Data from: Development and validation of an expert-based habitat suitability model to support boreal caribou conservation

The long-term persistence of boreal caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) is threatened by the negative impacts of human activities, including industrial development. The vast geographical distribution and behavioural variability of caribou warranted the development and validation of an appropriate conservation tool for managers in eastern Canada. We developed a habitat suitability model for boreal caribou in Québec by integrating expert knowledge into a hierarchical analysis. We elicited responses from 14 experts on caribou ecology to determine the best spatiotemporal scales of application, the relative importance of habitat variables, the zone of influence of human infrastructure, and the parameterization of the model. Based on this input, we built the model using 8 habitat categories and 3 human infrastructure variables. Experts identified mature conifer-dominated forests and open lichen woodlands as the most important vegetation categories for boreal caribou, whereas density of and proximity to paved roads, forest roads, and mines decreased habitat quality. We mapped the resulting model over the entire province of Québec (up to the northern forest allocation limit), and validated it using independent GPS telemetry datasets acquired in 3 distinct regions. Our model predicted that habitat suitability was highest in the northeastern part of our study area, where timber harvest activities and roads were virtually absent. Conversely, southern parts of Québec were generally unsuitable for boreal caribou. Our habitat suitability model is among the first tools for boreal caribou conservation available to wildlife and land managers in Québec.

北方针叶林驯鹿（Rangifer tarandus caribou）的长期存续受到包括工业开发在内的人类活动负面影响的威胁。鉴于该物种广泛的地理分布与行为多样性，加拿大东部的管理者有必要开发并验证一款适配的保护工具。本研究通过将专家知识融入层级分析框架，构建了魁北克省北方针叶林驯鹿的生境适宜性模型。我们邀请14位驯鹿生态学专家提供反馈，以确定最优的应用时空尺度、生境变量的相对重要性、人类基础设施的影响范围，以及模型的参数化方案。基于上述专家输入内容，我们利用8类生境与3项人类基础设施变量构建了该模型。专家们认定，以针叶树为主的成熟林与开放地衣林地是北方针叶林驯鹿最重要的植被生境类型；而铺装道路、林间道路与矿山的密度及其与驯鹿生境的邻近度，均会降低生境质量。我们将该模型的结果绘制于整个魁北克省范围内（直至北部森林分配界限），并利用在3个独立区域获取的GPS遥测数据集对模型进行了验证。模型预测，研究区域东北部的生境适宜性最高，该区域几乎不存在木材采伐活动与道路设施。与之相反，魁北克省南部区域整体不适于北方针叶林驯鹿生存。本研究构建的生境适宜性模型，是魁北克省首批可供野生动物与土地管理者使用的北方针叶林驯鹿保护工具之一。