AUTHOR=Merrill Evelyn , Killeen Joshua , Pettit Jed , Trottier Madeline , Martin Hans , Berg Jodi , Bohm Holger , Eggeman Scott , Hebblewhite Mark TITLE=Density-Dependent Foraging Behaviors on Sympatric Winter Ranges in a Partially Migratory Elk Population JOURNAL=Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2020 YEAR=2020 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2020.00269 DOI=10.3389/fevo.2020.00269 ISSN=2296-701X ABSTRACT=
Many large herbivore populations are partially migratory, in which the population is comprised of both non-migratory (resident) and migratory individuals. Density-dependence contributes to regulating the dynamics of partially migratory populations by altering habitat selection, vital rates, or rates of behavioral switching between migratory tactics. Studies of mechanisms leading to these shifts have focused mainly on their behavior on summer range, overlooking the potential for density-dependent effects during winter that may influence decisions to migrate. We hypothesized that competition for food and safety from wolf predation risk on winter ranges would differentially affect habitat selection, movements, and grouping behavior of migrant and resident female North American elk (