Macroinvertebrate communities in Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. reed beds and open bank habitats in central victorian streams in Australia

Reed invasion is a common phenomenon of open streams with disturbed riparian vegetation in river catchments. Knowledge of the effects of such vegetation change on aquatic communities is fundamental to river management. Macroinvertebrate fauna in Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. and open bank habitats were examined in three rivers in central Victoria in order to understand the effect of such littoral habitat on macroinvertebrates. Data were analysed using Partially Nested Factorial ANOVA with season, river and habitats as main effects. Habitat structure had a significant effect (p<0.05) on macroinvertebrate species richness, however this was not seasonally consistent across the three rivers. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in macroinvertebrate taxa richness in Phragmites habitats during winter and spring seasons. Total abundance of taxa showed no consistent significant differences in the two habitats. Results of Canonical Analysis of Principle Coordinates indicated significant differences (p<0.05) in macroinvertebrate assemblages between Phragmites and bare bank habitats in all seasons. Habitat selection by taxa could be related to the microphysical environment of the habitats. This study suggests that reed beds create important littoral habitat structures which support diverse macroinvertebrate assemblages.     

Habitat specificity and diversity of tree species in an African wet tropical forest

Niche differentiation with respect to habitat has been hypothesized to shape patterns of diversity and species distributions in plant communities. African forests have been reported to be relatively less diverse compared to highly diversed regions of the Amazonian or Southeast Asian forests, and might be expected to have less niche differentiation. We examined patterns of structural and floristic differences among five topographically defined habitats for 494 species with stems ≥1 cm dbh in a 50-ha plot in Korup National Park, Cameroon. In addition, we tested for species–habitat associations for 272 species (with more than 50 individuals in the plot) using Torus translation randomization tests. Tree density and basal area were lowest in areas with negative convexity, which contained streams or were inundated during rainy periods and highest in moist well-drained habitats. Species composition and diversity varied along the topographical gradient from low flat to ridge top habitats. The low depression and low flat habitats were characterized by high diversity and similar species composition, relative to slopes, high gullies and ridge tops. Sixty-three percent of the species evaluated showed significant positive associations with at least one of the five habitat types. The majority of associations were with low depressions (75 species) and the fewest with ridge tops (8 species). The large number of species–habitat associations and the pronounced contrast between low (valley) and elevated (ridgetop) habitats in the Korup plot shows that niche differentiation with respect to edaphic variables (e.g., soil moisture, nutrients) contributes to local scale tree species distributions and to the maintenance of diversity in African forests.     

Relating macroinvertebrate community structure to environmental characteristics and sediment contamination at the scale of the St. Lawrence River

There is still no assessment of the impact of sediment chemicals and environmental conditions on macroinvertebrates at the scale of the St. Lawrence River. In order to assess these impacts in the fluvial section of the St. Lawrence River including the Montreal harbour, the community structure of macroinvertebrates using different taxonomic aggregations (genus and family) and taxa attributes (abundance, presence–absence, indicator taxa) was assessed. The goal of the study was to determine the indicator taxa of macroinvertebrates along the fluvial continuum and relate changes in macroinvertebrate community to sediment chemical conditions and environmental characteristics of habitats using variance partitioning. This study also evaluated which taxonomic level and taxa attributes of macroinvertebrates were the most suitable for bioassessment of quality of sediments and habitat environment in the St. Lawrence River. Four different macroinvertebrate assemblages were found distributed along the fluvial continuum using either abundance or presence–absence data and genus or family levels. Indicator taxa characteristic of the different macroinvertebrate communities were associated with the sediment contamination gradient. However, habitat environmental characteristics (water masses, sulphur and DOC in sediments) had more influence on macroinvertebrate assemblages than sediment contamination. Our study confirms that family level analysis can give information comparable to the genus level analysis using presence–absence or abundance of macroinvertebrates, yet a higher number of indicator taxa were detected at the genus level.     

Application of the functional habitat concept to the regulated Lower Ord River,Western Australia,Part I,macroinvertebrate assemblages

This paper tests the applicability of the Functional Habitat Concept (FHC) to a lowland tropical river in Australia. The underlying tenet of the FHC is that in-stream hydrological and physical processes form distinct habitats, and where these habitats support distinct macroinvertebrate assemblages they are considered ‘functional’ habitats. This concept has been employed in the northern hemisphere as a tool for river restoration and management, especially where habitats are easier to manage than species, but the FHC has yet to be tested in Australia. This study reports the application of the FHC to the regulated Lower Ord River (LOR) in the remote far north of Western Australia. Seven ‘potential’ in-stream habitat units were identified on the basis of their physical properties. Multivariate and species preference analysis of macroinvertebrate data indicated that these habitats supported six distinct macroinvertebrate assemblages, providing six ‘functional’ habitats (gravel runs and rock rapids, sand margins, mud/silt margins, flooded riparian vegetation, emergent vegetation, and submerged macrophyte beds). Macroinvertebrate preferences for particular habitats reflected the broad ecology and life-history characteristics of the species, which in turn reflected the physical attributes of the habitats. We argue that in a region where the fauna has been little studied, and for which there is little ecological information, the FHC is a valuable approach. For a river that is facing increased water abstraction, the FHC potentially aids in the preservation of macroinvertebrate diversity as it identifies critical functional habitats for managers to maintain. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Handling editor: K. Martens     

Short-term colonisation by macroinvertebrates of cobbles in main channel and inundated stream bank habitats

In small, forested catchments, short rainfall events cause relatively rapid increases in river discharge that inundate previously dry streamside habitats and last for several days. We examined the colonisation and use of such newly inundated habitats by macroinvertebrates in the riffles of a cobble-dominated river over a 4-day period. First we simulated inundation by adding dry river rocks to the main channel of the stream. Second, we observed colonisation of streamside rocks that were inundated following rainfall and subsequent natural spate. Macroinvertebrates colonised rocks in both habitats within 24 h, yet overall macroinvertebrate abundance did not change significantly over the subsequent 3 days. The abundances of common taxa were similar on mid-channel and stream bank rocks but each habitat contained a unique suite of uncommon taxa. Taxon richness was significantly greater on the stream bank rocks, which we attribute to the non-selective colonisation of fauna to avoid high flows in the main channel during the spate. Our study shows that fauna use the stream bank habitat as a haven from high flows in the main river channel, but the fate of the animals colonising this habitat is uncertain. Handling editor: D. Dudgeon     

Macroinvertebrate–habitat relationships in the River Teifi catchment and the significance to conservation

SUMMARY. 1. A macroinvertebrale survey of various habitats (e.g. riffles, pools, tree roots) at sixteen sites in the Teifi catchment in September 1981 yielded 217 taxa excluding Hydracarina and Chironomidae.
2. Sites with the greatest number of habitats were generally rich in taxa and supported the highest number of 'rare' species, the latter generally being associated with vegetation. However, species were not generally restricted to particular habitats although ecdyonurid mayflies predominated in riffles and one leptocerid caddisfly was principally collected from tree roots.
3. Four groups of taxa which characterized three habitat groups were established using classification procedures and it was concluded that three habitat types (eroding, depositing and vegetation) should be sampled to describe adequately the macroinvertebrate fauna at each site.
4. Three attributes (species richness, species rarity and site uniqueness) were used to establish the conservational value of each site; in general, the main river and one lowland tributary were of highest conservational significance.
5. Multiple regression analyses were used to establish significant relationships between the three attributes and environmental features such as number of habitats, altitude, river width, pH and total hardness. Such relationships may facilitate a rapid assessment of resource value without expensive biological survey.     

Liana habitat associations and community structure in a Bornean lowland tropical forest

Lianas (woody vines) contribute substantially to the diversity and structure of most tropical forests, yet little is known about the importance of habitat specialization in maintaining tropical liana diversity and the causes of variation among forests in liana abundance and species composition. We examined habitat associations, species diversity, species composition, and community structure of lianas at Sepilok Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia in northeastern Borneo among three soil types that give rise to three distinct forest types of lowland tropical rain forest: alluvial, sandstone hill, and kerangas (heath) forest. Alluvial soils are more nutrient rich and have higher soil moisture than sandstone soils, whereas kerangas soils are the most nutrient poor and drought prone. Lianas ≥0.5-cm in diameter were measured, tagged, and identified to species in three square 0.25-ha plots in each forest type. The number of lianas ≥0.5 cm did not differ significantly among forest types and averaged 1348 lianas ha⁻¹, but mean liana stem diameter, basal area, estimated biomass, species richness, and Fisher’s diversity index were all greater for plots in alluvial than sandstone or kerangas forests. Liana species composition also differed greatly among the three habitats, with 71% of species showing significant positive or negative habitat associations. Sandstone forests were intermediate to alluvial and kerangas forests in most aspects of liana community structure and composition, and fewer species showed significant habitat associations with this forest type. Ranking of forest types with respect to liana density, biomass, and diversity matches the ranking in soil fertility and water availability (alluvial > sandstone hill > kerangas). These results suggest that edaphic factors play an important role in maintaining liana species diversity and structuring liana communities.     

Diversity and community composition of herbaceous plants in different habitat types in south‐east Cameroon

The composition of herbaceous vegetation was evaluated with the aim of characterizing forests at various ages of stand development. Herb stems were sampled in 250 4‐m² square plots distributed within six habitat types. A total of 36 herb species belonging to 15 families were recorded. Species richness did not significantly differ between habitat types. Most herb species occurred in all habitat types and were therefore generalists. However, a few indicator herb species were detected, and the results roughly suggested that herb species of the families Poaceae and Araceae were indicative of late successional forests; Zingiberaceae are indicative of early successional forests; and Commelinaceae, Costaceae, Cyperaceae and Marantaceae are indicators of flooded habitats. Species diversity and stem density of herbaceous plants did not change with forest succession as a decrease in abundance and frequency of occurrence of pioneer species in late successional forests was counterbalanced by the presence of generalist and late successional species. However, increasing proportions of dwarf stems in late successional forests translated to changes in the vertical structure of herbaceous plant communities. Herbivory pressure by gorillas did not have a notable effect on herbaceous plant community development. This study contributes to the definition of herbaceous ecological indicators of forest succession in different settings.     

The use of indicator taxa as representatives of communities in bioassessment

1. Sampling and processing of benthic macroinvertebrate samples is time consuming and expensive. Although a number of cost‐cutting options exist, a frequently asked question is how representative a subset of data is of the whole community, in particular in areas where habitat diversity is high (like Dutch surface water habitats). 2. Weighted averaging was used to reassign 650 samples to a typology of 40 community types, testing the representativeness of different subsets of data: (i) four different types of data (presence/absence, raw, ²log‐ and ln‐transformed abundance), (ii) three subsets of ‘indicator’ taxa (taxa with indicator weights 4–12, 7–12, and 10–12) and (iii) single taxonomic groups (n = 14) by determining the classification error. 3. ²log‐ and ln‐transformed abundances resulted in the lowest classification error, whilst the use of qualitative data resulted in a reduction of 10% of the samples assigned to their original community type compared to the use of ln‐transformed abundance data. 4. Samples from community types with a high number of unique indicator taxa had the lowest classification error, and classification error increased as similarity among community types increased. Using a subset of indicator taxa resulted in a maximum increase of the classification error of 15% when only taxa with an indicator weight 10–12 were included (error = 49.1%). 5. Use of single taxonomic groups resulted in high classification error, the lowest classification error was found using Trichoptera (68%), and was related to the frequency of the taxonomic group among samples and the indicator weights of the taxa. 6. Our findings that the use of qualitative data, subsets of indicator taxa or single taxonomic groups resulted in high classification error implies low taxonomic redundancy, and supports the use of all taxa in characterising a macroinvertebrate community, in particular in areas where habitat diversity is high.     

Benthic macrocrustacean and insect assemblages in relation to spring habitat characteristics: patterns in abundance and diversity

We studied variation in benthic macrocrustacean and insect assemblages in relation to spring habitat characteristics in six springs located in a single groundwater area in south-west Finland. We defined five habitat types in the studied springs according to water flow and benthic substrate characteristicsminerogenic brooks, organogenic brooks, helocrenes, floating moss carpets and limnocrene pools. Most studied invertebrate orders, as well as individual taxa, showed differences in relative abundances between the habitat types, but the most common taxa occurred in all springs and habitat types. The studied macroinvertebrates were most abundant in the moss carpet sites and least abundant in the pool sites, but the difference was not statistically significant. We did not observe significant differences in mean taxonomic richness per sample between habitat classes. The observed taxonomic richness in pooled samples of habitat classes was highest in moss carpet habitat and lowest in pool habitat, and the rarefied richness estimate was lowest in pool habitat. Benthic macrocrustacean and insect assemblages varied more between habitat types than between individual springs. In an Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling ordination analysis, spring brook sites were separated from the moss carpet and pool sites, whereas helocrene sites were widely scattered among sites in other habitat classes. The strongest ecological gradients were related to water flow and the presence of minerogenic substrate, separating lentic and lotic habitats. Abundances of moss and coarse detritus accounted for most of the within-class variation. We identified several indicator species for minerogenic and organogenic brooks and for moss carpet and pool habitats, but none for the helocrenes. We found several occurrences of two crenobiont insect species considered threatened in Finland. We suggest that combined studies on macroinvertebrate and bryophyte assemblages would be a powerful approach in assessing the biodiversity of springs.     

River channel habitat diversity (RCHD) and macroinvertebrate community

Correspondence of habitat and macroinvertebrate diversity was investigated in twenty Czech rivers. With regard to the importance of river characteristics (depth, current velocity and substratum) River Channel Habitat Diversity method was developed within this paper. The method is focused directly on the stream wetted channel and it assesses habitat diversity and richness computed as Shannon-Wiener’s index. Macroinvertebrate samples were taken by the national PERLA method at each study site, diversity index was also calculated and compared with habitat and substrate diversity. Habitat diversity was important for macroinvertebrate communities according to multivariate assessment, but contrary to the hypothesis it was not significantly correlated with macroinvertebrate diversity. Based on the results, broader rivers had lower habitat diversity than smaller streams, and were more influenced by human activities (lower habitat diversity, higher pollution). Results obtained by the RCHD and RHS methods were not significantly correlated.     

Effects of flow regulation, basin characteristics and land-use on macroinvertebrate communities in a large arid Patagonian river

Longitudinal distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrate communities were examined in relation to hydrochemical variables along the Chubut River in the Patagonian Precordillera and Plateau, Argentina. The Chubut River (>1000 km) is the largest river in the area and its basin is subject to multiple uses: agriculture, cattle raising, urbanization and the hydrological regime of the lower section is modified by a reservoir. Quantitative benthic samples were collected at 13 sites in the higher, middle and lower sections of the river basin. Sites were visited four times during 2004 and physicochemical parameters, chlorophyll a and particulate organic matter (POM) were assessed. Ninety-five taxa were collected in the study, with total species richness per site ranging from 5 to 51, and benthos density averaging 299–5024 ind m⁻². Altitude and turbidity were implicated as important factors determining macroinvertebrate assemblages along the river system, and an eutrophication gradient was documented in the regulated/urbanized section of the main river. High turbidity (TSS) and sedimentation limited algal productivity in the middle basin. Below the dam, TSS, total phosphorus (TP) and POM decreased, whereas soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and chlorophyll a increased. Macroinvertebrate density increased three fold in this area possibly due to habitat improvement and enhanced trophic resources. Mean species richness did not change below the impoundment; however the community was dominated by gastropods, chironomids and flatworms. The Chubut River is complex and its biotic community reflects the landscape attributes. While benthic composition and density was governed by turbidity and flood disturbance in some river segments, a greater environmental heterogeneity resulted in an unexpected high number of species at the main channel upper basin.     

Neotropical moth assemblages degrade due to oil palm expansion

Oil palm is one of the most rapidly expanding crops throughout the tropics, yet little is known about its impacts on Neotropical invertebrate biodiversity. Responses of insect assemblages to land conversion may substantially vary among taxa. We assessed geometrid and arctiine moth assemblages in a Costa Rican human dominated landscape, where oil palm plantations are now the second most common land cover. Moths were sampled during 6 months with automatic traps in the interior and margin of old-growth forests, young secondary forests and oil palm plantations in a 30 km² area. Our results show that richness and diversity of both taxa were severely reduced in oil palm compared to all other habitats. Geometrid abundance was highest in forest interiors and lowest in oil palm, while arctiine numbers did not differ between habitats. Dominance was highest in oil palm plantations, where one arctiine species and one geometrid species accounted for over 40% of total abundance in each of their respective taxa. Species composition was distinct in oil palm and forest interior sites, and depicted a gradient of habitat disturbance in ordination space that was strongly related to vegetation diversity and structure. This study demonstrates that oil palm plantations are not a suitable habitat for these moth taxa. Whilst some arctiine species seem adapted to disturbed habitats, geometrids were more dependent on old-growth forests, showing higher bioindicator potential. In the face of accelerated oil palm expansion, conservation strategies should focus on protecting old-growth forest remnants, as well as increasing species diversity and structural complexity of degraded habitats.     

Composition and spatio-temporal changes of soil macroinvertebrates in the biodiversity hotspot of northern Hengduanshan Mountains, China

Aims

The aim of this study was to analyze the composition and spatio-temporal variation of soil macroinvertebrate communities in the northern Hengduanshan Mountains, Southwest China.

Methods

The soil macroinvertebrates were investigated in April, August and November of 2008 in two deciduous broad-leaved forests: secondary shrub forest (SSF) and Betula albosinensis forest (BSF), two coniferous forests: Picea asperata plantation (PAP) and Abies fabri and Larix kaempferi mixed forest (ALF), a coniferous (A. fabri) and broad leaf (B. albosinensis) mixed forest (ABF) and a subalpine meadow (SM) at elevations of 2659 to 3845 m.

Results

The soil macroinvertebrate community showed typical zonal characteristics compared with other localities in China. It comprised at least 113 taxa and was dominated by Insects (43.33%, mainly Coleoptera and Diptera), followed by Diplopoda (16.37%), Malacostraca (14.31%), Oligochaeta (12.71%) and Chilopoda (6.67%). Abundances of each taxa showed clear differences among habitats. Community abundance ranged from 71.56 individuals/m² in the PAP to 148.00 individuals/m² in the SM. The composition and structure of the soil macroinvertebrate communities varied among the six habitats and changed with the sampling periods. The richness, abundance and Shannon index of soil macroinvertebrate communities were significantly different among habitats, but not between sampling periods. Significant temporal responses in abundance were recorded in the SSF and BSF and the Shannon index for the SM. Further analysis showed that the abundance of the seven taxonomic groups also differed significantly among habitats, but that sampling period only had significant effects on a few taxonomic groups. Patterns of temporal variation in abundance differed among the seven taxonomic groups, even when the same taxa also differed markedly among habitat types. On the whole, these temporal variations in abundance on community and taxa group levels were greater in the SSF and BSF than in the PAP, ABF, ALF and the SM. However, the habitat had a stronger effect on soil macroinvertebrates than the sampling period. Moreover, a significant correlation was found between the abundance, richness and Shannon index of soil macroinvertebrate community and plant species richness, but not with soil properties or elevation. Additionally, more taxonomic groups were significantly influenced by the litter mass and plant coverage, but few with soil properties.

Conclusions

Plant community was the main environmental determinant influencing macroinvertebrate distribution in ecosystem of the northern Hengduanshan Mountains and presented a greater effect on the soil macroinvertebrates than soil properties or elevation. The temporal effects on soil macroinvertebrates were stronger in the deciduous broad-leaved forests than in the coniferous forests.     

Using river color to predict Amazonian floodplain forest avifaunas in the world's largest blackwater river basin

Despite the importance of rivers in Amazonian biogeography, avian distribution patterns in river‐created habitats (i.e., floodplain forests) have been sparsely addressed. Here, we explore geographic variation in floodplain forest avifaunas, specifically regarding one of the most striking aspects of the Amazon: the diversity of river “colors” (i.e., types, based on the color of the water). We sampled the avifauna at 30 sites, located in 17 different rivers (nine black‐ and eight whitewater), in the Rio Negro basin, northwestern Brazil. Our sampling comprised ten 15‐min point‐counts per site, distributed every 500–1000 m along the river. We recorded a total of 352 bird species, many of which occurred in both river types. Although bird species richness was similar among rivers, we found significant differences in species composition. Nearly 14 percent of the species were significantly associated with one or the other river type. Most floodplain forest specialists occurred predominantly in whitewater rivers, whereas species that are typically associated with white‐sand habitats occurred in blackwater. Despite significant distinctions between river types, occurrence patterns and levels of habitat association differed among indicator species and may vary in the same species throughout its global distribution. There were also “intermediate” avifauna in some of our sites, suggesting that continuous parameters characterizing river types structure species turnover. The water color‐based classification of Amazonian rivers represents a simple and powerful predictor of the floodplain forest avifauna, offering a stimulating starting point for understanding patterns of floodplain bird distributions and for prioritizing conservation efforts in these overlooked habitats. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.     

The bioassessment of fish and macroinvertebrates in a Mediterranean–Atlantic climate: Habitat assessment and concordance between contrasting ecological samples

Human intervention and drought conditions in Mediterranean rivers may necessitate the collection of organisms from a different habitat type to that specified by the original bioassessment protocol; it is therefore critical to understand the consequences of adaptive sampling strategies in these lotic systems. In a survey of 31 streams (2nd–4th order) in northern Portugal we collected separate macroinvertebrate samples from running-water and standing-water habitats and fish samples from a delineated reach, inclusive of all habitat types. In addition to collecting habitat data specific to macroinvertebrates and fish we conducted a generalized River Habitat Survey (RHS) and derived scores designed to report habitat quality and habitat degradation. Ecological data were described in terms of taxonomic structure, functional organization and by biotic indices and interpreted in relation to habitat data, comparing samples within and between sites for concordance. Macroinvertebrates from respective habitats differed in their relationship with habitat variable with running-water samples more strongly related to substrate and water quality and standing-water samples more strongly reflecting habitat characteristics at the reach scale. Running- and standing-water samples from the same-site varied widely, indicating that substituting standing-water for running-water samples in macroinvertebrate-based bioassessment carries a high risk of misclassification. However, a consistent bias in index scores suggests that a habitat-adjusted interpretation of biotic indices could be employed to improve measurement precision. Variation in key parameters of the fish community corresponded to changes in water quality and habitat structure and to reach-scale features recorded by the RHS. Trends between macroinvertebrate and fish measurements indicated common patterns for oxygen/flow sensitive taxa and for trophic organization that were related to similar habitat preferences. Whilst macroinvertebrates demonstrated no relationship with derived scores of habitat quality, the fish-based Index of well-being (Iwb) was strongly related to the Habitat Modification Score. Overall these data indicate how different ecological samples can be used to focus on different aspects of habitat quality and are suggestive of strategies for both the collection and interpretation of ecological data that would improve assessment performance. This study emphasizes the need to adapt assessment methods not only to the species pool but also to the differences in the managed and natural habitat characteristics of these types of Mediterranean streams.     

Non-native plantation forests as alternative habitat for native forest beetles in a heavily modified landscape

The once extensive native forests of New Zealand’s central North Island are heavily fragmented, and the scattered remnants are now surrounded by a matrix of exotic pastoral grasslands and Pinus radiata plantation forests. The importance of these exotic habitats for native biodiversity is poorly understood. This study examines the utilisation of exotic plantation forests by native beetles in a heavily modified landscape. The diversity of selected beetle taxa was compared at multiple distances across edge gradients between each of the six possible combinations of adjacent pastoral, plantation, clearfell and native forest land-use types. Estimated species richness (Michaelis–Menten) was greater in production habitats than native forest; however this was largely due to the absence of exotic species in native forest. Beetle relative abundance was highest in clearfell-harvested areas, mainly due to colonisation by open-habitat, disturbance-adapted species. More importantly, though, of all the non-native habitats sampled, beetle species composition in mature P. radiata was most similar to native forest. Understanding the influence of key environmental factors and stand level management is important for enhancing biodiversity values within the landscape. Native habitat proximity was the most significant environmental correlate of beetle community composition, highlighting the importance of retaining native remnants within plantation landscapes. The proportion of exotic beetles was consistently low in mature plantation stands, however it increased in pasture sites at increasing distances from native forest. These results suggest that exotic plantation forests may provide important alternative habitat for native forest beetles in landscapes with a low proportion of native forest cover.     

Using forest inventory data to predict winter habitat use by fisherMartes pennanti in British Columbia, Canada

This study assessed the possibility of predicting the distribution of potential winter habitats for fisherMartes pennanti Erxleben, 1777 in central interior British Columbia (BC) with the BC Vegetation Resources Inventory (VRI) dataset used to produce forestry maps. I predicted that fisher winter habitat would correspond to coniferous or coniferous-deciduous stands with the following characteristics: (1) absence of disturbance, (2) >- 80 years old, (3) mature and old forest structural stages, (4) ≥ 20 m²·ha^-1 basal area in mature trees, (5) ≥ 30% canopy closure, (6) shrub cover ≥ 20%, and (7) diameter at breast height ≥ 27.5 cm. I allocated weight values to these criteria to classify map polygons into excellent-, high-, medium-, and low- quality habitats, and produce predictive maps of winter habitat use by fishers. I tested predictive maps in the field by snow-tracking along 27 transects (44.2 km) in winter 2003–2004, and 16 transects (31.4 km) in winter 2004–2005. A total of 89 tracks were recorded during both years. The proportion of fisher tracks within each polygon type was significantly different from random (p < 0.001). The majority of tracks (> 83%) were in structurally complex coniferous stands. This study showed that it is possible to predict the distribution of potential winter habitats for fisher in central interior British Columbia using simple habitat criteria and the VRI dataset. This study’s query may be used in other regions with similar vegetation composition to identify forests be inhabited by fishers in winter, and develop effective conservation programs in managed landscapes.