Sage-Grouse Habitat Selection During Winter in Alberta

ABSTRACT Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are dependent on sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) for food and shelter during winter, yet few studies have assessed winter habitat selection, particularly at scales applicable to conservation planning. Small changes to availability of winter habitats have caused drastic reductions in some sage-grouse populations. We modeled winter habitat selection by sage-grouse in Alberta, Canada, by using a resource selection function. Our purpose was to 1) generate a robust winter habitat-selection model for Alberta sage-grouse; 2) spatially depict habitat suitability in a Geographic Information System to identify areas with a high probability of selection and thus, conservation importance; and 3) assess the relative influence of human development, including oil and gas wells, in landscape models of winter habitat selection. Terrain and vegetation characteristics, sagebrush cover, anthropogenic landscape features, and energy development were important in top Akaike's Information Criterion-selected models. During winter, sage-grouse selected dense sagebrush cover and homogenous less rugged areas, and avoided energy development and 2-track truck trails. Sage-grouse avoidance of energy development highlights the need for comprehensive management strategies that maintain suitable habitats across all seasons.     

唐家河国家级自然保护区川金丝猴冬季栖息地选择

2009年12月至2010年2月,对唐家河自然保护区内的一群(约60只)川金丝猴群采用直接跟踪观察,并结合植物样方调查对该猴群冬季栖息地选择进行了初步研究。根据猴群的活动位点,设置了75个20m×20m的植物样方,测定了12个生态因子(植被类型、乔木的胸径、郁闭度、乔木的高度、海拔、坡度、坡向、坡位、坡形、距水源距离、乔木密度、灌木盖度)。研究发现,冬季猴群主要在海拔2000～2500m、乔木平均胸径11～30cm、乔木平均树高为10～29m、乔木密度为20～40棵/20m×20m之间的落叶阔叶林和针阔混交林的阳坡中活动,还偏好在郁闭度为25%～49%、坡度为6°～20°、坡形为凸坡和复合坡、坡位为脊中部和下部、距水源距离0～300m的生境中活动。研究表明,冬季的食物资源、气候条件是影响川金丝猴群栖息地选择的主要生态因子。     

Greater Sage-Grouse Winter Habitat Selection and Energy Development

Abstract Recent energy development has resulted in rapid and large-scale changes to western shrub-steppe ecosystems without a complete understanding of its potential impacts on wildlife populations. We modeled winter habitat use by female greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Powder River Basin (PRB) of Wyoming and Montana, USA, to 1) identify landscape features that influenced sage-grouse habitat selection, 2) assess the scale at which selection occurred, 3) spatially depict winter habitat quality in a Geographic Information System, and 4) assess the effect of coal-bed natural gas (CBNG) development on winter habitat selection. We developed a model of winter habitat selection based on 435 aerial relocations of 200 radiomarked female sage-grouse obtained during the winters of 2005 and 2006. Percent sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) cover on the landscape was an important predictor of use by sage-grouse in winter. The strength of habitat selection between sage-grouse and sagebrush was strongest at a 4-km² scale. Sage-grouse avoided coniferous habitats at a 0.65-km² scale and riparian areas at a 4-km² scale. A roughness index showed that sage-grouse selected gentle topography in winter. After controlling for vegetation and topography, the addition of a variable that quantified the density of CBNG wells within 4 km² improved model fit by 6.66 Akaike's Information Criterion points (Akaike wt = 0.965). The odds ratio for each additional well in a 4-km² area (0.877; 95% CI = 0.834- 0.923) indicated that sage-grouse avoid CBNG development in otherwise suitable winter habitat. Sage-grouse were 1.3 times more likely to occupy sagebrush habitats that lacked CBNG wells within a 4-km² area, compared to those that had the maximum density of 12.3 wells per 4 km² allowed on federal lands. We validated the model with 74 locations from 74 radiomarked individuals obtained during the winters of 2004 and 2007. This winter habitat model based on vegetation, topography, and CBNG avoidance was highly predictive (validation R² = 0.984). Our spatially explicit model can be used to identify areas that provide the best remaining habitat for wintering sage-grouse in the PRB to mitigate impacts of energy development.     

吉林黄泥河自然保护区马鹿冬季栖息地选择

2009年12月～2010年1月,在黄泥河自然保护区采用样带法对马鹿冬季栖息地选择进行了研究。共设置了47条样带,调查了72个马鹿利用样方和109个对照样方。结果表明,在黄泥河自然保护区冬季马鹿喜欢选择针阔混交林、食物丰富度和灌丛盖度较高、中等坡度和隐蔽级、远离人为干扰源的生境,避开选择阴坡和针叶林。逻辑斯蒂回归分析揭示坡度、隐蔽级、食物丰富度、坡向、人为干扰距离和林型是影响马鹿栖息地选择的主导因子,灌丛盖度为次要因子。回归模型为:Z=-53.391+0.194×坡度+0.352×隐蔽级+0.5×食物丰富度-0.071×灌丛盖度+1.064×坡向(1)+6.11×坡向(2)+0.004×人为干扰距离+17.305×林型(1)+7.147×林型(2),选择利用概率P(z)=ez/(1+ez),模型正确预测率为94.5%。     

动物的生境选择

动物的生境选择颜忠诚陈永林（中国科学院动物研究所,北京１０００８０）ＨａｂｉｔａｔＳｅｌｅｃｔｉｏｎｉｎＡｎｉｍａｌｓ．ＹａｎＺｈｏｎｇｃｈｅｎｇ,ＣｈｅｎＹｏｎｇｌｉｎ（ＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＺｏｏｌｏｇｙ,ＡｃａｄｅｍｉａＳｉｎｉｃａ,Ｂｅｉｊｉ...     

小兴安岭黑河胜山林区冬季驼鹿的生境选择

2002年、2003年和2004年的12月至3月,在小兴安岭黑河胜山林场开展了驼鹿生境选择的研究。研究中选择了9类与驼鹿生境选择相关的生态因子：植被型、离公路距离、离采伐点距离、平均雪深、隐蔽程度、坡向、坡位、坡度、海拔,运用SPSS软件进行交叉汇总定量分析。结果表明,胜山驼鹿冬季以落叶阔叶林、灌丛为主要生境,影响驼鹿分布的主要生态因子为隐蔽程度、坡位,其次为雪深、坡向、离采伐点距离、离公路距离,坡度、海拔对驼鹿分布的影响不明显。     

Fine-Scale Habitat Selection by Breeding White-Tailed Ptarmigan in Colorado

Species distributions are influenced by climate and topography in alpine ecosystems, yet resource selection studies of alpine species are uncommon. Basic characteristics of habitats used by alpine-endemic white-tailed ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura) have been described to explain foraging behavior, morphology, and survival in many alpine regions; however, there is a lack of information about fine-scale habitat selection for nesting and brood-rearing, particularly in the southern extent of the species’ range. Few studies have tested whether nest and brood-site selection by white-tailed ptarmigan are influenced by fine-scale components such as vegetation and arthropod communities. We assessed these fine-scale habitat characteristics analyzing paired use-available resource selection for nest (n = 61) and brood (n = 54) sites. We used conditional logistic regression for data collected in 2 alpine areas along the Front Range of Colorado, USA, during 2014 and 2015. We evaluated resource selection at larger (patch) and finer (nest site) scales. Nest-site selection at the patch scale was best predicted by cover (%) of forage forbs, rock and gravel, and shrubs. Forage forb cover explained more variation in our top nest model at the patch scale when compared to models with specific vegetation species. Females placed their nests along elevational gradients but more so at lower elevations and selected for less graminoid cover at the nest-site scale. Brood habitat selection at the patch level was influenced by cover (%) of rock and gravel and proximity to shrubs (m). Analysis of a subset of our brood data (n = 34) revealed females selected brood habitat that contained high arthropod abundance (e.g., Cicadellidae) over high vegetation cover, likely as a response to meet dietary requirements of chicks. Our results demonstrate how and where white-tailed ptarmigan are currently selecting these different breeding sites in Colorado's alpine, giving us insight into consequences this alpine-endemic bird may face if their breeding habitat is altered. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.     

湖北石首麋鹿的冬季生境选择

2005年11月至2006年2月,研究了石首麋鹿冬季的生境选择。共随机抽取了195个样方,其中石首麋鹿国家级自然保护区内111个,保护区外江南三合垸84个。在样方中测定了食物丰富度、距水源的距离、距林缘距离、距道路的距离、植被类型、距最近居民点的距离6种生境因子。用SPSS软件分别进行卡方检验、主成分分析和相关分析。结果表明:麋鹿选择食物丰富、距水源近且远离人为干扰的开阔生境;影响麋鹿冬季生境选择的3个主成分依次为食物因子、人为干扰因子、水源因子;鹿群大小与各生境因子相关不显著。该结果可为保护和改善石首麋鹿的栖息地提供参考。     

湖北石首麇鹿的冬季生境选择

2005年11月至2006年2月,研究了石首麇鹿冬季的生境选择。共随机抽取了195个样方,其中石首麇鹿国家级自然保护区内111个,保护区外江南三合垸84个。在样方中测定了食物丰富度、距水源的距离、距林缘距离、距道路的距离、植被类型、距最近居民点的距离6种生境因子。用SPSS软件分别进行卡方检验、主成分分析和相关分析。结果表明：麇鹿选择食物丰富、距水源近且远离人为干扰的开阔生境;影响麇鹿冬季生境选择的3个主成分依次为食物因子、人为干扰因子、水源因子;鹿群大小与各生境因子相关不显著。该结果可为保护和改善石首麇鹿的栖息地提供参考。     

Using Mountain Lion Habitat Selection in Management

Wildlife agencies are generally tasked with managing and conserving species at state and local levels simultaneously. Thus, it is necessary for wildlife agencies to understand basic ecological processes of a given species at multiple scales to aid decision making at commensurately varied spatial and behavioral scales. Mountain lions (Puma concolor) occur throughout California, USA, and are at the center of a variety of management and conservation issues. For example, they are genetically and demographically at risk in 1 region yet apparently stable and negatively affecting endangered species in another. Currently, no formal plan exists for mountain lions in California to deal with these diverse scenarios involving issues of local mountain lion population viability and problems related to predation of endangered species. To facilitate development of a state-wide management and conservation plan, we quantified habitat selection by mountain lions at 2 spatial scales across the range of environmental conditions in which the species is found in California. Our analyses used location data from individuals (n = 263) collared across the state from 2001–2019. At the home range scale, mountain lions selected habitat to prioritize meeting energetic demands. At the within home range scale, mountain lions avoided areas of human activity. Further, our analyses revealed 165,350–170,085 km², depending on season, of suitable mountain lion habitat in California. Fifty percent of the suitable habitat was on unprotected lands and thus vulnerable to development. These habitat selection models will help in the development of a state-wide conservation and management plan for mountain lions in California by guiding mountain lion population monitoring through time, prioritization of habitat to be conserved for maintaining demographic connectivity and gene flow, and efforts to mediate mountain lion-prey interactions. Our work and application area will help with wildlife policy and management decisions related to depredation problems at the local scale and issues of habitat connectivity at the statewide scale. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.     

Influence of Well Pad Activity on Winter Habitat Selection Patterns of Mule Deer

ABSTRACT Conversion of native winter range into producing gas fields can affect the habitat selection and distribution patterns of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). Understanding how levels of human activity influence mule deer is necessary to evaluate mitigation measures and reduce indirect habitat loss to mule deer on winter ranges with natural gas development. We examined how 3 types of well pads with varying levels of vehicle traffic influenced mule deer habitat selection in western Wyoming during the winters of 2005–2006 and 2006–2007. Well pad types included producing wells without a liquids gathering system (LGS), producing wells with a LGS, and well pads with active directional drilling. We used 36,699 Global Positioning System locations collected from a sample (n = 31) of adult (>1.5-yr-old) female mule deer to model probability of use as a function of traffic level and other habitat covariates. We treated each deer as the experimental unit and developed a population-level resource selection function for each winter by averaging coefficients among models for individual deer. Model coefficients and predictive maps for both winters suggested that mule deer avoided all types of well pads and selected areas further from well pads with high levels of traffic. Accordingly, impacts to mule deer could probably be reduced through technology and planning that minimizes the number of well pads and amount of human activity associated with them. Our results suggested that indirect habitat loss may be reduced by approximately 38–63% when condensate and produced water are collected in LGS pipelines rather than stored at well pads and removed via tanker trucks. The LGS seemed to reduce long-term (i.e., production phase) indirect habitat loss to wintering mule deer, whereas drilling in crucial winter range created a short-term (i.e., drilling phase) increase in deer disturbance and indirect habitat loss. Recognizing how mule deer respond to different types of well pads and traffic regimes may improve the ability of agencies and industry to estimate cumulative effects and quantify indirect habitat losses associated with different development scenarios.     

鹞落坪自然保护区商城肥鲵的资源分布及生境选择

2006~2008年在鹞落坪国家级自然保护区对商城肥鲵资源状况进行调查,并对商城肥鲵栖息地的部分生态因子进行了监测。结果表明:鹞落坪自然保护区内的黄栗园河、大石屋冲和小石屋冲三个地点发现有商城肥鲵的栖息,其栖息地海拔介于600~1200 m之间,分布数量较少,对栖息地的生境有着严格的要求,且显示出"斑块化"和"破碎化"的特点。本文在分析了保护区目前所存在问题的同时,提出了保护商城肥鲵的措施与对策。     

甘肃盐池湾黑颈鹤亚成体夏季生境选择

开展对亚成体的研究,可以更加全面了解一个物种,进而更有效地开展保护工作。甘肃盐池湾国家级自然保护区是黑颈鹤（Grus nigricollis）成体的重要繁殖地和亚成体的重要栖息地之一。为研究甘肃盐池湾黑颈鹤亚成体生境选择,于2020年7月初至8月中旬在盐池湾党河湿地展开调查,并依据Johnson对生境选择空间尺度的划分,对亚成体活动区内各类型生境和觅食微生境的生境选择进行了研究。通过遥感影像解译和卫星跟踪分别获得各栖息地类型面积以及黑颈鹤的活动位点,利用核密度分析法估计活动区面积并利用Manly研究中的设计Ⅲ来研究活动区内各类型生境选择;通过选取利用样方和对照样方,使用χ2检验、独立样本t检验和Mann-Whitney U检验,对比检验样方数据,进行微生境选择的研究。结果表明,活动区内各类型生境中亚成体选择河流,拒绝戈壁和沼泽化草甸,对沼泽既不选择也不拒绝,而成体选择湖泊,没有利用河流,同时拒绝戈壁、山脉、沼泽化草甸和盐化草甸,对沼泽既不选择也不拒绝;觅食微生境选择中,亚成体选择平均植被盖度为57.07% ± 4.53%,基质类型为泥炭,基质硬度为中,主要植被黑褐苔草（Carex atrofusca）的微生境栖息,相比成体,亚成体选择的生境基质更硬,距道路距离更近,距房屋、河流、山脉和湖泊距离更远。亚成体的栖息地选择主要受到生境质量、生境资源有限性以及成体选择等因素的影响。在这些因素的影响下,亚成体与成体产生了生态位分离,并在栖息地选择上出现了分化。这种分化对亚成体的生存和成体的繁殖都有益,可以避免种内无效的冲突和竞争,有利于亚成体和成体的适合度增加。保护黑颈鹤的栖息环境需同时考虑到亚成体的选择和生存。     

Habitat Selection of Rocky Mountain Elk in a Nonforested Environment

Abstract: Recent expansions by Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) into nonforested habitats across the Intermountain West have required managers to reconsider the traditional paradigms of forage and cover as they relate to managing elk and their habitats. We examined seasonal habitat selection patterns of a hunted elk population in a nonforested high-desert region of southwestern Wyoming, USA. We used 35,246 global positioning system locations collected from 33 adult female elk to model probability of use as a function of 6 habitat variables: slope, aspect, elevation, habitat diversity, distance to shrub cover, and distance to road. We developed resource selection probability functions for individual elk, and then we averaged the coefficients to estimate population-level models for summer and winter periods. We used the population-level models to generate predictive maps by assigning pixels across the study area to 1 of 4 use categories (i.e., high, medium-high, medium-low, or low), based on quartiles of the predictions. Model coefficients and predictive maps indicated that elk selected for summer habitats characterized by higher elevations in areas of high vegetative diversity, close to shrub cover, northerly aspects, moderate slopes, and away from roads. Winter habitat selection patterns were similar, except elk shifted to areas with lower elevations and southerly aspects. We validated predictive maps by using 528 locations collected from an independent sample of radiomarked elk (n = 55) and calculating the proportion of locations that occurred in each of the 4 use categories. Together, the high- and medium-high use categories of the summer and winter predictive maps contained 92% and 74% of summer and winter elk locations, respectively. Our population-level models and associated predictive maps were successful in predicting winter and summer habitat use by elk in a nonforested environment. In the absence of forest cover, elk seemed to rely on a combination of shrubs, topography, and low human disturbance to meet their thermal and hiding cover requirements.     

北京野鸭湖湿地自然保护区越冬灰鹤觅食栖息地选择研究

2006年12月～2007年2月,采用秩变换分析法对北京野鸭湖湿地自然保护区越冬灰鹤群的觅食栖息地选择规律进行了研究.在保护区18种土地利用类型中,灰鹤的觅食柄息地主要为玉米地、沼泽草甸、水库冰面和草场等4种.越冬灰鹤对玉米地的选择性最高,草场的选择性最低,说明北京地区越冬灰鹤对人类活动的依赖性很大.同时发现,烧荒、翻地等耕作方式会大大降低食物的可获得性,影响灰鹤的觅食效率.     

江西桃红岭自然保护区夏季梅花鹿对生境的选择性

2005年6-8月在江西桃红岭自然保护区对夏季梅花鹿的生境选择性进行了初步研究。结果表明：梅花鹿选择灌丛和灌草丛、郁闭度较低、灌木盖度较小、食物丰富度高、阴坡、中上坡位、坡度平缓、水源距离在100-400m、人为干扰距离〉800m和海拔高度〉300m的环境;对郁闭度〉80％和水源距离≤100m的环境表现为随机选择。     

川西北高原马麝(横断山亚种)的夏季生境选择

在野外调查的基础上,利用数量化理论处理分析数据,对川西北高原马麝(横断山亚种)夏季生境选择进行了研究。结果表明,影响马麝(横断山亚种)夏季生境选择的主要因子有植被类型、隐蔽条件、坡向和人为干扰,次要因子有食物丰盛度、坡度、坡位、水源和天敌干扰,其最适生境条件为隐蔽条件好、干扰少、主要位于阴坡的灌丛。     

四川铁布梅花鹿自然保护区梅花鹿夏季栖息地选择

四川梅花鹿Cervus nippon sichuanicus为国家Ⅰ级重点保护动物,四川铁布梅花鹿自然保护区分布有我国现存最大的梅花鹿野生种群。2011年6—9月,采用样方法对保护区梅花鹿夏季栖息地选择进行了调查,共布设109个样方(利用样方61个,对照样方48个),测量并比较了海拔、坡度等20个生境因子。结果显示,梅花鹿偏好利用的植被类型为灌丛、草甸、针叶林,同时选择隐蔽度较高的生境;此外,距水源距离、灌木高度、灌木盖度、灌木密度、草本高度和草本盖度6个连续变量在利用样方和对照样方之间差异有统计学意义(F<0.05或U<0.05)。回归模型分析结果表明,梅花鹿夏季偏好选择草本盖度大、靠近水源和林缘的生境,回避远离水源和林缘的生境。     

Comparative Space Use and Habitat Selection of Moose Around Feeding Stations

ABSTRACT The practice of feeding cervids in winter, either as a supplement to enhance nutritional status or to divert animals away from roads, railways, or vulnerable habitats, is rising noticeably. Moose (Alces alces) densities in Scandinavia are currently at historically high levels, resulting in amplified damage to economically important young Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest stands. Nevertheless, there is limited information as to how diversionary feeding affects herbivore space use and habitat selection. We followed 32 female moose marked with Global Positioning System collars to evaluate 1) if feeding stations serve as attraction points to the extent that habitat-selection patterns resemble those of central-place foragers (i.e., high usage and more uniform selection close to the attraction point), and 2) if moose using feeding sites select young pine stands less than those not using feeding sites. Moose that used diversionary forage concentrated their space use around feeding stations and selected habitats as predicted for a central-place forager with a decreasing probability of using areas away from feeding sites and a low degree of habitat selectivity close to feeding sites. However, moose that used feeding sites continued to select young pine stands to the same extent as moose that did not use feeding sites. Feeding sites were, therefore, not successful in diverting moose away from valuable natural browse, so we recommend wildlife managers establish feeding sites in sacrifice areas where moose browsing is permissible and, if possible, >1 km from young pine plantations.