‐ and population‐level utilization distributions (UDs) and applied hierarchical clustering to assess whether individuals formed distinct spatial groups based on the degree of UD overlap. We also fit step‐selection functions (SSFs) to evaluate selection for sea‐ice concentration, ocean depth, and distance to coast. Fifteen bears with data spanning at least one complete on‐ice period had individual 95% UDs averaging 74,770 km ² (SE = 11,663). Results of hierarchical clustering identified two distinct spatial groups: three “resident” bears remained within southern James Bay, whereas 12 “non‐resident” bears had larger UDs extending into Hudson Bay. Overlap between groups remained near zero throughout winter, including during the breeding season. Step‐selection analyses, which included an additional four bears ( n _total = 19), indicated consistent positive selection for high sea‐ice concentration, with individual variation in selection strength. For non‐resident bears, selection for distance to coast and ocean depth varied seasonally, with bears selecting areas farther from the Ontario coast during freeze‐up, closer to the coast during April–May, and deeper offshore areas during breakup. Together with previous genetic evidence, our results suggest resident southern James Bay bears represent a spatially structured component of the broader subpopulation that warrants continued monitoring and explicit consideration in future harvest‐risk assessments and conservation planning, particularly as sea‐ice loss continues to alter habitat availability.

Prey availability and predation risk drive animal distribution, movement, and foraging ecology, yet studies rarely analyse multiple predator–prey levels together. Understanding how predators optimise risk–reward tradeoffs is important for species conservation and management, especially in systems facing extreme ecosystem change. We examined how top‐down (modelled polar bear habitat selection) and bottom‐up (modelled fish diversity) processes influence the habitat selection, movement, and foraging behaviour of 26 ringed seals (greater than 70,000 dives and 10,000 locations over 877 seal days). Our results suggest that polar bears spatially restrict seal movements and reduce the time seals spend foraging, potentially decreasing foraging success. Seals were more likely to be present and dive longer in high‐predation risk areas when prey diversity was high. Further, seal habitat selection models excluding polar bears overestimated core space use. These findings illustrate the dynamic tradeoffs that mesopredators make when balancing predation risk and resource acquisition.

White‐tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) are an ecologically and economically important species in North America. Their antlers, one of their most recognizable features, are used for dominance displays, mate attraction, and defense, with size and shape being key determinants of success. Antler characteristics are influenced by a combination of genetics, age, and environmental factors, notably habitat quality and resource availability. We explored how diverse environmental factors, including climate and land cover composition, affect antler size, tine configuration, and the distribution of record‐scoring white‐tailed deer across Ontario, Canada, using hunter‐submitted data from long‐term antler scoring records. We used conditional autoregressive models to examine these relationships and found that warmer temperatures the year of harvest were positively associated with larger antlers and more record deer in a given county, while winter precipitation the year of harvest was negatively associated with these characteristics, likely due to reduced forage availability or increased energy expenditure during more severe winters. Rangeland and forest land cover types were positively associated with increased antler size and tine number. We observed no temporal changes in antler size in Ontario, contrasting with broader trends observed in North America. These results show how local environmental conditions and land cover composition influence antler traits and the distribution of record white‐tailed deer, highlighting the complexity of environmental influences on trait variation.

Understanding wildlife responses to human disturbance is essential for developing effective conservation and management strategies. Grizzly bears in the southern Canadian Rocky Mountains face increasing habitat alteration from roads, forest harvest, human settlements, and mining, which can alter the way animals move through the landscape. Deleterious effects on genetic exchange, demographic connectivity, and access to key resources can occur if movements are dramatically altered. We used integrated step‐selection functions (iSSF) to model movement and habitat selection for 109 GPS‐collared grizzly bears across an 85,000 km ² multi‐use landscape in southeastern British Columbia and southwestern Alberta. We then simulated individual grizzly bear movements from fitted iSSFs to predict changes in population‐level space use and functional connectivity under the following scenarios: (1) without current levels of human disturbance, (2) under current conditions, and (3) with a defined increase in human disturbance. Bears avoided crossing highways but were attracted to areas alongside highways in areas with relatively low forage availability at a broad spatial scale, such as in Banff National Park and the Kananaskis region. Females generally avoided moving through towns in spring and summer, while males were more likely to do so. Additional footprints of proposed mines and expanded human settlements in a potential future scenario were predicted to further decrease functional connectivity for grizzly bears on top of prior connectivity losses from existing human disturbance. Our study builds upon existing work simulating animal space use from fitted iSSFs by incorporating individual‐level variation into population‐level simulations and by fitting functional responses that help capture broad‐scale variation in behavior and improve model transferability to new areas. Our results provide insights into grizzly bear movement and connectivity in an area of high conservation importance, and our predictive maps can be used to directly inform transboundary management actions and conservation planning.

Circadian rhythms are a mechanism by which species adapt to environmental variability and fundamental to understanding species behavior. However, we lack data and a standardized framework to accurately assess and compare temporal activity for species during rapid ecological change. Through a global network representing 38 countries, we leveraged 8.9 million mammalian observations to create a library of 14,587 standardized diel activity estimates for 445 species. We found that less than half the species’ estimates were in agreement with diel classifications from the reference literature and that species commonly used more than one diel classification. Species diel activity was highly plastic when exposed to anthropogenic change. Furthermore, body size and distributional extent were strongly associated with whether a species is diurnal or nocturnal. Our findings provide essential knowledge of species behavior in an era of rapid global change and suggest the need for a new, quantitative framework that defines diel activity logically and consistently while capturing species plasticity.

Climate warming is causing global biodiversity loss, with impacts to ecosystem function. Warming in the Arctic outpaces global averages, and projected declines in Arctic sea ice have led to predictions of local extirpations for ice-associated species. Polar bears ( Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) exemplify these challenges as they rely on sea ice for much of their life cycle. Further, polar bears are harvested throughout much of their range, increasing the importance of robust population monitoring in the face of climate warming. We conducted an aerial survey in summer 2021 to estimate abundance of the Southern Hudson Bay polar bear subpopulation. We estimated 1119 polar bears (95% CI = 860–1454) within the boundaries of the subpopulation, which suggested a 29% increase from the previous aerial survey in 2016. This increase was likely driven by a combination of interannual variation in the on-land distribution of bears in the Southern Hudson Bay and adjacent Western Hudson Bay polar bear subpopulations as well as reduced harvest and improved survival. Evidence from concurrent research suggests that variation in on-land distribution is the most likely driver. These results exemplify the challenges of monitoring and, particularly, managing harvest of sensitive species under the rapid environmental change caused by climate warming. Further research is needed and critical for effective harvest management of this subpopulation.

The management of big game harvest is important for maintaining viable populations and providing recreational opportunities to hunters. There are numerous strategies used by management agencies to achieve these goals, but they are complicated by variation in factors that are difficult to control, such as harvest success rates. For harvest management decisions to have the desired effect on big game populations, the mechanisms affecting factors like harvest success rates need to be properly understood. We used Bayesian hierarchical survival models to explore the factors influencing spatial and temporal variation in moose (Alces alces) harvest success rates in Ontario, Canada. We estimated harvest success rates from hunter reports from 59 Wildlife Management Units from 2000–2019. Overall, harvest success rates were primarily influenced by variables under the control of management agencies, such as season length and tag allocations, but they were also affected by external factors like moose density and weather. Season length, while positively related to harvest success for shorter seasons (e.g., 25 days). Our results were largely consistent across spatial and temporal scales, with a similarly strong positive effect of moose density and negative effect of tag allocation between management units and across years. This study emphasizes the need for managers to recognize the inherent uncertainty in harvest outcomes beyond their control and the importance of open communication with hunters in achieving effective harvest management, while offering concrete pathways for influencing harvest success.

There is not one singular way to weave together Indigenous and Western knowledges; creating meaningful cross-cultural collaborations requires a foundation of relationships rooted in the context of specific people and place. As interest in working across knowledge systems increases, our goal is to provide an example of respectful and appropriate cross-cultural collaboration within environmental practice. We demonstrate our collaborative, mixed-methods approach to developing a community-based wildlife monitoring program with Magnetawan First Nation that prioritizes community knowledge and values. Through community interviews and a youth sharing circle, participants highlighted values (respect, interconnection, reciprocity, collaboration, and relationship) as well as research priorities, providing examples of what each may look like in practice, to inform our monitoring approach. These examples, paired with reflections from the research team, are shared to explore the process of weaving together knowledge and values to co-create a community-based wildlife monitoring program, applying wildlife cameras as much more than simply a tool for data collection. This research provides tangible examples of weaving together knowledges and values in the context of environmental monitoring, helping guide future cross-cultural collaboration to ensure this work is being done in a good way.