Final answer:
GPS data can track caribou movement, analyze habitat changes, and inform conservation efforts. By understanding migration patterns and habitat needs, effectively managed protected areas can be established to secure caribou migration paths against threats like climate change and human activities.
Step-by-step explanation:
To protect the migration path of caribou in Canada using GPS data, one could engage in the following steps:
- Track the caribou: Utilize GPS collars to track the movements of individual caribou, gathering data on their migration routes, feeding areas, and calving grounds.
- Analyze habitat changes: Correlate GPS data with environmental changes, like the shift from lichens to shrubs due to climate change, to understand how these changes affect migration paths.
- Inform conservation efforts: Use the collected GPS data to inform the creation of protected areas and manage human activities such as road construction, recreational access, and livestock ranching in areas crucial to caribou migration.
For example, by analyzing GPS data over time, conservationists can see if caribou avoid certain areas due to habitat loss or human disturbance, and take measures to alleviate these pressures.