title: Ecology of conflict: marine food supply affects human-wildlife interactions on land.
abstract: Human-wildlife conflicts impose considerable costs to people and wildlife worldwide. Most research focuses on proximate causes, offering limited generalizable understanding of ultimate drivers. We tested three competing hypotheses (problem individuals, regional population saturation, limited food supply) that relate to underlying processes of human-grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) conflict, using data from British Columbia, Canada, between 1960-2014. We found most support for the limited food supply hypothesis: in bear populations that feed on spawning salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), the annual number of bears/km(2) killed due to conflicts with humans increased by an average of 20% (6-32% [95% CI]) for each 50% decrease in annual salmon biomass. Furthermore, we found that across all bear populations (with or without access to salmon), 81% of attacks on humans and 82% of conflict kills occurred after the approximate onset of hyperphagia (July 1(st)), a period of intense caloric demand. Contrary to practices by many management agencies, conflict frequency was not reduced by hunting or removal of problem individuals. Our finding that a marine resource affects terrestrial conflict suggests that evidence-based policy for reducing harm to wildlife and humans requires not only insight into ultimate drivers of conflict, but also management that spans ecosystem and jurisdictional boundaries.
authors.affiliation: Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A 1S6.|Raincoast Conservation Foundation, PO Box 2429, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada, V8L 3Y3.|Hakai Institute, PO Box 309, Heriot Bay, British Columbia, Canada, V0P 1H0.
authors.forename: Kyle A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Artelle
authors.affiliation: Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A 1S6.
authors.forename: Sean C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A 1S6.|Hakai Institute, PO Box 309, Heriot Bay, British Columbia, Canada, V0P 1H0.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.affiliation: School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5A 1S6.
authors.forename: Andrew B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Raincoast Conservation Foundation, PO Box 2429, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada, V8L 3Y3.|Department of Geography, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, V8W 2Y2.
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Paquet
authors.affiliation: Raincoast Conservation Foundation, PO Box 2429, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada, V8L 3Y3.|Hakai Institute, PO Box 309, Heriot Bay, British Columbia, Canada, V0P 1H0.|Department of Geography, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, V8W 2Y2.
authors.forename: Chris T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Darimont
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000502:physiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001955:British Columbia; D060435:Carnivory; D017753:Ecosystem; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D012474:Salmon; D001503:Ursidae / Q000502:physiology*