Meeting Abstract
Backcountry aviation is a popular form of recreation throughout the Northern Rocky Mountains; however, it is unclear whether this seasonal disturbance has adverse effects on wildlife. Using stress physiology techniques provides a mechanistic understanding of the effects of disturbance on free-living populations. The analysis of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) is an increasingly useful tool in conservation biology as it provides a non-invasive measurement of circulating stress hormones (e.g., cortisol) deposited into the feces. We quantified aircraft activity and human presence in concert with collecting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (O. hemionus), and elk (Cervus elaphus) fecal samples from six backcountry airstrips and six control sites (n=12) located in national forests and wilderness areas throughout western Montana and north-central Idaho. By correlating FGM levels against aircraft activity, we can evaluate the impacts of backcountry aviation on deer stress physiology within the greater context of recreation on public lands. We are also surveying recreational pilots who frequent backcountry airstrips in the study region. The main objectives of this human dimensions analysis are to 1) measure attitudes of pilots toward seeing various wildlife species at backcountry airstrips 2) evaluate scenarios under which pilots might alter their recreational behavior in order to mitigate potential impacts and 3) determine how they, as stakeholders, perceive the impacts of recreational aviation on wildlife. This research represents the first attempt to model the endocrine profile of wildlife populations exposed to recreational, backcountry aviation while also providing social science data on current attitudes regarding this topic.
