Title
Range expansion by moose into coastal temperate rainforests of British Columbia, Canada
Author(s)
Darimont C.T., Paquet P.C., Reimchen T.E., Crichton V.
Published
2005
Publisher
Diversity and Distributions
Abstract
Ranges of species are dynamic and respond to long-term climate change and contemporary effects such as habitat modification. We report here that moose (Alces alces) have recently colonized coastal temperate rainforests of British Columbia, Canada. Contrary to recent publications, field observations of moose and their sign, combined with their occurrence in wolf (Canis lupus) faeces, suggest that moose are now widespread on the coastal mainland and occur on least three islands. Traditional ecological knowledge (information accumulated by aboriginal peoples about their environment) suggests that colonization occurred during the mid 1900s, concomitant with logging of major watersheds that bisect the Coast Mountain Range. Range expansion by moose may have ecological consequences such as alteration of predator-prey dynamics and transmission of disease to native deer (Odocoileus hemionus). © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Keywords
coastal zone; rainforest; range expansion; temperate forest; ungulate; British Columbia; Canada; North America; Western Hemisphere; World; Alces alces; Canis; Canis familiaris; Canis lupus; Cervidae; Odocoileus hemionus
Access Full Text
A full-text copy of this article may be available. Please email the WCS Library to request.
![]()
Back
PUB12352