Role of Patch Size, Disease, and Movement in Rapid Extinction of Bighorn Sheep
Singer FJ, Zeigenfuss LC, Spicer L. 2001. Role of Patch Size, Disease, and Movement in Rapid Extinction of Bighorn Sheep. Conservation Biology. 15(5):1347-1354
Authors report on the persistence and population performance of 24 translocated populations of bighorn sheep. Persistence in these sheep was strongly correlated with larger patch sizes, greater distance to domestic sheep, higher population growth rates, and migratory movements, as well as to larger population sizes. Persistence was also positively correlated with larger average home range size and home range size of rams. Greater home range size and dispersal rates of bighorn sheep were positively correlated to larger patches. Authors conclude that patch size and thus habitat carrying capacity, not population size, is the primary correlate to both population performance and persistence.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Singer, Francis; Zeigenfuss, Linda; Spicer, Leslie
- Units
- MOJA
- Keywords
- Absence (Biodiversity), Distribution (Biodiversity), habitat carrying capacity, Home Range, migratory movements, Ovis canadensis, Population Size, Presence (Biodiversity), translocated