DOI: 10.5061/dryad.djh9w0w5z
title: The umbrella value of caribou management strategies for biodiversity conservation in boreal forests under global change

description: Single-species conservation management is often proposed to preserve
 biodiversity in human-disturbed landscapes. How global change will impact
 the umbrella value of single-species management strategies remains an open
 question of critical conservation importance. We assessed the
 effectiveness of threatened boreal caribou as an umbrella for bird and
 beetle conservation under global change. We combined mechanistic,
 spatially explicit models of forest dynamics and predator-prey
 interactions to forecast the impact of management strategies on the
 survival of boreal caribou in boreal forest. We then used predictive
 models of species occupancy to characterize concurrent impacts on bird and
 beetle diversity. Landscapes were simulated based on three scenarios of
 climate change and four of forest management. We found that strategies
 that best mitigate human impact on boreal caribou were an effective
 umbrella for maintaining bird and beetle assemblages. While we detected a
 stronger effect of land-use change compared to climate change, the
 umbrella value of management strategies for caribou habitat conservation
 were still impacted by the severity of climate change. Our results showed
 an interplay among changes in forest attributes, boreal caribou mortality,
 as well as bird and beetle species assemblages. The conservation status of
 some species mandates the development of recovery strategies, highlighting
 the importance of our study which shows that single-species conservation
 can have important umbrella benefits despite global change.
description: All the methods are detailed in the article: Labadie G. et al.
 The umbrella value of caribou management strategies for biodiversity
 conservation in boreal forests under global change.
description: # The umbrella value of caribou management strategies for biodiversity
 conservation in boreal forests under global change Datasets generated and
 analyzed within the study area located in the Côte-Nord region of Québec,
 Canada. To identify species-specific movement rules that were implemented
 in the IBM, we used empirical data collected for caribou, moose, and
 wolves over the study area. To evaluate the umbrella value of management
 strategies for caribou habitat conservation, we used predictive models of
 species occupancy to characterize concurrent impacts on bird and beetle
 diversity. ## Description of the data and file structure
 "Beetles\_ProbaOcc.xlsx";
 "Birds\_ProbaOcc\_DecMixte.xlsx" and
 "Birds\_ProbaOcc\_Mature.xlsx" were used to determine the
 Jaccard dissimilarity index for each group: beetles, birds associated with
 boreal mixed forests and birds associated with boreal coniferous forests.
 The probability of occurrence presented in these files was based on
 predictive models of occupancy of birds and beetles previously developed
 from field observations (Bouderbala et al. 2023) as mentioned in the
 manuscript. The first columns corresponded to 76 beetle species, 20 and 7
 bird species associated with boreal mixed or boreal coniferous forests,
 respectively. Scenario, CC (climate change) and LUC (land use change)
 represented the details of the scenarios presented in the study.
 Bouderbala, I., Labadie, G., Béland, J., Boulanger, Y., Hébert, C.,
 Desrosiers, P., Allard, A., Fortin, D., 2023. Effects of global change on
 bird and beetle populations in boreal forest landscape: an assemblage
 dissimilarity analysis. Divers. Distrib. 29, 757–773. Bird codes - All
 birds were identified at the species level: | *Code* |
 *Species*<br>English name<br>*(Scientific name)* | | ---- |
 ------------------------------------ | | *WCSP* | White-crowned
 sparrow<br>*(Zonotrichia leucophrys)* | | *GRYE* | Greater
 yellowlegs<br>(*Tringa melanoleuca*) | | *OVEN* |
 Ovenbird<br>*(Seiurus aurocapilla)* | | *BLWA* | Blackburnian
 warbler (*Setophaga fusca*) | | *REVI* | Red-eyed vireo<br>(*Vireo
 olivaceus)* | | *WTSP* | White-throated sparrow (*Zonotrichia albicollis)*
 | | *BBWA* | Bay-breasted Warbler(*Setophaga castanea*) | | *CMWA* | Cape
 May warbler(*Setophaga tigrina)* | | *CSWA* | Chestnut-sided warbler
 (*Setophaga pensylvanica)* | | *WIWA* | Wilson's warbler (*Cardellina
 pusilla)* | | *RUBL* | Rusty blackbird<br>(*Euphagus carolinus)* | |
 *BCCH* | Black-capped chickadee (*Poecile atricapillus)* | | *BRCR* |
 Brown creeper<br>(*Certhia americana*) | | *FOSP* | Fox
 sparrow<br>(*Passerella iliaca*) | | *AMRE* | American redstart
 (*Setophaga ruticilla*) | | *SWTH* | Swainson's thrush (*Catharus
 ustulatus*) | | *EVGR* | Evening grosbeak (*Coccothraustes vespertinus)* |
 | *PAWA* | Palm warbler<br>(*Setophaga palmarum*) | | *WWCR* |
 Two-barred crossbill (*Loxia leucoptera)* | | *ALFL* | Alder flycatcher
 (*Empidonax alnorum*) | | *CAGO* | Canada goose<br>(*Branta
 canadensis*) | | *GCKI* | Golden-crowned kinglet (*Regulus satrapa*) | |
 *LISP* | Lincoln's sparrow (*Melospiza lincolnii*) | | *TEWA* |
 Tennessee warbler (*Leiothlypis peregrina)* | | *DEJU* | Dark-eyed
 junco<br>(*Junco hyemalis)* | | *MAWA* | Magnolia warbler
 (*Setophaga magnolia*) | | *YEWA* | American yellow warbler (*Setophaga
 petechia)* | | *AMCR* | American Crow<br>(*Corvus brachyrhynchos*) |
 | *AMGO* | American Goldfinch<br>(*Spinus tristis*) | | *CHSP* |
 Chipping Sparrow<br>(*Spizella passerine*) | | *SASP* | Savannah
 Sparrow<br>(*Passerculus sandwichensis)* | Beetle codes - The
 beetles were identified at the species level when possible; otherwise (if
 "species"=NA), the identification to the genus level was
 standardized (92% identifications were at the species level): | *Code* |
 *Family* | *Genus* | *Species* | | ---- | ------ | ----- | ------- | |
 *CARAPLANDECC* | *Carabidae* | *Platynus* | *decentis* | | *CARAPTERADST*
 | *Carabidae* | *Pterostichus* | *adstrictus* | | *CERAACMSPROT* |
 *Cerambycidae* | *Acmaeops* | *proteus* | | *CERAGNATPRAT* |
 *Cerambycidae* | *Gnathacmaeops* | *pratensis* | | *CIIDCISZSTRU* |
 *Ciidae* | *Cis* | *striolatus* | | *CLERTHANUNDS* | *Cleridae* |
 *Thanasimus* | *undatulus* | | *CLERZENOSANG* | *Thanerocleridae* |
 *Zenodosus* | *sanguineus* | | *CORYCLYPFUSG* | *Corylophidae* |
 *Clypastraea* | *fusca* | | *CRYPATOM* | *Cryptophagidae* | *Atomaria* |
 *NA* | | *CRYPCRYPCROU* | *Cryptophagidae* | *Cryptophagus* | *croceus* |
 | *CRYPCRYPDIFF* | *Cryptophagidae* | *Cryptophagus* | *difficilis* | |
 *CUCUPEDIFUSC* | *Cucujidae* | *Pediacus* | *fuscus* | | *CURCRHYOMACS* |
 *Curculionidae* | *Rhyncolus* | *macrops* | | *ELATCTENTRZO* |
 *Elateridae* | *Pseudanostirus* | *triundulatus* | | *ELATCTENWATS* |
 *Elateridae* | *Pseudanostirus* | *watsoni* | | *ELATNEOHTUME* |
 *Elateridae* | *Neohypdonus* | *tumescens* | | *ELATSERIINCQ* |
 *Elateridae* | *Sericus* | *incongruus* | | *ENDOPHYMPULE* |
 *Endomychidae* | *Phymaphora* | *pulchella* | | *LATHCORA* | *Latridiidae*
 | *Corticaria* | *NA* | | *LATHCORALAPP* | *Latridiidae* | *Corticaria* |
 *lapponica* | | *LATHCORASERR* | *Latridiidae* | *Corticaria* |
 *serricollis* | | *LATHCORASERT* | *Latridiidae* | *Corticaria* |
 *serrata* | | *LATHENICTENO* | *Latridiidae* | *Enicmus* | *tenuicornis* |
 | *LEIOAGAT* | *Leiodidae* | *Agathidium* | *NA* | | *LEIOAGATEXIS* |
 *Leiodidae* | *Agathidium* | *exiguum* | | *LEIOAGATFAWC* | *Leiodidae* |
 *Agathidium* | *fawcettae* | | *LEIOAGATREPN* | *Leiodidae* | *Agathidium*
 | *repentinum* | | *LEIOLEIO* | *Leiodidae* | *Leiodes* | *NA* | |
 *LYMEELATLUGU* | *Lymexylidae* | *Hylecoetus* | *lugubris* | |
 *MELAXYLILAEA* | *Melandryidae* | *Xylita* | *laevigata* | |
 *MORDMORDBORE* | *Mordellidae* | *Mordellaria* | *borealis* | |
 *NITIEPURBORD* | *Nitidulidae* | *Epuraea* | *rufomarginata* | |
 *NITIEPURLINA* | *Nitidulidae* | *Epuraea* | *linearis* | | *NITIEPURPARN*
 | *Nitidulidae* | *Epuraea* | *parsonsi* | | *NITIEPURPLAZ* |
 *Nitidulidae* | *Epuraea* | *planulata* | | *NITIEPURTRUT* | *Nitidulidae*
 | *Epuraea* | *truncatella* | | *NITIGLISSANS* | *Nitidulidae* |
 *Glischrochilus* | *sanguinolentus* | | *NITIGLISVITT* | *Nitidulidae* |
 *Glischrochilus* | *vittatus* | | *PSELEUPL* | *Staphylinidae* |
 *Euplectus* | *NA* | | *PSELPSELBELX* | *Staphylinidae* | *Pselaphus* |
 *bellax* | | *PTILPTIO* | *Ptiliidae* | *Ptiliola* | *NA* | |
 *RHIZRHIZDIMI* | *Monotomidae* | *Rhizophagus* | *dimidiatus* | |
 *SCIRCYPHVARB* | *Scirtidae* | *Cyphon* | *variabilis* | | *SCOLDRYOAUTO*
 | *Curculionidae* | *Dryocoetes* | *autographus* | | *SCOLDRYOBETU* |
 *Curculionidae* | *Dryocoetes* | *betulae* | | *SCOLPITKSPAR* |
 *Curculionidae* | *Pityokteines* | *sparsus)* | | *SCOLPITP* |
 *Curculionidae* | *Pityophthorus* | *NA* | | *SCOLPOLYRUFP* |
 *Curculionidae* | *Polygraphus* | *rufipennis* | | *SCOLTRYDLINM* |
 *Curculionidae* | *Trypodendron* | *lineatum* | | *SCYDBRACPUBP* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Brachycepsis* | *pubipennis* | | *SCYDPARACOYA* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Parascydmus* | *corpusculus* | | *SCYDSTENPEFS* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Stenichnus* | *perforatus* | | *SCYDSTENTURT* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Stenichnus* | *turbatus* | | *SILVSILVBIDE* |
 *Silvanidae* | *Silvanus* | *bidentatus* | | *STAPACIDQUAR* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Acidota* | *quadrata* | | *STAPACRO* | *Staphylinidae*
 | *Acrotona* | *NA* | | *STAPATHE* | *Staphylinidae* | *Atheta* | *NA* | |
 *STAPBORSLAMF* | *Staphylinidae* | *Boreostiba* | *frigida* | |
 *STAPDINABORE* | *Staphylinidae* | *Dinaraea* | *borealis* | |
 *STAPGABIMICQ* | *Staphylinidae* | *Gabrius* | *microphthalmus* | |
 *STAPGYRP* | *Staphylinidae* | *Gyrophaena* | *NA* | | *STAPISCHSPLI* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Ischnosoma* | *splendidum)* | | *STAPLEPSBREL* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Leptusa* | *brevicollis* | | *STAPLIOGALAO* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Liogluta* | *aloconotoides* | | *STAPLIOGTERM* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Liogluta* | *terminalis* | | *STAPOLOPROTL* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Olophrum* | *rotundicolle* | | *STAPOMALRIVE* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Omalium* | *rivulare* | | *STAPPHLOLAPP* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Phloeostiba* | *lapponica* | | *STAPPLACPSUE* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Placusa* | *pseudosuecica* | | *STAPPROT* |
 *Staphylinidae* | *Proteinus* | *NA* | | *STAPPROTPARQ* | *Staphylinidae*
 | *Proteinus* | *parvulus* | | *STAPQUEDPLAG* | *Staphylinidae* |
 *Quedius* | *plagiatus* | | *STAPQUEDRUST* | *Staphylinidae* | *Quedius* |
 *rusticus* | | *STAPSTEH* | *Staphylinidae* | *Stenichnus* | *NA* | |
 *STAPSYNTGRAH* | *Staphylinidae* | *Syntomium* | *grahami* | |
 *STAPTACIELON* | *Staphylinidae* | *Tachinus* | *elongatus* | |
 *TROGTHYMMARQ* | *Trogossitidae* | *Thymalus* | *marginicollis* |
 "DataFinal\_BirdsBeetlesOccChanges.csv" corresponded to the
 percentage change ("PercChange") of beetles and birds
 ("taxa") for each species ("species" determined with
 the codes explained above) in function of the different scenarios
 ("CC": climate change, "LUC": land use change). The
 column "IncDec" indicated if the value of "PercChange"
 was for the group that increased (inc) or decreased (dec). The column
 "n" represented the total number of species that increased or
 decreased for each scenario and taxa.
 "DataFinal\_IBM\_Caribou\_Winter.csv" corresponded to the IBM
 outputs with the proportion of caribou agents killed
 ("Prop.Caribou\_killed": number of caribou killed/total number
 of caribou), in function of the different scenarios ("CC",
 "LUC", "Year", "Season",
 "Scenario"). Each simulation was replicated ten times. The
 columns "Prop.CutsRoads", "Prop.Fire",
 "Prop.Broadleaf", "Homogenization",
 "Isolation" correspond to the different variables we tested to
 predict the cumulative impact of anthropogenic disturbance and climate
 change. To explore how changes in forest structure and composition
 impacted the proportion of caribou killed, we used the proportion of areas
 disturbed by cuts and roads ("Prop.CutsRoads"), burned areas
 ("Prop.Fire"), and landscape characteristics, such as the
 proportion of deciduous vegetation ("Prop.Broadleaf"), landscape
 homogenization ("Homogenization") and isolation
 ("Isolation") of mature conifer stands. To assess changes in
 landscape configuration, we used the ‘landscapemetrics’ package in R
 (Hesselbarth et al. 2019). At the patch level (i.e., neighboring cells
 belonging to the same land cover class), we calculated the mean “isolation
 index” (calculated as 1 − “cohesion index”), characterized as the
 connectedness of patches belonging to a land cover class (Hesselbarth et
 al., 2019). If the value of the “isolation index” was close to 0, patches
 of the same class were aggregated, while an increase in the value
 indicated that patches became isolated. At the landscape level, we
 calculated the “homogenization index” (calculated as 1/“conditional
 entropy,” characterized as the complexity of a landscape pattern
 configuration) (Hesselbarth et al., 2019;Nowosad &Stepinski,
 2019). If the value of the “homogenization index” is small, cells of one
 category are adjacent to cells of many different categories. All the
 details of these variables are presented in the study. Hesselbarth, M. H.
 K., M. Sciaini, K. A. With, K. Wiegand, and J. Nowosad. 2019.
 “Landscapemetrics: An Open-Source R Tool to Calculate Landscape Metrics.”
 Ecography 42: 1648–57. Nowosad, J., and T. F. Stepinski. 2019.
 “Information Theory as a Consistent Framework for Quantification and
 Classification of Landscape Patterns.” Landscape Ecology 34: 2091–101.