INTERPRETING PUMA (PUMA CONCOLOR) POPULATION ESTIMATES FOR THEORY ANDMANAGEMENT

Estimates of population size have been essential for ecological theory and wildlife management, but they depend on spatial scales of observa tion. Reported aspects of study and interpretive design were tested to see if they could explain variation in puma (Puma conc color) density . Comparison of puma studies revealed information shortfalls and possi ble confounding effects in research trends. Vegetation descriptions an d other biological and physical aspects of the study site explained no ne of the 30-fold range of variation in puma density, nor did sampling and estimation methods and other aspects of study and interpretive de sign. Most (78%) of the variation in puma density estimates can be exp lained by the spatial extent of study area. Given the effect of scale, puma density estimates have been inappropriately extrapolated to larg er geographic areas for management purposes. Due to spatial shifting o f local population clusters, conventional density estimates cannot con tribute to assessments of puma population trend without study at multi ple sites over longer periods of time. Field studies would contribute more to knowledge of puma by spanning larger areas, a greater variety of land uses and habitats, and more of puma's range of distribution.