A Snow-tracking Protocol Used to Delineate Local Lynx, <em>Lynx canadensis</em>, Distributions

Determining Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) distribution is an important management need, especially at the southern extent of the species range where it is listed as threatened under the U. S. Endangered Species Act. We describe a systematic snowtrack based sampling framework that provides reliable distribution data for Canada Lynx. We used computer simulations to evaluate protocol efficacy. Based on these simulations, the probability of detecting lynx tracks during a single visit (8 km transect) to a survey unit ranged from approximately 0.23 for surveys conducted only one day after snowfall, to 0.78 for surveys conducted 7 days after a snowfall. If the survey effort was increased to three visits, then detection probabilities increased substantially from 0.58 for one day after snowfall to about 0.95 for surveys conducted 7 days after a snowfall. We tested the protocol in the Garnet Range, Montana, where most lynx were radio-collared. We documented a total of 189 lynx tracks during two winters (2001-2003). Lynx distribution based on snow-track surveys was coincident with the area defined through radio telemetry. Additionally, we conducted snow-track surveys in areas of western Wyoming where lynx were believed present but scarce. We detected a total of six lynx tracks during three winters (1999-2002). In Wyoming , where lynx presence was inferred from a few tracks, we verified species identification by securing genetic samples (hairs from daybeds) along track-lines.

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Economic Impacts of Designating Critical Habitat Under the U.S. Endangered Species Act: Case Study of the Canada Lynx (Lynx Canadensis)

Human Dimensions of Wildlife ◽

10.1080/10871200600984463 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 437-453 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Timm Kroeger ◽

Frank Casey

Keyword(s):

Endangered Species ◽

Economic Impacts ◽

Endangered Species Act ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Critical Habitat ◽

Canada Lynx ◽

The U.S

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Better representation is needed in Endangered Species Act implementation

10.31219/osf.io/m4t7f ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jacob Malcom ◽

Andrew Carter

Keyword(s):

Endangered Species ◽

Endangered Species Act ◽

Alternative Interpretation ◽

Gray Wolf ◽

Picoides Borealis ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Ecological Communities ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Science And Policy ◽

Threatened And Endangered Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service uses the concepts of resilience, redundancy, and representation—often known as the “3Rs”—to guide implementation of the Endangered Species Act. The Service has done little, however, to relate the 3Rs to the statutory requirements of the Act. Here we focus on interpreting the concept of representation given core tenets of science and conservation policy. We show that the Service’s current interpretation, which focuses on a narrow set of characteristics intrinsic to species that facilitate future adaptation, falls far short of a reasonable interpretation from the scientific literature and other policy, and has significant consequences for the conservation of threatened and endangered species. To illustrate the shortcomings in practice, we discuss the case of the Lower 48 gray wolf (Canis lupus) delisting, the proposed Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) downlisting, and the possible downlisting of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis). We then propose an alternative interpretation of representation that accommodates the Service’s narrow interpretation and broadens it to include the importance of intraspecific variation for its own sake as well as extrinsic characteristics such as a species’ role in ecological communities. We argue that this interpretation better reflects the intent of the Endangered Species Act, the best available science, and policy needs for conserving imperiled wildlife.

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Spatio-temporal responses of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) to silvicultural treatments in the Northern Rockies, U.S.

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2018.04.018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 422 ◽

pp. 114-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Joseph D. Holbrook ◽

John R. Squires ◽

Barry Bollenbacher ◽

Russ Graham ◽

Lucretia E. Olson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lynx Lynx ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Canada Lynx ◽

Silvicultural Treatments ◽

Northern Rockies ◽

Spatio Temporal

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A LONGEVITY RECORD FOR CANADA LYNX, LYNX CANADENSIS, IN WESTERN MONTANA

Western North American Naturalist ◽

10.3398/1527-0904(2006)66[535:alrfcl]2.0.co;2 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 66 (4) ◽

pp. 535-536 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jay A. Kolbe ◽

John R. Squires

Keyword(s):

Western Montana ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Canada Lynx

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56 EFFECTS OF PHYLOGENIC GENERA OF RECIPIENT CYTOPLASTS ON DEVELOPMENT AND VIABILITY OF CANADA LYNX (LYNX CANADENSIS) CLONED EMBRYOS

Reproduction Fertility and Development ◽

10.1071/rdv22n1ab56 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 186 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. C. Gómez ◽

J. I. Lyons ◽

C. E. Pope ◽

M. Biancardi ◽

C. Dumas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Somatic Cell ◽

Donor Cell ◽

Domestic Cat ◽

Developmental Competence ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Phylogenetic Distance ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Gestational Length ◽

Canada Lynx ◽

Oocyte Donor

Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis; CL) once occupied 16 states in the Unites States of America, but small populations remain in only 3 states. Interspecies-somatic cell nuclear transfer (Is-SCNT) offers the possibility of preventing their extinction; however, developmental constraints on Is-SCNT embryos are proportional to the phylogenetic distance between the donor cell and the recipient oocyte. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy may be involved in nuclear-cytoplasmic incompatibilities, thus inhibiting development of cloned embryos at the time of genomic activation. Minimizing the phylogenetic distance between the donor cell and recipient oocyte may enhance development of clone embryos. Caracal (Caracal caracal) may be suitable as an oocyte donor for SCNT and a recipient of CL cloned embryos because caracals hybridize with other felid species and share physical characteristics with the lynx family, marked by being previously classified in the lynx genera and having similar gestational length. To ensure compatibilities between the donor nuclei of the CL and the mitochondria of recipient oocytes, we (1) compared in vitro development of CL cloned embryos reconstructed with domestic cat (Felis catus; DSH) or caracal cytoplasts, (2) examined the mtDNA genotypes in CL cloned embryos, and (3) evaluated in vivo developmental competence of CL cloned embryos after transfer into caracal recipients. A total of 160 and 217 preovulatory oocytes were collected by laparoscopy from gonadotropin-treated caracals (n = 8) and DSH (n = 10) and used as recipient cytoplasts for reconstructing CL embryos. Results indicated that the phylogenetic genera of recipient cytoplasts did not affect embryo cleavage at Day 2 (caracal 50/55, 91% v. DSH 63/65, 97%), but development of CL cloned embryos to the blastocyst stage was higher when caracal oocytes were used as recipient cytoplasts (15/50; 30%) than with DSH cytoplasts (9/63, 14%; P < 0.05). The extent of mtDNA homoplasmy or heteroplasmy in CL cloned embryos was calculated by the number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) derived from the DSH or caracal oocyte donors and from the somatic cell donor CL. DNA was isolated from 25 and 35 CL cloned embryos reconstructed with caracal or DSH cytoplasts, respectively. All amplified products after PCR were sequenced and SNP analyzed. All CL embryos reconstructed with DSH cytoplasts were homoplasmic, carrying mtDNA only from the DSH oocyte donor (n = 35; SNP DSH = 2-6). Embryos reconstructed with caracal cytoplasts were homoplasmic for CL mtDNA (n = 9; SNPCL = 10-12) or heteroplasmic (caracal × CL, n = 17; SNPCL = 7-9; SNP caracal = 2-3). A total of 69 (mean = 34.5 ± 4.9 per caracal) and 70 (mean = 35.0 ± 9.8 per caracal) CL cloned embryos reconstructed with caracal and DSH cytoplasts, respectively, were transferred into 4 caracal recipients; however, no pregnancies were established. In summary, Is-SCNT between 2 phylogenetically closer species favors retention of the donor’s mitochondria, which might lead to a better nucleo-cytoplasmic interaction for reprogramming of donor nucleus.

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Evaluating evolutionary history and adaptive differentiation to identify conservation units of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis)

Global Ecology and Conservation ◽

10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00708 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. e00708

Author(s):

Melanie B. Prentice ◽

Jeff Bowman ◽

Dennis L. Murray ◽

Cornelya FC. Klütsch ◽

Kamal Khidas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Evolutionary History ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Conservation Units ◽

Canada Lynx ◽

Adaptive Differentiation

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Latitudinal gradient in cortisol concentrations in Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) is not explained by diet

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/cjz-2018-0204 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (8) ◽

pp. 748-753

Author(s):

C.M. Burstahler ◽

C.V. Terwissen ◽

J.D. Roth

Keyword(s):

Stable Isotope ◽

Food Limitation ◽

Isotope Ratios ◽

Stress Axis ◽

Stable Isotope Ratios ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Alternative Prey ◽

Lynx Canadensis ◽

Canada Lynx

Food limitation is an important stressor for most wildlife, and many specialist consumers will expand their dietary niche to contend with preferred prey limitation. How these dietary responses feed back into stress-axis regulation, however, is unknown. If alternative prey does not sufficiently fill the energetic requirements normally satisfied by preferred resources, then long-term glucocorticoid concentrations could be elevated in individuals consuming alternative prey. We measured cortisol concentrations and stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) in hair of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis Kerr, 1792) across their distribution to determine the influence of diet on glucocorticoids while controlling for harvest location. We calculated the Euclidean distance between lynx and regional snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus Erxleben, 1777) stable isotope ratios as an index of diet specialization. We found no relationship between this index and cortisol, suggesting that prey types are interchangeable for lynx in terms of long-term stress axis activation. However, lynx cortisol increased significantly towards the northwestern region of lynx distribution, contrasting with our prediction, and highlighting important considerations for future research. This combination of glucocorticoid and diet analyses suggests that dietary plasticity does not necessarily alter an individual’s experience of potential stressors, despite important implications to population and community dynamics.

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