An ecosystem approach to population management of ungulates

Harvest objectives for wild ungulates have traditionally been based on population models that do not consider ecosystem effects of ungulate herbivory, nor interactions between native and domestic ungulate species. There is a need for ecosystem models to allow wildlife managers to evaluate potential ecosystem effects of management scenarios. The utility of the SAVANNA simulation model for estimating elk population objectives within an ecosystem context was demonstrated for North Park, Colorado, USA. Effects of different elk population levels were evaluated for range condition, elk and cattle forage, elk and cattle condition, forage and condition of mule deer and moose, plant production, and plant community composition. Analyses were based on 30-year simulation runs using variable, historical weather. Another set of analyses utilized stochastic weather patterns. For management scenarios using the historical climate pattern, increasing elk populations caused biomass reductions of palatable plant species, particularly on areas of high winter density, where mean leaf biomass of palatable shrubs declined from 26.97 g/m2 at 0 elk to 20.82 g/m2 at 4000 elk (3.73 elk/km2), a 23% decline. At population levels of 5000 elk (4.68 elk/km2) or greater, elk body condition declined sharply following a severe winter. The availability of palatable browse on critical winter range was likely the limiting factor. However, when random climate patterns were simulated for the same scenarios, the threshold level for density-dependent effects varied with climate, ranging from 2000 to 10,000 elk. We suggest that elk population levels from 4000 to 5000 animals represent a conservative population objective for the North Park elk herd. Also, increasing elk population levels appears to intensify intraspecific competition among elk, far more than interspecific competition with cattle. Resolution of elk-cattle conflicts is likely to be facilitated by managing elk distribution, rather than overall elk population levels.