Keyword: habitat selection

Functional responses in habitat selection: Clarifying hypotheses and interpretations

A fundamental challenge in habitat ecology and management is understanding the mechanisms generating animal distributions. Studies of habitat selection provide a lens into such mechanisms, but are often limited by unrealistic assumptions. For example, most studies assume that habitat selection is constant with respect to the availability of resources, such that habitat use remains proportional to availability.

Improving habitat and connectivity model predictions with multi-scale resource selection functions from two geographic areas

Context: Habitat loss and fragmentation are the most pressing threats to biodiversity, yet assessing their impacts across broad landscapes is challenging. Information on habitat suitability is sometimes available in the form of a resource selection function model developed from a different geographical area, but its applicability is unknown until tested.

Food habits of Mexican Spotted Owls in Arizona

The Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis) is most common in mature and old-growth coniferous forests throughout much of its range (Forsman et al. 1984, Laymon 1988, Ganey and Balda 1989a, Thomas et al. 1990). Proximate factors underlying habitat selection in Spotted Owls are understood poorly.

Multi-scale habitat relationships of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in the mixed conifer landscape of the Northern Rockies, USA: Cross-scale effects of horizontal cover with implications for forest management

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) are an ecologically important herbivore because they modify vegetation through browsing and serve as a prey resource for multiple predators. We implemented a multiscale approach to characterize habitat relationships for snowshoe hares across the mixed conifer landscape of the northern Rocky Mountains, USA.

Multi-scale habitat selection modeling: A review and outlook

Scale is the lens that focuses ecological relationships. Organisms select habitat at multiple hierarchical levels and at different spatial and/or temporal scales within each level. Failure to properly address scale dependence can result in incorrect inferences in multi-scale habitat selection modeling studies.

Ontogenetic shifts in habitat use by the endangered Roanoke logperch (Percina rex)

Habitat use by mountain quail in Northern California

We studied habitat use by Mountain Quail (Oreortyx pictus) at four sites in northern California. Vegetative cover types (macrohabitats) were used in proportion to availability. Significant microhabitat variables which distinguished used from available microhabitat structure included proximity to water and tall, dense shrubs.

The Northern Goshawk: Ecology and management: Proceedings of a symposium of the Cooper Ornithological Society

This collection of 22 papers summarizes the current state of knowledge on Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) within the scientific and management communities. The proceedings are presented in three sections. Research Approaches and Management Concepts contains overviews of research and management for goshawks, forest management to provide goshawk habitat, and field techniques.

Seasonal resource selection of Canada lynx in managed forests of the northern Rocky Mountains

We investigated seasonal patterns in resource selection of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) in the northern Rockies (western MT, USA) from 1998 to 2002 based on backtracking in winter (577 km; 10 M, 7 F) and radiotelemetry (630 locations; 16 M, 11 F) in summer. During winter, lynx preferentially foraged in mature, multilayer forests with Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) in the overstory and midstory.

Characteristics of American marten den sites in Wyoming

We examined characteristics of den structures and den sites used by female American marten (Martes americana) for natal and maternal dens in the Sierra Madre Range, Wyoming. During 1988-95, we located 18 natal dens (parturition sites) and 97 maternal dens (sites where kits were present exclusive of parturition) used by 10 female marten.