Estimating and forecasting spatial population dynamics of apex predators using transnational genetic monitoring
Richard Bischof, Cyril Milleret, Pierre Dupont, Joseph Chipperfield, Mahdieh Tourani, Andrés Ordiz, Perry de Valpine, Daniel Turek, J. Andrew Royle, Olivier Giménez, Øystein Flagstad, Mikael Åkesson, Linn Svensson, Henrik Brøseth, Jonas Kindberg
Abstract
Significance We are experiencing the accelerated loss and reconfiguration of biological diversity. Meanwhile, those charged with natural resource management are struggling to meet the challenges of monitoring and managing wildlife populations across vast areas crisscrossed by political borders. What if, akin to weather maps, we could track and forecast the dynamics of wildlife populations across space and time? Using the world’s most extensive large carnivore monitoring program, we showcase the application of an effective tool for spatially explicit quantification of wildlife population dynamics at scales that are relevant to management and conservation.