Energy- and Nitrogen-Based Estimates of Elk Winter-Range Carrying Capacity
Hobbs NT, Baker DL, Ellis JE, Swift DM, Green RA. 1982. Energy- and Nitrogen-Based Estimates of Elk Winter-Range Carrying Capacity. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 46(1):12-21
Carrying capacity of winter range for elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) was estimated based on range supply of energy and nitrogen during 1976-78 in Rocky Mountain National Park. Based on energy requirements of a 200-kg elk, winter-range carrying capacity was 1,481 ± 261 animals during Year 1 and 991 ± 102 during Year 2. Nitrogen-based estimates were similar to energy-based predictions: 1,674 ± 270 elk (Year 1) and 994 ± 101 (Year 2). Individual habitat types differed in carrying capacity. Willow (Salix spp.), wet meadow, and wet shrub meadow could support the most elk; aspen (Populus sp.) and mesic meadow were intermediate in carrying capacity; and sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), grassland, and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)-shrub could carry the fewest animals. Sensitivity analysis showed predictions of the range supply-animal demand model of nutritional carrying capacity to be strongly influenced by small changes in elk metabolic fecal nitrogen excretion rates. We conclude that the temporal variation in carrying capacity is important in managing harvest of elk populations and in planning future carrying-capacity research, and that estimates of nutritional carrying capacity are viable habitat evaluation procedures, particularly when used for comparative purposes.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Hobbs, N; Baker, D; Ellis, J; Swift, D; Green, R
- Units
- ROMO
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Animals, Carrying Capacity, Elk (Cervus elaphus), Mammals, Nitrogen (N), Population