Marten Update in Oregon

Transcription

1 Marten Update in Oregon Katie Moriarty 1 Postdoctoral Research Wildlife Biologist, Pacific Northwest Research Station Certified Wildlife Biologist Mark Linnell, Taal Levi, Charlotte Eriksson, Matt Delheimer, Jake Verschuyl Oregon Forest Resources Institute; Albany, OR 19 October 2017

2 Carnivores are Captivating

3 Carnivores ecosystem resilience and biodiversity Sea otter present Sea otter absent Estes et al. (2011) Science

4 Estes et al. (2011) Science

5 Otter Present Otter Absent Fish ~5 times more prevalent Estes et al. (2011) Science

6 Wolf Present Wolf Absent Ripple et al. (2014) Journal of Applied Ecology

7 PNW forest carnivores of potential interest Wolverine Fisher Marten Red fox Lynx Rare, potentially declining or imperiled Often solitary, elusive, hard to study

8 Quick comparison Marten Spotted Owl Weight g ~600g Sexual maturity 2 years 1 year (2-5 years) Annual offspring Critical reproductive Feb - Sep Feb - Jun Mating system Polygamous Monogamous Adult survival 53-63% 63-89% Life expectancy 7-8 years 16+ years

9 Pacific marten - Boreal ecotypes - K selected

10 R&D: Marten ecology movement activity

11 Territoriality Female 1 Female 2 Female 3 Female 4 Male 1 Male 2 Female 5 Female 6 Male 3 Male 4 Male territory = ~ 12 km 2 Female territory = ~ 6 km 2

12 Movement: first use of GPS collars globally Moriarty et al Journal of Wildlife Management

13 VHF telemetry based locations, n = 26 in 6 months Moriarty et al. (2016) Journal of Wildlife Management

14 GPS collar fixes, Nov 2010, n = 179, 2 days Moriarty et al. (2016) Journal of Wildlife Management

15 GPS collar fixes, Apr 2011, ~3 days Moriarty et al. (2016) Journal of Wildlife Management

16 GPS collar fixes, Nov and Apr (both seasons) Moriarty et al. (2016) Journal of Wildlife Management

17 Territorial defense/maintenance 4 males Moriarty et al. (2017) Journal of Mammalogy

18 Territorial movements are remarkable

19 Habitat specialist: cavity denning obligate Resting location provide elements key to survival: - Refugia from predators temperature extremes precipitation Marie Martin Mark Linnell Ave = 36 DBH > 400 years old Moriarty et al. (In review), Slauson and Zielinski Northwest Science

20 Dietary generalist (winter likely limiting)

21 Foraging: 17-29% of their body weight daily Gilbert et al American Midland Naturalist

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23 Lots of movement, high metabolism 3.1 km in an hour! g Longest Daily Distance Female ~ 11km Male ~ 27km Moriarty et al Journal of Wildlife Management

24 Lots of movement, high metabolism 3066m in an hour! Longest Daily Distance Female ~ 11km Male ~ 27km Moriarty et al Journal of Wildlife Management

25 Foraging complex understory structure Encounter Attack Kill USFS, PSW, Slauson USFS, PSW, Slauson Andruskiw et al Ecology, Moriarty et al. (2016) Journal of Wildlife Management

26 Foraging complex understory structure

27 Avoid thinned & open stands predation risk? Odds detection 1283 x less likely in open (even 10m) 96 x less likely in thinned stand Moriarty et al Landscape Ecology

28 Survival: the cutting edge g Larry Ostby

29 Multiple spatial scales within a forest Microsite Structure Stand Landscape

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31 Marten declines in coastal Pacific Northwest Historical Distribution Contemporary Distribution Washington Oregon California Zielinski et al Journal of Mammalogy

32 Pacific marten in coastal Oregon: 26 locations (Jan 2014) Central Coast Petition of Listing Decision Under Federal ESA in coastal CA & OR By April roadkill ( ) 3 trapped ( ) South Coast 9 detections (~2000) Slauson et al. In Press. Conservation Assessment and Strategy.

33 : 1348 stations (503 sample units) Moriarty et al Northwest Naturalist

34 : 1348 stations (503 sample units) 7 field teams (5 agencies) OSU, Plum Creek, Hancock, ODF, Siletz Indian Confederation Surveys on 10 ownerships USFS, BLM, State, Plum Creek, Hancock, Weyerhaeuser, Siletz Tribal, Roseburg, Lone Rock, Starker 10 funding agencies and donations E.g., vehicles from 4 agencies (USFS, OSU, USFWS, BLM); cameras from 6 agencies Moriarty et al Northwest Naturalist

35 New opportunities for surveying

36 Scent detection dog teams? Marten - target Fisher target Red fox - target Porcupine fisher prey Mountain lion - predator Bobcat - predator Moriarty, Linnell, Thornton, Watts. In review

37 Coastal marten persist but in low numbers >100 detections, >200 locations; ~200 scats - ~400,000 photos Moriarty et al Northwestern Naturalist

38 Boreal marten and the Central Coast?!? Photo: Mark Linnell

39 GPS + Spatial Capture Recapture Linnell, Moriarty, Green, Levi in Review

40 Population estimates North: 37 (34-42) South: 26 (24-30) North adult martens South Umpqua River Linnell, Moriarty, Green, Levi (in Review) + poster here

41 Probability of extinction high with <30 individuals Linnell, Moriarty, Green, Levi (in Review)

42 Road kill >2 mortalities annually 2015-present

43 Reproduction also documented

44 Resting locations from telemetry

45 Fine-scale vegetation 1/5 acre plot marten, 3013 owl Owl Study Area

46 Basal area dense forests

47 Tree diameter central coast lower Blue = Suitable, Green = Highly suitable (Davis et al. 2016)

48 Fruit producing shrubs highest in central coast 26%

49 Predicted owl areas not always marten areas Central coast Owl Marten South coast

50 How (and why) are martens here: prey? USDA FS Pacific Northwest Research Station USDA FS Siuslaw National Forest USDA FS Central Coast Ranger District Index of small mammal abundance and diversity 674 camera locations > 1 million photos Charlotte Eriksson, Visiting Scholar, Sweden

51 How (and why) are martens here: predators?

52 Progress & collaborations > 2000 camera stations > 200 detection dog units > 4 million photos Map: B. Barry

53 Quantify risks - landscape change Where are animals? When and why do populations expand? Foundation and tools available, but

54 Coastal marten - Vulnerability Habitat loss Population stressors: disease and rodenticides (Dr. Matthews) - If issue occurs, lacking strategy for contingency Continued monitoring?

55 Coastal marten - Collaborations - Reporting/records - Road kill - Structure/restoration - Shrubs - Connectivity

56 Questions?