Supplement C – Resource selection function analysis for woodland caribou.
Table 1 Description of variables used to model habitat selection for both caribou and wolves across
the South Peace region of northeastern British Columbia
Variable
Alpine
Blk Spruce
Fir
HBS
Other
Pine
Spruce
Tamarack
Tree Broadleaf
Tree - Other
Upland Nveg
Water
No Age Data
Young
Growing
Mature
Old
RSF_BHRW
RSF_Q
Solar
Insolation
Road
Seismic Line
Pipeline
SeisPipln
Cutblock
Mine
Oil and
Natural Gas
Water
Description
high elevation with few or no trees with primary cover being rock, snow, herbs,
shrubs, bryoids and terrestrial lichens
black spruce (Picea mariana)
subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa)
herbs (forbs, graminoids), bryoids and shrubs
specific to herd and season; combination of variables listed with too few
occurrences to model
lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and whitebark pine (P. albicaulis)
other spruce varieties: Picea spp., Engelmann (P. engelmannii), white (P. glauca),
hybrid (P. engelmannii x glauca)
tamarack (Larix laricina)
other non-listed broadleaf trees: aspen (Populus tremuloides), cottonwood (P.
balsamifera) and birch (Betula papyrifera)
other non-listed conifers, Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
upland areas dominated by talus, rock, snow, tailing ponds, or no additional data
for land cover
lake, reservoir, river, stream or a non-spruce or tamarack dominated wetland
(caribou only)
no data available to determine seral age of forest
forest age 0 ≤ 40 yrs
forest age 41 ≤ 80 yrs
forest age 81 ≤ 120 yrs
forest age ≥ 121 yrs
RSF values for caribou in the Bearhole/Redwillow (BHRW) herd
RSF values for caribou in the Quintette herd
measure of incoming solar radiation on a surface (W/m2)
distance to road (km)
distance to seismic line (km)
distance to pipeline (km)
distance to seismic line and/or pipeline combined (km)
distance to forestry cutblock (km)
distance to coal mine footprint (km)
distance to non-linear oil and gas well pad or facility pad ≥ 1 hectare in size (km)
distance to water (wolves only; km)
4
A
HBS
3
Up_Nveg
β Coefficients ± 95% CI
2
Blk Spruce
1
Growing
Mature
Spruce
Pine Tam
Pipln
Road
Seis
SI
Pipln*
0
TreeO
-1
Old
Young
Seis*
OG
Ctblk
LF FOR
OG*
FOR*
-2
-3
No Age Data
Fir
Alpine
-4
5
No Age Data
Alpine
B
Fir
β Coefficients ± 95% CI
3
1
Road
Ctblk
Spruce
SI
TreeO
-1
-3
-5
SI*
Water
HBS
Seis
Old
Mature
Road*
Pipln
OG MOG FOR
Seis* Pipln*Ctblk*
OG* LF
Mine
Young
Up_Nveg
Growing
TreeBL
Fig. 1 Coefficients for the parameters in the most parsimonious resource-selection models for
Bearhole/Redwillow (A; n = 3,401) and Quintette (B; n = 9,791) caribou herds during the spring
season. An asterisk (*) indicates a Gaussian term and variable descriptions are given in Table 1
3
A
Tam
2
No Age Data
Fir
Blk Spruce
OG
β Coefficients ± 95% CI
1
Road
Mature
Pine
SI
0
Old
Spruce
-1
OG*
Seis
YoungGrowing
Alpine
LF FOR
Ctblk*
Road*
Ctblk
Pipln
-2
Up_Nveg
-3
TreeO
-4
No Age Data
5
4
β Coefficients ± 95% CI
3
2
B
Alpine
Fir Pine
Spruce
TreeBL
1
SI
Up_Nveg
0
Road
Old
Seis
Ctblk
Pipln
SI* Road* Seis*
Young
-1
FOR
Mine
MOG
OG*
Pipln*
Ctblk*
OG
Mine* LF FOR*
Mature
-2
HBS
TreeO
Growing
-3
-4
Water
Fig. 2 Coefficients for the parameters in the most parsimonious resource-selection models for
Bearhole/Redwillow (A; n = 2,200) and Quintette (B; n = 5,868) caribou herds during the calving
season. An asterisk (*) indicates a Gaussian term and variable descriptions are given in Table 1
A
HBS
3
Tam
β Coefficients ± 95% CI
2
1
Up_Nveg Young
Old
Growing
Blk Spruce
Pine
Seis
Pipln
SI
Ctblk
OG
FOR*
0
Mature
Road Seis* Pipln*
OG*
LF
Fir
-1
FOR
Alpine
Water
TreeO
-2
Spruce
No Age Data
-3
No Age Data
B
5
4
β Coefficients ± 95% CI
3
2
Alpine
Fir
Spruce
Pine
Road
1
SI
0
TreeO
Water Young
-1
-2
-3
-4
Ctblk
OG
Seis Pipln
Mine
MOG FOR
Road* Seis* Pipln*Ctblk* OG* Mine*
LF
Old
HBS
Mature
Growing
Up_Nveg
TreeBL
Fig. 3 Coefficients for the parameters in the most parsimonious resource-selection models for
Bearhole/Redwillow (A; n = 8,669) and Quintette (B; n = 22,458) caribou herds during the
summer/fall season. An asterisk (*) indicates a Gaussian term and variable descriptions are given in
Table 1
6
A
No Age Data
5
Blk Spruce
Pine Tam
Alpine
4
3
β Coefficients ± 95% CI
OG
TreeBL
2
Road
Fir
1
Growing
SI
Spruce
-1
-2
Young
Old
Mature
-3
Seis
Ctblk*
SI* Road* Seis*
Ctblk
Pipln
LF FOR
OG*
-4
Water
-5
HBS
Up_Nveg
-6
TreeO
-7
3
B
Alpine
2.5
No Age Data
2
β Coefficients ± 95% CI
1.5
Road
Fir Pine
1
Ctblk
0.5
TreeBL
0
-1.5
Mature
TreeOWater
Young
-0.5
-1
Seis Pipln
Spruce
Blk Spruce
HBS
SI
Old
OG
FOR MOG
SI*
Seis* Pipln* Ctblk* OG* FOR* LF
Road*
Mine
Growing
Up_Nveg
Fig. 4 Coefficients for the parameters in the most parsimonious resource-selection models for
Bearhole/Redwillow (A; n = 11,625) and Quintette (B; n = 28,368) caribou herds during the winter
season. An asterisk (*) indicates a Gaussian term and variable descriptions are given in Table 1
Fig. 5 Resource selection map for the Quintette herd during the winter season across the South Peace region of British Columbia,
Canada. Four classes represent the range of quality habitat for Quintette caribou