Are populations of selected forest-associated species changing?
larger versions HTML | PDF | Word Why is this important? Changes in populations and ranges may reflect evolutionary change or ecological dysfunction, and can affect economic uses and social traditions. State and Trend • From a list of 105 species selected for their ecological, economic or social significance, and to represent a variety of taxonomic groups, 14 species are presented here to illustrate the variety of population trends. • Among widespread species, caribou, moose, elk, grizzly bear and cougar have locally varying population trends. Some local populations are increasing, or have expanding ranges; others are stable, declining or at risk, and a few have been extirpated. • Pileated woodpeckers appear to be increasing. The tree cavities created by this keystone species are used by other species for nesting, shelter and feeding. • Along the coast, all stocks of coho salmon have declining spawning abundance, due to changes in forest and marine conditions. • Among rare species with
