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Influence of Interspecific Competition on Mule Deer Birthing and Rearing Site Selection by Daniel W. Sallee; Brock R. McMillan; Kent R. Hersey; Steven L. Petersen; Randy T. Larsen is a Environmental Science article available to read on EtoBox.

What is Influence of Interspecific Competition on Mule Deer Birthing and Rearing Site Selection about?

## Abstract Ungulates often alter behavior and space use in response to interspecific competition. Despite observable changes in behavior caused by competitive interactions, research describing the effects of competition on survival or growth is lacking. We used spatial modeling to determine if habitat use by female mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) was affected by other ungulate species prior to, during, and after parturition. We conducted our study in the Book Cliffs region of eastern Utah, USA, during 2019 and 2020. We used resource selection function (RSF) analysis to model space use of 4 ungulate species that potentially competed with mule deer: bison (Bos bison), cattle, elk (Cervus canadensis), and feral horses. We incorporated RSF models for competing species into a random forest analysis to determine if space use by mule deer was influenced by these other ungulate species. We used survival and growth data from neonate mule deer to directly assess potential negative effects of other ungulates. Habitat use by elk was an important variable in predicting use locations of mule deer during birthing and rearing. The relationship was positive, suggesting interference competition was

Who reads Influence of Interspecific Competition on Mule Deer Birthing and Rearing Site Selection?

Author

Daniel W. Sallee; Brock R. McMillan; Kent R. Hersey; Steven L. Petersen; Randy T. Larsen

Publisher

Wiley

Published

2022

Language

EN

Field

Environmental Science (Physical Sciences)