Ontario black bear genotypes and locations (2017-2019)

Characterizing patterns and drivers of dispersal is fundamental to our understanding of animal ecology and ultimately informing species conservation and management strategies. In this study, we used microsatellite data from 3,941 individual black bears, Ursus americanus, occupying 73 spatially distinct sampling areas across a large heterogeneous landscape to characterize dispersal via gene flow directionality. We fit spatial models to quantified gene flow to test hypotheses regarding drivers of putative dispersal patterns. Specifically, we tested the relative influence of food productivity gradients, bear density, and bear harvest on dispersal. We also evaluated differences in gene flow patterns within and between sexes to assess sex-biased dispersal. We found evidence suggestive of positive density-dependent, male-biased dispersal. Our data show evidence of a relationship between dispersal and broad food productivity gradients. Specifically, male bears displayed preferential dispersal ..., Sample Collection
Genetic samples were collected as a part of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Forestry’s (MNRF) ongoing black bear monitoring program that monitors black bear populations across the province using non-invasive genetic sampling (Howe et al., 2013, 2022). Samples were collected from 73 arrays of approximately 40 unique sample locations (n = 2,952 total sample locations). Sample locations were selected by local MNRF staff to be representative of the landscape in the broader wildlife management unit (WMU; areas used to manage bears in Ontario; Howe et al., 2022). Individual sampling arrays were separated by a minimum of 25km. Although annual black bear ranges can vary from five to 250km2 (Tri, 2013), it was unlikely that male bears would be detected at arrays greater than 25km apart during our sampling period in May and early June. During this time, black bear ranges are typically smaller (e.g., <25km; Humm et al., 2017; Noyce & Garshelis, 2011) before ...,