Journal articles on the topic 'Habitat selection analysis'
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Tadesse, Solomon A., and Burt P. Kotler. "Habitat Choices of Nubian Ibex (Capra Nubiana) Evaluated with A habitat Suitability Modeling and Isodar Analysis." Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution 56, no. 1 (May 6, 2010): 55–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1560/ijee.56.1.55.
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The value of a habitat for a forager may be affected by habitat characteristics related to food availability, energetic costs of foraging, predation costs, and the foraging opportunities available in other habitats. Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) are stout, sure-footed social wild goats that inhabit arid landscapes with steep terrain. We investigated their habitat selection behavior using indicators to (1) develop a habitat suitability index (HSI) model that would account for the variation in the activity densities of Nubian ibex across habitat types and seasons, (2) apply the isodar technique to look for density-dependent habitat selection behavior in Nubian ibex, and (3) investigate the proximate environmental factors that correlate to relative activity densities of Nubian ibex. We determined relative densities of the ibex by recording sightings of animals along standard walking transects. We incorporated the habitat variables that had greatest influence on the densities of Nubian ibex into habitat suitability index models for both spring and summer seasons.The HSI models revealed that Nubian ibex most preferred open cliff face habitat offering safety during the spring season, but their habitat preference shifted towards an area with watered gardens ("grave area habitat") during the summer season. Significant isodars were only obtained for the summer season comparisons between grave area versus cliff face, and between grave area versus plateau habitats. The slopes of the isodars suggest that the grave area habitat is 10.5 and 7.6 times more productive than the plateau and the cliff face habitats, respectively. Our results suggest that the relative abundances and habitat preferences of Nubian ibex varied with the seasonal availability of habitat resources, extent of predation risks, and human nuisance disturbances across the landscape. We recommend that wildlife managers dealing with the conservation and protection of the endangered Nubian ibex should focus on the various ecological and anthropogenic factors governing the habitat selection and preferences.
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Moore, Benjamin D., Graeme Coulson, and Sarah Way. "Habitat selection by adult female eastern grey kangaroos." Wildlife Research 29, no. 5 (2002): 439. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr01057.
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We determined patterns of habitat selection in the winter–spring period by adult female eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) at Yan Yean Reservoir Catchment near Melbourne, Victoria, during 1994–95. We assessed habitat selection at two levels by radio-tracking 11 adult female kangaroos. The 95% isopleth harmonic mean home-range size (mean = 62.3 ha) was the smallest recorded for female eastern grey kangaroos. No range encompassed all of the habitat types available in the study area, and the mix and rankings of habitats selected at this level varied amongst individuals when compared by compositional analysis with available habitats. Selection of habitats at the within-range level also varied among individuals and differed between night and day for many individuals, but not for the population mean. Individuals selected strongly for good foraging habitat within their ranges. In particular, grassy clearings were used by all individuals and were selected strongly by day, night or at both times.
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Thiebot, Jean-Baptiste, Amélie Lescroël, David Pinaud, Philip N. Trathan, and Charles-André Bost. "Larger foraging range but similar habitat selection in non-breeding versus breeding sub-Antarctic penguins." Antarctic Science 23, no. 2 (January 5, 2011): 117–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000957.
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AbstractFor land-breeding marine organisms such as seabirds, knowledge about their habitat use has mainly been gained through studies of breeding individuals that are constrained to return frequently to their breeding grounds. In this study we set out to measure whether: a) habitat selection in the non-breeding period predicts habitat selection in the breeding period, and b) whether breeding individuals concentrated their activity on the closest suitable habitats. MacaroniEudyptes chrysolophusand gentooPygoscelis papuapenguins, two marine predators with contrasting foraging strategies, were tracked from the Iles Kerguelen and their habitat selection investigated through Mahalanobis distances factorial analysis. This study presents the first data about gentoo penguins’ juvenile dispersal. For both species, results showed 6.9 times larger maximum ranges and up to 12.2 times greater distances travelled during the non-breeding period. Habitat suitability maps suggested both species made similar environmental selections whatever the period. Macaroni penguins targeted pelagic areas beyond the shelf break while gentoo penguins always remained over the shelf. We consider the ecological significance of larger scale movements made outside the breeding period and suggest that this non-breeding period is of particular interest when attempting to understand an animal's habitat selection.
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Singh, N. J., N. G. Yoccoz, N. Lecomte, S. D. Côté, and J. L. Fox. "Scale and selection of habitat and resources: Tibetan argali (Ovis ammon hodgsoni) in high-altitude rangelands." Canadian Journal of Zoology 88, no. 5 (May 2010): 436–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z10-015.
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Processes of habitat selection occur at multiple spatiotemporal scales, where large-scale selection is often determined by predation risk and landscape features, and finer scale selection by resource abundance and quality. To determine whether this hierarchy exists in relatively homogenous systems, we investigated patterns of habitat (landscape topography) and resource (feeding patch and plant group) selection by a medium-sized ungulate, the Tibetan argali ( Ovis ammon hodgsoni Blyth, 1840), in the high-altitude rangelands of the Indian Trans-Himalaya. We ran ecological niche factor analyses to explore habitat selection, bias-reduced logistic regression to analyze the selection of feeding patches, fuzzy correspondence analysis for vegetation categories, and microhistological analyses for the selection of plant groups. For springs and summers of 2005–2007, argali preferred an intermediate range of altitude, slope, and forage abundance. Selection of feeding patch was mainly determined by forage quality, not biomass, selecting graminoids and forbs, in particular. The avoidance of habitat with high forage abundance could indicate a trade-off between forage quality and quantity; a pattern consistent at the feeding-patch scale. Our results provide evidence that the hierarchical pattern of habitat selection probably also occurs in relatively homogeneous systems.
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BINGHAM, RALPH L., LEONARD A. BRENNAN, and BART M. BALLARD. "Misclassified Resource Selection: Compositional Analysis and Unused Habitat." Journal of Wildlife Management 71, no. 4 (June 2007): 1369–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/2006-072.
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Battin, James, and Joshua J. Lawler. "Cross-scale Correlations and the Design and Analysis of Avian Habitat Selection Studies." Condor 108, no. 1 (February 1, 2006): 59–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/108.1.59.
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Abstract It has long been suggested that birds select habitat hierarchically, progressing from coarser to finer spatial scales. This hypothesis, in conjunction with the realization that many organisms likely respond to environmental patterns at multiple spatial scales, has led to a large number of avian habitat studies that have attempted to quantify habitat associations at multiple scales. Typically, multiscale habitat selection studies involve the assessment of habitat selection separately at two or more scales. Until recently, these studies have ignored the potential for cross-scale correlations: correlations among habitat variables across scales. If environmental patterns are correlated across the scales being analyzed, researchers using traditional analytical methods may reach erroneous conclusions about the presence or strength of habitat associations at a given scale. We discuss the ways in which cross-scale correlations manifest themselves in two types of habitat selection studies: (1) “constrained” designs that assume a hierarchical ordering of habitat selection decisions, and (2) “unconstrained” designs, which do not assume such a selection process. We demonstrate approaches for quantifying and modeling cross-scale correlations, including a simulation model, a variance decomposition technique, and a hierarchical modeling approach based on classification tree analysis. We conclude that cross-scale correlations have the potential to affect data interpretation in all types of habitat selection studies and that, even with careful attention to experimental design and the application of newly developed statistical techniques, it is likely their effects cannot be eliminated.
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Martin, Jodie, Mathieu Basille, Bram Van Moorter, Jonas Kindberg, Dominique Allainé, and Jon E. Swenson. "Coping with human disturbance: spatial and temporal tactics of the brown bear (Ursus arctos)." Canadian Journal of Zoology 88, no. 9 (September 2010): 875–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z10-053.
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In human-dominated landscapes, species with large spatial requirements, such as large carnivores, have to deal with human infrastructure and activities within their home ranges. This is the case for the brown bear ( Ursus arctos L., 1758) in Scandinavia, which is colonizing more human-dominated landscapes, leading inevitably to an overlap between their home ranges and anthropogenic structures. In this study, we investigated fine-scale habitat selection by brown bears to examine how they deal with this potential disturbance. Using Global Positioning System (GPS) data, we studied (i) habitat selection of female brown bears within their home range and (ii) the influence of diurnal variation in human disturbance on fine-scale habitat use. As expected, females selected habitats within their home range that provided abundant food resources and minimized human-caused disturbance. In addition, our temporal analysis of habitat selection revealed an avoidance of disturbed areas and a selection of slopes by bears during periods of highest human activities, i.e., during daylight hours. We clearly demonstrate the importance of considering the fluctuations in human activity when studying habitat selection, especially at fine spatial scales. Failing to do so may considerably reduce the power to detect important fine-scale habitat-selection behaviors.
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Loseto, L. L., P. Richard, G. A. Stern, J. Orr, and S. H. Ferguson. "Segregation of Beaufort Sea beluga whales during the open-water season." Canadian Journal of Zoology 84, no. 12 (December 2006): 1743–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-160.
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Population segregation by habitat use occurs because energy requirements and survival strategies vary with age, sex, size, and reproductive stage. From late summer to early fall in 1993, 1995, and 1997, relative length (age), sex, and reproductive status of satellite-tagged beluga whales ( Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) in the eastern Beaufort Sea were tested for habitat segregation. We used (i) resource selection function models to evaluate how belugas used areas of varying sea ice concentration and shelf habitat and (ii) distance analysis to measure the selection of areas varying in distance to mainland and island coastlines. Resource selection functions and distance analysis established that habitat selection differed with length, sex, and reproductive status of whales: (i) females with calves and smaller males selected open-water habitats near the mainland; (ii) large males selected closed sea ice cover in and near the Arctic Archipelago; and (iii) smaller males and two females with calves (not newborn) selected habitat near the ice edge. The segregation of habitat use according to sex, age, and reproductive status relates to the different resources required at different life stages and may represent characteristics of beluga social structure. We discuss our results in the context of two common sexual segregation hypotheses and conclude that summer habitat segregation of belugas reflects differences in foraging ecology, risk of predation, and reproduction.
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Sun, Yue, Yanze Yu, Jinhao Guo, and Minghai Zhang. "The Winter Habitat Selection of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Based on a Multi-Scale Model." Animals 10, no. 12 (December 21, 2020): 2454. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani10122454.
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Single-scale frameworks are often used to analyze the habitat selections of species. Research on habitat selection can be significantly improved using multi-scale models that enable greater in-depth analyses of the scale dependence between species and specific environmental factors. In this study, the winter habitat selection of red deer in the Gogostaihanwula Nature Reserve, Inner Mongolia, was studied using a multi-scale model. Each selected covariate was included in multi-scale models at their “characteristic scale”, and we used an all subsets approach and model selection framework to assess habitat selection. The results showed that: (1) Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the response scale of red deer to environmental factors was different among different covariate. The optimal scale of the single covariate was 800–3200 m, slope (SLP), altitude (ELE), and ratio of deciduous broad-leaved forests were 800 m in large scale, except that the farmland ratio was 200 m in fine scale. The optimal scale of road density and grassland ratio is both 1600 m, and the optimal scale of net forest production capacity is 3200 m; (2) distance to forest edges, distance to cement roads, distance to villages, altitude, distance to all road, and slope of the region were the most important factors affecting winter habitat selection. The outcomes of this study indicate that future studies on the effectiveness of habitat selections will benefit from multi-scale models. In addition to increasing interpretive and predictive capabilities, multi-scale habitat selection models enhance our understanding of how species respond to their environments and contribute to the formulation of effective conservation and management strategies for ungulata.
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Arnold, Todd W., and Erik K. Fritzell. "Habitat use by male mink in relation to wetland characteristics and avian prey abundances." Canadian Journal of Zoology 68, no. 10 (October 1, 1990): 2205–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z90-306.
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We documented use of wetland habitats by five radio-marked male mink (Mustela vison) in the aspen parklands of southwestern Manitoba during May–July of 1984 and 1985. Mink activity was most frequent on large, well-flooded, semipermanent and permanent wetlands with irregular shorelines and large areas of open water. These variables were also positively correlated with abundances of waterfowl and other birds. Habitat variables explained 26% of the variation in wetland use by male mink. Grebes, coots, and diving ducks had high habitat overlap with mink, whereas dabbling ducks and blackbirds overlapped little with mink. Bird abundances explained nearly as much variation in habitat use by mink as did physical habitat variables (R2 = 0.24), but some of this association may have been due to selection for (or avoidance of) similar habitats. Combined analysis with habitat and avifaunal variables explained 31% of the variation in wetland use by male mink. Patterns of habitat use by mink and avian prey may help explain previously documented trends of prey selection among prairie mink.
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Crain, Benjamin J., Ana María Sánchez-Cuervo, Jeffrey W. White, and Steven J. Steinberg. "Conservation ecology of rare plants within complex local habitat networks." Oryx 49, no. 4 (February 24, 2014): 696–703. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0030605313001245.
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AbstractEffective conservation of rare plant species requires a detailed understanding of their unique distributions and habitat requirements to identify conservation targets. Research suggests that local conservation efforts may be one of the best means for accomplishing this task. We conducted a geographical analysis of the local distributions of rare plants in Napa County, California, to identify spatial relationships with individual habitat types. We measured the potential contribution of individual habitats to rare plant conservation by integrating analyses on overall diversity, species per area, specificity-weighted richness, presence of hotspots, and the composition of the rare plant community in each habitat type. This combination of analyses allowed us to determine which habitats are most significant for rare plant conservation at a local scale. Our analyses indicated that several habitat types were consistently associated with rare plant species. In broad terms, grasslands, oak forests, coniferous forests, wetlands, serpentines, chaparral, and rock outcrops were most consistently highlighted. No single habitat stood out in every analysis however, and therefore we conclude that careful selection of an assemblage of habitats that best represents diverse, restricted and unique rare plant communities will be the most efficient approach to protecting rare plant habitat at local scales. Accordingly we present a means of identifying conservation targets and protecting global biodiversity through local efforts.
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Smith, Kimberly G., and Peter G. Connors. "Postbreeding habitat selection by shorebirds, water birds, and land birds at Barrow, Alaska: a multivariate analysis." Canadian Journal of Zoology 71, no. 8 (August 1, 1993): 1629–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z93-229.
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Habitat use by birds was studied at Barrow, Alaska, during the 1975–1978 postbreeding seasons, when birds moved from tundra breeding areas to coastal areas to feed prior to migration. Principal component analysis revealed three general habitat types used by birds: gravel beach, mudflat, and slough edge. Of four common shorebirds, red phalaropes (Phalaropus fulicaria) usually occurred along gravel beaches, semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) and western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) occurred mostly on mudflats and slough edges, and dunlins (Calidris alpina) had an intermediate distribution. Considerable variation in habitat distribution existed among years, and similarity of distributions among species within years suggested that groups of species were influenced by common environmental factors. Gravel beaches were generally distinct from slough edges and mudflats, and two major groups of eight species each were found mainly on mudflats and slough edges or on gravel beach transects. However, habitat use by many species varied considerably among years, suggesting that birds assess local conditions within relatively small areas within habitats. Most species preferred either gravel beaches or mudflats and slough edges, but that may be modified by environmental factors including food availability.
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De-Jun, Kong, Yang Xiao-Jun, Liu Qiang, Zhong Xing-Yao, and Yang Jun-Xing. "Winter habitat selection by the Vulnerable black-necked crane Grus nigricollis in Yunnan, China: implications for determining effective conservation actions." Oryx 45, no. 2 (April 2011): 258–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0030605310000888.
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AbstractHabitat change has major effects on wildlife and it is important to understand how wild animals respond to changing habitats. Dashanbao National Nature Reserve, in north-east Yunnan, China, which was established for the protection of the black-necked crane Grus nigricollis, other wintering waterbirds and the upland wetland ecosystem, recently began converting farmland to grassland and woodland. With respect to this policy we studied habitat selection by black-necked cranes in the Reserve from November 2006 to April 2007. Farmland, grassland, marsh and water were used by black-necked cranes but no cranes occurred in man-made woodland. Black-necked cranes showed the least preference for grassland and no significant differences were detected in the species’ preference for the other three habitats. However, black-necked cranes exhibited different behavioural responses to the four habitats: farmland and grassland were their main foraging sites. Principle component analysis verified that a foraging-related component was the first factor determining habitat selection. Cranes used habitat close to their roosts with short grass, shallow water and less disturbance by human activity. Our results indicate that the policy of converting farmland and grassland to woodland is not beneficial for conservation of the crane. For effective conservation of the black-necked crane scientific habitat management that takes into account habitat selection by the species is required, with the retention of some farmland and restoration of wetlands.
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Railsback, Steven F., and Bret C. Harvey. "ANALYSIS OF HABITAT-SELECTION RULES USING ANINDIVIDUAL-BASED MODEL." Ecology 83, no. 7 (July 2002): 1817–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2002)083[1817:aohsru]2.0.co;2.
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Bastille-Rousseau, Guillaume, Daniel Fortin, and Christian Dussault. "Inference from habitat-selection analysis depends on foraging strategies." Journal of Animal Ecology 79, no. 6 (July 30, 2010): 1157–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2656.2010.01737.x.
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Kneib, Thomas, Felix Knauer, and Helmut Küchenhoff. "A general approach to the analysis of habitat selection." Environmental and Ecological Statistics 18, no. 1 (May 30, 2009): 1–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10651-009-0115-2.
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Somveille, Marius, Kate L. A. Marshall, and Thanh-Lan Gluckman. "A global analysis of bird plumage patterns reveals no association between habitat and camouflage." PeerJ 4 (November 9, 2016): e2658. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2658.
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Evidence suggests that animal patterns (motifs) function in camouflage. Irregular mottled patterns can facilitate concealment when stationary in cluttered habitats, whereas regular patterns typically prevent capture during movement in open habitats. Bird plumage patterns have predominantly converged on just four types—mottled (irregular), scales, bars and spots (regular)—and habitat could be driving convergent evolution in avian patterning. Based on sensory ecology, we therefore predict that irregular patterns would be associated with visually noisy closed habitats and that regular patterns would be associated with open habitats. Regular patterns have also been shown to function in communication for sexually competing males to stand-out and attract females, so we predict that male breeding plumage patterns evolved in both open and closed habitats. Here, taking phylogenetic relatedness into account, we investigate ecological selection for bird plumage patterns across the class Aves. We surveyed plumage patterns in 80% of all avian species worldwide. Of these, 2,756 bird species have regular and irregular plumage patterns as well as habitat information. In this subset, we tested whether adult breeding/non-breeding plumages in each sex, and juvenile plumages, were associated with the habitat types found within the species’ geographical distributions. We found no evidence for an association between habitat and plumage patterns across the world’s birds and little phylogenetic signal. We also found that species with regular and irregular plumage patterns were distributed randomly across the world’s eco-regions without being affected by habitat type. These results indicate that at the global spatial and taxonomic scale, habitat does not predict convergent evolution in bird plumage patterns, contrary to the camouflage hypothesis.
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Rettie, W. James, and Philip D. McLoughlin. "Overcoming radiotelemetry bias in habitat-selection studies." Canadian Journal of Zoology 77, no. 8 (November 1, 1999): 1175–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z99-079.
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For many species, determination of habitat selection is based on habitat-use data obtained through radiotelemetry. Recent papers pertaining to study techniques have largely ignored the effect of habitat-dependent bias in the performance of radiotelemetry systems. Such biases cannot be overcome by increasing radiotelemetry precision, excluding data, or increasing sample sizes, as the biases are centred around data that are missing or that contain habitat-dependent errors in location. The problem is best addressed at the data-analysis stage through the use of geographic information systems. We used Monte Carlo simulations to assess the effect of habitat-dependent bias in radiotelemetry studies on the assessment of habitat selection. We looked at the effects of habitat-patch size, level of telemetry signal inhibition, level of habitat co-occurrence, and selection pattern. We demonstrated that regarding use as the composition of habitat types within a circular area around each telemetry location can help to overcome the inaccurate assessment of habitat-selection patterns that biased data produce. The size of the circular area best able to overcome the bias is related to habitat patch size and to the level of association between two or more habitat types. Furthermore, we argue that the characteristics of habitat mosaics selected by animals can and should be studied in this way.
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Nibbelink, Nathan P., and Stephen R. Carpenter. "Interlake variation in growth and size structure of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus): inverse analysis of an individual-based model." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 55, no. 2 (February 1, 1998): 387–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f97-207.
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Habitat structure alters food availability and predation risk, thereby directly affecting growth, mortality, and size structure of fish populations. Size structure has often been used to infer patterns of resource abundance and predation. However, food availability and predation risk in contrasting habitats have proven difficult to measure in the field. We use an inverse modeling approach to estimate food availability and habitat choice parameters from changes in length distributions of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). The model suggests that dynamics of bluegill length distributions primarily reflect food availability and habitat choice. Bluegill behavior minimized effects of size-selective predation on size structure. Parameters for food availability and habitat choice were correlated. It was therefore not possible to attain unique estimates of food availability and habitat selection when both were free parameters. However, when one parameter was estimated independently, the other could be identified. In five Wisconsin lakes, seining studies were used to estimate the size at which bluegill switched from littoral to pelagic habitats. Using this measure of switch size in the model, we estimated food availability for bluegill in each lake. These estimates were positively correlated with observed growth (r2 = 0.91), demonstrating the model's ability to estimate food availability.
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Vecchio, Silvia Del, Lorenzo Rugiero, Luca Luiselli, Massimo Capula, and Russell L. Burke. "The turtle is in the details: microhabitat choice by Testudo hermanni is based on microscale plant distribution." Animal Biology 61, no. 3 (2011): 249–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157075511x584209.
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AbstractAlthough research on habitat use and habitat selection is essential for understanding population ecology and behavior, most such zoological studies have used only general habitat categories describing main habitat features instead of using modern plant ecological approaches. Here, we analyze Testudo hermanni microhabitat use at a coastal Mediterranean site in central Italy by modeling tortoise presence/absence at three spatial scales, using a logistic regression design and quantitative vegetation and plant community analysis to reveal correlates of tortoise habitat use on a fine scale. Our analyses showed that only a few plant species among the many present, and these on a very small spatial scale, are important determinants of tortoise presence and site selection. We also find that tortoises chose a paradoxical combination of high levels of bare soil and high total vegetation cover. This suggests that these tortoises are selecting small patches of habitat in a matrix of less desirable habitat. Our findings also have important implications for habitat management, in that increasing the number of habitat patches containing the few significant plants is likely to be desirable, whereas increasing the size of such patches is probably less relevant.
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Lombardini, Katia, Robert E. Bennetts, and Christophe Tourenq. "Foraging Success and Foraging Habitat Use by Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets in the Camargue, France." Condor 103, no. 1 (February 1, 2001): 38–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/103.1.38.
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Abstract We examined habitat use by Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) and Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) that nest together in mixed-species colonies in the Camargue of southern France. We explored the relative use of seven habitat types in relation to their availability and tested the hypothesis that selection of habitat types was related to foraging success, with the prediction that increased foraging success in a given habitat corresponded with increased use of that habitat type. Ricefields and other agricultural habitats were used more than expected by Cattle Egrets, an invasive species in southern Europe; whereas Little Egrets, which are native to the Camargue, tended to select natural freshwater marshes and lagoons. Results were consistent with the hypothesis that increasing use of habitats corresponded with higher foraging success for both species. However, when this analysis was restricted to habitats with sufficient numbers of birds to enable estimates of biomass intake, the association was no longer apparent for Little Egrets.
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Lunney, D., E. Ashby, J. Grigg, and M. O'Connell. "Food availability and habitat selection of Sminthopsis leucopus (Gray) (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) in logged forest on the south coast of New South Wales." Australian Mammalogy 9, no. 2 (June 1, 1986): 105–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am86015.
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Diet was assessed using faecal pellet analysis. Food availability was measured on ridges and in gullies of logged. unlogged and regenerating forest using pitfall traps. Sminthopsis leucopus ate a wide variety of prey, including vertebrates. The observed similarity between the invertebrates in scats and pitfall traps in the preferred habitat (logged ridges) indicates that S. leucopus feeds opportunistically. Adequate food resources were available in all ridge habitats yet S. leucopus were captured predominantly in only logged ridge habitat. We conclude that food availability did not influence habitat selection.
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O'Neil, Shawn T., Dean E. Beyer, and Joseph K. Bump. "Territorial landscapes: incorporating density-dependence into wolf habitat selection studies." Royal Society Open Science 6, no. 11 (November 2019): 190282. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.190282.
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Habitat selection is a process that spans space, time and individual life histories. Ecological analyses of animal distributions and preferences are most accurate when they account for inherent dynamics of the habitat selection process. Strong territoriality can constrain perception of habitat availability by individual animals or groups attempting to colonize or establish new territory. Because habitat selection is a function of habitat availability, broad-scale changes in habitat availability or occupancy can drive density-dependent habitat functional responses. We investigated density-dependent habitat selection over a 19-year period of grey wolf ( Canis lupus ) recovery in Michigan, USA, using a generalized linear mixed model framework to develop a resource selection probability function (RSPF) with habitat coefficients conditioned on random effects for wolf packs and random year intercepts. In addition, we allowed habitat coefficients to vary as interactions with increasing wolf density over space and time. Results indicated that pack presence was driven by factors representing topography, human development, winter prey availability, forest structure, roads, streams and snow. Importantly, responses to many of these predictors were density-dependent. Spatio-temporal dynamics and population changes can cause considerable variation in wildlife–habitat relationships, possibly confounding interpretation of conventional habitat selection models. By incorporating territoriality into an RSPF analysis, we determined that wolves' habitat use in Michigan shifted over time, for example, exhibiting declining responses to winter prey indices and switching from positive to negative responses with respect to stream densities. We consider this an important example of a habitat functional response in wolves, driven by colonization, density-dependence and changes in occupancy during a time period of range expansion and population increase.
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Popescu, Viorel D., Madeline Kenyon, Ryan K. Brown, Marissa A. Dyck, Suzanne Prange, William E. Peterman, and Catherine Dennison. "Habitat connectivity and resource selection in an expanding bobcat (Lynx rufus) population." PeerJ 9 (November 11, 2021): e12460. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.12460.
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Terrestrial carnivores are among the most imperiled species worldwide, yet some species are resilient and are recovering in human-dominated landscapes after decades or centuries of absence. Bobcat (Lynx rufus) populations were extirpated from much of Midwestern US in the mid-1800’s, and are currently expanding and recolonizing their former range. In this study, we investigated multi-scale habitat selection for Ohio’s expanding bobcat population, and examined habitat connectivity in order to evaluate the conduits for dispersal statewide. We used citizen observations collected between 1978 and 2019 and logistic regression to evaluate population-level habitat selection, and GPS telemetry data for 20 individuals collected between 2012 and 2014 and a distribution-weighted exponential Resource Selection Function to evaluate individual-level habitat selection within home ranges. At the population level, bobcats selected for higher amounts of forest and pasture (at a 50 km2 scale) and herbaceous vegetation (at 15–50 50 km2 scales), thus overall heterogeneous forested habitat. At individual (home range) level, bobcats selected for forested habitats with low road density and farther away from high traffic roads; they also showed weak selection for open habitat at the home range level. Male home ranges were significantly greater than female home ranges. Lastly, we used the population-level spatial outputs (i.e. habitat suitability map) to parameterize habitat connectivity models using circuit theory in the program Circuitscape. We tested three relationships between habitat suitability and resistance to movement and used a subset of data on potential dispersing individuals to evaluate which relationship performed best. All three relationships performed almost equally well, and we calculated a weighted averaged connectivity map as our final map. Habitat was highly permeable to movements between core areas of two genetically distinct subpopulations located in southeastern Ohio. We also identified potential dispersal corridors from the core areas to other regions of Ohio dominated by agriculture and suburban development via forested riparian corridors. Overall, our analysis offers new information on habitat selection and connectivity in a rebounding felid population and offers important ecological information for wildlife management strategies. We recommend that the suitability and connectivity models should be periodically updated until the population reaches an equilibrium, and be integrated with data from neighboring states for a comprehensive assessment of a conservation success story.
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Kruse, Kammie L., Daniel P. Collins, Courtenay M. Conring, Blake A. Grisham, Warren C. Conway, and Jeffrey M. Knetter. "Summer Habitat Selection of the Lower Colorado River Valley Population of Greater Sandhill Cranes." Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 8, no. 2 (July 1, 2017): 436–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/042017-jfwm-037.
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Abstract Identifying habitat selection and use is important to understand in wildlife management because it informs habitat manipulations, conservation efforts, and species distribution. Habitat selection by sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) has been studied primarily on overwintering areas and a few summering locations. Summer habitat selection by the Lower Colorado River Valley Population of greater sandhill cranes (A. c. tabida) in the Intermountain West is not widely known, but has been identified as an information need by many wildlife management agencies. We captured and attached satellite platform transmitter terminals to 21 adult sandhill cranes on Cibola and Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuges in Arizona and California, and private lands in California and Idaho. Home ranges of all marked cranes (50% core area: x̄ = 525.4 ha, SE = 155.6; 99% isopleth: x̄ = 6,476.5 ha, SE = 1,637.5) were similar to other studies on summering grounds. Resource analysis indicated that marked sandhill cranes used wetland habitats in greater proportion than their availability for both nocturnal and diurnal locations at the population level, by individuals within the entire landscape, and by individuals within their core area. Wetland habitats consist of ∼7% of the available habitat. Within the Wetland category, the Temperate Flooded and Swamp Forest level (a Formation level in the National Vegetation Classification system) was the most important to summering Lower Colorado River Population sandhill cranes. Wetland managers can concentrate their efforts for conservation, enhancement, and restoration on these type of wetlands to ensure the sustainability of this small population of sandhill cranes.
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RONG, Ke, Cheng ZONG, and Jian-zhang MA. "A Method for Analysis of Habitat Selection Data: Bailey’s Interval." Zoological Research 30, no. 2 (July 22, 2009): 215–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.3724/sp.j.1141.2009.02215.
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Railsback, Steven F., and Bret C. Harvey. "Analysis of Habitat-Selection Rules Using an Individual-Based Model." Ecology 83, no. 7 (July 2002): 1817. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3071767.
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Belovsky, Gary E. "Insights for caribou/reindeer management using optimal foraging theory." Rangifer 11, no. 4 (October 1, 1991): 7. http://dx.doi.org/10.7557/2.11.4.987.
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Optimal foraging theory is useful to wildlife managers, because it helps explain the nutritional value of different habitats for wildlife species. Based upon nutritional value, the use of different habitats can be predicted, including how factors such as insect harassment, predation and migration might modify habitat selection. If habitat value and use can be understood, then changes in habitat availability which are of concern to wildlife managers can be assessed. The theory is used to address diet choice and habitat use of caribou/reindeer. Diet choice is examined in terms of lichen composition of the diet and is demonstrated to be a function of daily feeding time, food abundance and digestive capacity. The diet choice model is then used to assess the nutritional profitability of different habitats and which habitat should be preferred based upon nutritional profitability. Caribou/reindeer use of habitats is demonstrated to be easily modified by insect harassment and predation which change the nutritional profitability of habitats differentially. The same type of approach could be used to explain migratory behaviour; however, the needed parameter values are unavailable. The results of this analysis lead one to question some common conceptions about caribou/reindeer ecology.
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Belanger, R. J., M. A. Edwards, L. N. Carbyn, and S. E. Nielsen. "Evaluating trade-offs between forage, biting flies, and footing on habitat selection by wood bison (Bison bison athabascae)." Canadian Journal of Zoology 98, no. 4 (April 2020): 254–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2019-0201.
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Habitat selection is a behavioural process that ultimately affects animal fitness. Forage availability and predation risk are often studied in the context of habitat selection for large ungulates, while other biological and environmental factors such as insect harassment and footing are less studied. Here we examine trade-offs in summer habitat selection between forage availability for wood bison (Bison bison athabascae Rhoads, 1898) with that of biting-fly harassment and soil firmness, which affects activity budgets and predation risk, respectively, and contrast this to winter when flies are absent and soils frozen. Using path analysis, we demonstrate that graminoid availability was not related to habitat selection in summer, but was positively related to habitat selection in winter. Habitat selection in summer was negatively related to biting-fly abundance and positively related to firmer footing. Our results suggest that bison observe trade-offs in summer between maximizing forage intake and minimizing harassment from that of biting flies, while avoiding areas of soft substrates that affect locomotion and vulnerability to predators. In contrast, during the winter, bison focus on areas with greater graminoid availability. Although forage is a key aspect of habitat selection, our results illustrate the importance of considering direct and indirect effects of multiple biological and environmental factors related to ungulate habitat selection.
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PÉREZ-GRANADOS, CRISTIAN, GERMÁN M. LÓPEZ-IBORRA, and JAVIER SEOANE. "A multi-scale analysis of habitat selection in peripheral populations of the endangered Dupont’s Lark Chersophilus duponti." Bird Conservation International 27, no. 3 (October 17, 2016): 398–413. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270916000356.
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SummaryHabitat selection of endangered species in peripheral populations must be considered when designing effective conservation plans, as these populations tend to occupy atypical habitats where species-environment relationships are not well understood. We examined patterns of habitat use in peripheral populations of the endangered Dupont’s Lark Chersophilus duplonti using a multi-scale approach and assessed the spatiotemporal transferability of these models to test for their generality. Our results show that at microhabitat (circles of 50-m diameter used by the species versus random points) and macrohabitat (occupied/unoccupied squares of 1 ha) scales the species selected flat and non-forested areas, but at the microhabitat scale the cover of small shrubs was also important. Models developed at patch scale (occupied /unoccupied sites) identified only site size as an important predictor of species occurrence. Habitat models transferred successfully among sites and years, which suggests that these models and our recommendations may be extrapolated over a larger geographic area. A multi-scale approach was used for identifying conservation requirements at different spatial scales. At the patch scale our models confirm it is a priority to maintain or enlarge the extent of habitat patches to ensure the viability of the studied metapopulation. At the macrohabitat scale our results suggest that reducing tree density in low slope areas would be the most effective management action. At the microhabitat scale, encouraging the presence of small and medium-sized shrubs, by clearing certain scrubs (e.g. large brooms Genista spp. and rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis) or promoting traditional low-level extensive grazing, should increase the availability of high-quality habitats for the species, and thus the number of potential territories within a patch. These recommendations largely coincide with the ones given for core populations at specific scales elsewhere.
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Schaefer, James A., Nicolas Morellet, Dominique Pépin, and Hélène Verheyden. "The spatial scale of habitat selection by red deer." Canadian Journal of Zoology 86, no. 12 (December 2008): 1337–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z08-122.
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Accounting for spatial scale is essential for understanding habitat selection, but few studies have used spatial statistics to reveal the characteristic scale at which organisms respond to their environment. We studied habitat selection by GPS-tracked red deer ( Cervus elaphus L., 1758) in the Pyrenees Mountains, France, by applying a geostatistical model that compares autocorrelation of a resource between used and available sites to uncover the scale at which animals assess habitat. Using an artificial landscape, we demonstrated that the model can handle discrete habitat classes. Based on conventional hierarchical analysis, deer selected for open habitat, especially meadow, and avoided coniferous forest, more strongly at the coarse level of the home range than GPS locations. Home ranges exhibited generally lower autocorrelation in elevation and meadow habitat than random locations within the population range, indicative of preference for high habitat heterogeneity. Mean maximum discrepancy in autocorrelation, which was more pronounced at the level of the home range than GPS locations, occurred at 830 m for meadow habitat and at 1511 m for elevation, suggesting that red deer responded to their environment at this scale. Our study demonstrates how spatial statistics can serve as an instructive complement to conventional approaches to habitat selection.
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Mosnier, Arnaud, Jean-Pierre Ouellet, Luc Sirois, and Nelson Fournier. "Habitat selection and home-range dynamics of the Gaspé caribou: a hierarchical analysis." Canadian Journal of Zoology 81, no. 7 (July 1, 2003): 1174–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z03-065.
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We used several spatial and temporal scales to determine space and habitat use of the caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) of the Gaspé Peninsula. Thirty-five radio-collared caribou were followed from November 1998 to April 2001. Habitat use was studied by superimposing radiolocations on ecoforestry maps using five predefined habitat types (deciduous, immature, mature spruce, mature fir, and barren). At a finer scale, we tracked caribou in forested areas during winter 2000 and 2001 in order to describe physical and biological characteristics of foraging tracks and used stands. Our results indicated that the distribution of caribou extended beyond the limits of Gaspé Conservation Park. Patterns of space use showed the existence of three groups, which formed a metapopulation. These groups consisted of spatially distinct units that used space and habitat differently. At the home-range level, caribou preferred barren areas found in alpine and subalpine zones at all times of the year. The most frequently used forested habitat type was the mature fir. At the finer scale of foraging tracks, caribou selected fir stands characterized by dense snow conditions and large diameter trees bearing greater quantities of lichen. Our results demonstrated the importance of protecting areas outside the park that are likely to become used or reused by caribou, and of managing these areas to increase settlement by caribou. Lastly, management plans must be adapted to each of the three groups forming this metapopulation.
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Hwang, Yeen Ten, Serge Larivière, and François Messier. "Local- and landscape-level den selection of striped skunks on the Canadian prairies." Canadian Journal of Zoology 85, no. 1 (January 2007): 33–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-192.
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We examined the seasonal landscape and habitat use patterns of striped skunks ( Mephitis mephitis Schreber, 1776). We tracked 52 male and 72 female skunks from September 1999 to June 2003 in Saskatchewan, Canada. At the local level, den structures differed by sex and season. In autumn/winter, all skunks preferred buildings, whereas in spring/summer females selectively used underground burrows and rock piles for parturition and rearing of young, and males used aboveground retreats. Den sites were closer to crop fields, roads, water sources, and macrohabitat edges than random sites. At the landscape level, den sites were associated positively with weighted mean shape index of crop fields, mean patch size of water bodies, total edge of water bodies, and weighted mean fractal dimensions of grassland, woodland, and farmsteads, suggesting that wetland edges and habitat complexity are important in den selection by skunks. Compositional analysis revealed sex- and season-specific differences at the population level. Both sexes preferred grassland/pastures and farmstead habitats for establishing den sites. In autumn/winter, skunks preferred grassland/pastures for winter dens. However, in spring/summer skunks preferred farmsteads for resting sites. Our results suggest that skunks respond to landscape and habitat features surrounding den sites, and not just specific den or local habitat characteristics.
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Peckarsky, Barbara L. "Habitat Selection by Stream-Dwelling Predatory Stoneflies." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 48, no. 6 (June 1, 1991): 1069–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f91-126.
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Patterns of substrate size preference of predatory stoneflies were measured in a western Colorado, USA, stream and associations were examined between substrates and other physical and biological variables. Predatory Megarcys signata (Perlodidae) were found disproportionately on large stones that were not displaced during spring runoff. Predator densities were not consistently correlated with any other physical or biological variables measured. Prey densities were neither correlated with other physical variables nor with their own resource levels, with the exception that shredders were positively correlated with their relatively rare detrital resource. Interestingly, five prey taxa were autocorrelated, indicating that they recolonized, at similar densities, the same stones replaced in the same spots in the stream. Association analysis among the five most abundant taxa of mayfly grazers revealed that stones favorable for one grazer taxon were often favorable for others, but different grazer species rarely occupied distinctly different stones. Patterns observed suggest that predators are persistent enough to avoid negative associations with prey, yet prey taxa are mobile enough to avoid positive associations with predators. Further, habitat selection by predatory stoneflies may have evolved as a response to pressure from their own predators rather than as an adaptation for efficient prey acquisition.
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Hohnen, Rosemary, Katherine Tuft, Sarah Legge, Naomi Walters, Lucy Johanson, Scott Carver, Ian J. Radford, and Christopher N. Johnson. "The significance of topographic complexity in habitat selection and persistence of a declining marsupial in the Kimberley region of Western Australia." Australian Journal of Zoology 64, no. 3 (2016): 198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo16015.
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Mammalian species in northern Australia are declining. The resources that many species from this region require to persist in the landscape remain poorly understood. We examined habitat selection and diet of the scaly-tailed possum (Wyulda squamicaudata, hereafter called Wyulda) in the north-west Kimberley, Western Australia, in relation to variation in complexity of rocky habitat, habitat heterogeneity, and recent fire history. We fitted GPS tags to 23 Wyulda between January 2013 and February 2014 and analysed step selection between GPS fixes to describe habitat choice. We assessed diet by microscopic analysis of plant fragments from 47 faecal samples. Individual Wyulda preferentially foraged in locations with high rock complexity and high habitat heterogeneity in a wide variety of habitats, but denned exclusively in complex rock piles. They used savannas of a range of post-fire ages, including recently burnt (1–2 months after fire) and long unburnt (>24 months after fire). They were highly frugivorous with, on average, 77% of plant fragments per scat sample identified as fruit epidermal layers. Overall, rock complexity appears to be an important landscape attribute for Wyulda, as it may provide den sites and protect fire-sensitive landscape features such as fruiting trees and habitat heterogeneity.
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BEASLEY, JAMES C., TRAVIS L. DEVAULT, MONICA I. RETAMOSA, and OLIN E. RHODES. "A Hierarchical Analysis of Habitat Selection by Raccoons in Northern Indiana." Journal of Wildlife Management 71, no. 4 (June 2007): 1125–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/2006-228.
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Otis, David L. "Analysis of the Influence of Spatial Pattern in Habitat Selection Studies." Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics 3, no. 3 (September 1998): 254. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1400581.
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Otis, David L. "Analysis of Habitat Selection Studies with Multiple Patches within Cover Types." Journal of Wildlife Management 61, no. 4 (October 1997): 1016. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3802098.
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Biddlecombe, Brooke A., Erin M. Bayne, Nicholas J. Lunn, David McGeachy, and Andrew E. Derocher. "Comparing sea ice habitat fragmentation metrics using integrated step selection analysis." Ecology and Evolution 10, no. 11 (April 12, 2020): 4791–800. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6233.
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Gianpasquale, Chiatante. "Landscape Structure Influencing the Spatial Distribution of the Short-Toed Treecreeper Certhia Brachydactyla in a Mediterranean Agroecosystem." Avian Biology Research 10, no. 1 (February 2017): 49–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.3184/175815617x14836196626584.
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The Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla is a sedentary passerine species, considered a typical woodland species and an ecological indicator of forest alteration and fragmentation. The aim of the research was to define the habitat selection of the Short-toed Treecreeper during the breeding season in a Mediterranean landscape with scarce and highly altered woodland cover. The study was carried out in southern Italy, where point counts were made between April and May in the 2012 and 2013 breeding seasons. The habitat suitability was evaluated following a use vs availability approach, investigating the effect of arboreal habitats, such as woodlands, orchards, and olive groves, at the presence sites and in the surrounding landscape. A resource selection probability function was formulated, performing a logistic regression analysis with binomial error distribution. Model selection followed an information-theoretic approach using the AICc. The best model showed that the most important variables positively affecting the species were percent cover of orchards and olive groves within 750 m of the presence sites, as well as the number of patches of olive groves and woodlands within 250 m. The results showed that olive groves and orchards could be supplementary habitats for the Short-toed Treecreeper when woodlands were absent. Furthermore, the results suggest a primary influence of habitat fragmentation in the population dynamics which lead to Short-toed Treecreeper occurrence, even in a Mediterranean setting.
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Hodge, J. R., F. Santini, and P. C. Wainwright. "Colour dimorphism in labrid fishes as an adaptation to life on coral reefs." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 287, no. 1923 (March 18, 2020): 20200167. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.0167.
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Conspicuous coloration displayed by animals that express sexual colour dimorphism is generally explained as an adaptation to sexual selection, yet the interactions and relative effects of selective forces influencing colour dimorphism are largely unknown. Qualitatively, colour dimorphism appears more pronounced in marine fishes that live on coral reefs where traits associated with strong sexual selection are purportedly more common. Using phylogenetic comparative analysis, we show that wrasses and parrotfishes exclusive to coral reefs are the most colour dimorphic, but surprisingly, the effect of habitat is not influenced by traits associated with strong sexual selection. Rather, habitat-specific selective forces, including clear water and structural refuge, promote the evolution of pronounced colour dimorphism that manifests colours less likely to be displayed in other habitats. Our results demonstrate that environmental context ultimately determines the evolution of conspicuous coloration in colour-dimorphic labrid fishes, despite other influential selective forces.
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Stephenson, Fabrice, Nicholas V. C. Polunin, Aileen C. Mill, Catherine Scott, Paula Lightfoot, and Clare Fitzsimmons. "Spatial and temporal changes in pot-fishing effort and habitat use." ICES Journal of Marine Science 74, no. 8 (April 28, 2017): 2201–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsx051.
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Abstract Habitat and fisheries usage data are key components for ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management (EBFM). Significant gaps in knowledge remain for fisheries–habitat interactions, particularly in inshore fisheries where vessels are <12 m in length. Here, we show changes in inshore fishing effort distribution (<12 m) and habitat use over the decade 2004–2013. Sightings data of fishing vessel activity recorded by the Northumberland Inshore Fishery and Conservation Authority (NIFCA) were combined with landings data to estimate and map pot-fishing activity between 2004 and 2013. Spatial temporal changes were investigated using Monte Carlo simulation of randomly sampled fishing effort maps. High resolution (1 m) broadscale (EUNIS level 3) predictive habitat maps of the Coquet to St Marys’ Marine Conservation Zone (CQSM MCZ) were used to investigate spatial temporal changes in fishers’ habitat selection using compositional analysis. Fishing effort in Northumberland increased between 2004 and 2013 (233 642–354 193 pots year−1). Fishing effort distribution differed between individual years, decreasing over large areas between 2004 and 2007, followed by increases, especially inshore, between 2008 and 2013. Fishers in the CQSM MCZ showed a preference for rocky habitats over sediment habitats. Habitat preference did not vary between years although all habitats experienced increasing fishing pressure. Spatial temporal changes in fishing effort and habitat use were discussed in relation to EBFM.
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Zhang, Yingqiu, Yuefei Li, Lili Zhang, Zhi Wu, Shuli Zhu, Jie Li, and Xinhui Li. "Site Fidelity, Habitat Use, and Movement Patterns of the Common Carp during Its Breeding Season in the Pearl River as Determined by Acoustic Telemetry." Water 12, no. 8 (August 8, 2020): 2233. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w12082233.
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Understanding fish migration patterns and habitat use is essential for fisheries management. We conducted an acoustic fine-scale tracking experiment from March to June 2017 to determine the common carp movement pattern and habitat use in the downstream area of the Pearl River. The eight tagged common carp were detected for 39.38 ± 29.57 d, on average, with a total average detection period of 42.12 ± 28.02 d. A general linear mixed model suggested they were detected more during the night than during the day. Common carp preferred habitats near the sandbar and riparian shallow habitats, as revealed by their movement tracks and habitat selection indexes. The general additive mixed model (GAMM) analysis of their shortest distances to riverbanks and depth indicated that they migrated to shallower riparian habitat more frequently during the night than during the day. The continuous wavelet spectrum further confirmed the significant diel pattern of their vertical movement. Their habitat use was also influenced by the water temperature, water level, and river discharge, as suggested by the GAMM. Our results provide novel information on common carp spatiotemporal movement and habitat use patterns, and have important implications for its native population restoration and the invasive population control/exclusion.
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Rasool, Muhammad Awais, Muhammad Azher Hassan, Xiaobo Zhang, Qing Zeng, Yifei Jia, Li Wen, and Guangchun Lei. "Habitat Quality and Social Behavioral Association Network in a Wintering Waterbirds Community." Sustainability 13, no. 11 (May 27, 2021): 6044. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13116044.
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Migratory waterbirds concentrated in freshwater ecosystems in mosaic environments rely on quality habitats for overwintering. At West Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve (WDLNNR), China, land-use change and hydrology alternation are compounding factors that have affected important wintering areas for migratory waterbirds. Presently, changes in the hydrology and landscape have reshaped natural wintering habitats and their availability, though the impact of hydrological management on habitat selection of wintering waterbirds is largely unknown. In this study, we classified differentially managed habitats and calculated their area using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to evaluate suitable habitat availability over the study period (2016–2017 and 2017–2018 wintering periods). We then used social behavioral association network (SBAN) model to compare habitat quality through species-species social interactions and species-habitat associations in lakes with different hydrological management. The results indicated that social interactions between and within species structured wintering waterbirds communities, which could be dominated by one or more species, while dominant species control the activities of other co-existing species. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests indicated significant differences in SBAN metrics between lakes (p = 0.0237) and habitat (p < 0.0001) levels. Specifically, lakes with managed hydrology were preferred by more species. The managed lakes had better habitat quality in terms of significantly higher habitat areas (p < 0.0001) and lower habitat transitions (p = 0.0113). Collectively, our findings suggest that proper hydrological management can provide continuous availability of quality habitats, especially mudflats and shallow waters, for a stable SBAN to ensure a wintering waterbirds community with more sympatric species in a dynamic environment.
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Nams, Vilis O., and Maryse Bourgeois. "Fractal analysis measures habitat use at different spatial scales: an example with American marten." Canadian Journal of Zoology 82, no. 11 (November 1, 2004): 1738–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z04-167.
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Habitat selection is traditionally assessed by how much time the animal spends in each habitat type; however, one can obtain additional information by analysing the structure of the movement paths. We followed and mapped snow tracks of American marten, Martes americana (Turton, 1806). The new method used to test the movement paths for deviations from a correlated random walk model show that these paths fail the test. This has led to an analysis of fractal dimension versus spatial scale, which showed a natural break in fractal dimension at a scale of approximately 3.5 m, suggesting that marten displayed different responses to their microenvironment in two regions of spatial scale. Marten travel was more direct at scales <3.5 m than at scales >3.5 m. Path tortuousity was affected by habitats at smaller scales but not at larger scales, indicating different responses by marten to their environment at these two ranges of scale. Multiple regression identified canopy closure and presence of conifer in the understory as variables that affect movement patterns at the 1- to 3.5-m scale. Fractal analysis of movement patterns provides a unique approach to examining habitat use, as well as a means to identify the spatial scales at which an animal responds to its habitat.
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Obbard, Martyn E., Melissa B. Coady, Bruce A. Pond, James A. Schaefer, and Frank G. Burrows. "A distance-based analysis of habitat selection by American black bears (Ursus americanus) on the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada." Canadian Journal of Zoology 88, no. 11 (November 2010): 1063–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z10-072.
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Because of their wide-ranging habits, conserving large carnivores such as American black bears ( Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780) often depends on understanding habitat needs beyond the boundary of protected areas. We studied habitat selection by black bears in the vicinity of Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario — a small, isolated population whose persistence appears dependent on habitat on lands outside the Park. We used an approach based on Euclidean distances to document seasonal habitat selection at two spatial scales and to identify candidate habitat types for protection. Adult females selected dense mixed forests to establish home ranges within the population range, whereas subadults and yearlings selected dense deciduous forests. Within home ranges, adults selected dense mixed forest in spring–summer and dense deciduous forest in late summer – fall. Subadults selected dense deciduous forest, marsh, dense mixed forest, and water during the spring–summer and avoided developed lands and roads. Yearlings selected dense mixed forest, dense deciduous forest, and sparse forests in spring–summer and dense deciduous forest and dense mixed forest in late summer – fall. The selection of dense deciduous and dense mixed forest stands, especially at the broader scale, suggests that strategies to ensure persistence of this isolated population should focus on protecting the integrity of these stands.
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Sodik, Mahfut, Satyawan Pudyatmoko, Pujo Semedi Hargo Yuwono, and Muhammad Ali Imron. "Resource selection by Javan Slow Loris Nycticebus javanicus E. Geoffroy, 1812 (Mammalia: Primates: Lorisidae) in a lowland fragmented forest in Central Java, Indonesia." Journal of Threatened Taxa 11, no. 6 (April 26, 2019): 13667–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/jott.4781.11.6.13667-13679.
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Habitat loss and forest fragmentation have negative impacts on Javan Slow Loris Nycticebus javanicus, a Critically Endangered nocturnal primate endemic to Java. Reports confirmed that less than 9% of forest area remains on Java Island. One of the remaining natural habitats of the Javan Slow Loris is the fragment of Kemuning Forest in Temanggung Regency, Central Java. The purpose of this study was to determine resource selection and habitat variables that determine the presence of Javan Slow Loris. Habitat variables measured were basal area, tree connectivity, crown coverage on tree stage, slope, elevation, and distance to river. Data analysis performed was logistic regression, likelihood ratio test, and Akaike’s Information Criterion with a backward elimination procedure. We also used direct observation and interviews with locals to collect data on environment and anthropogenic features of this forest. The results showed that the Javan Slow Loris uses resources selectively on a microhabitat scale. The habitat factors that influence the probability of resource selection by the species are canopy cover and slope. Habitat characteristics preferred by the Javan Slow Loris in Kemuning Forest are secondary lowland tropical rainforest with dense canopy cover located on a steep slope with low level of habitat disturbances. Although this study uses a small sample size, the expectation is that the results can be used as preliminary information for the habitat and population management of Javan Slow Loris in Kemuning Forest to guide conservation efforts and design management strategies.
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Hanrahan, Alexander T., Andrew U. Rutter, Clayton K. Nielsen, and Eric M. Schauber. "Spatial ecology of river otters in a human-modified landscape." Journal of Mammalogy 100, no. 4 (June 20, 2019): 1327–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyz095.
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AbstractRiver otter populations have expanded across much of their historical range, including in Illinois where they were reintroduced from 1994 to 1997. These expanding populations are recolonizing a wide range of landscapes with different levels of human modification, which could influence how river otters use space in relation to habitat characteristics and each other. Our objectives were to quantify 1) home ranges and core areas, 2) sociality, and 3) habitat selection across all available habitats and within home ranges (second- and third-order selection, respectively) of 22 radiomarked river otters (Lontra canadensis) in southern Illinois during 2014–2016. Our study area contained a diverse mix of forest, agriculture, aquatic and wetland habitats, and a range of urban development intensity. We examined sociality using the frequency at which individuals were located < 25 m from a conspecific and compared home-range overlap among individuals based on sex. Habitat selection at the second and third order was analyzed using an eigen-analysis of selection ratios based on landcover categories. Similar to other studies, male river otters had > 2-fold larger home ranges and core areas than females in southern Illinois. Several lines of evidence indicated males were more social than females. Males were located close to a conspecific more frequently than were females, and overlap of home ranges and core areas among males was greater than it was among females or between sexes. As observed in other landscapes, river otters strongly selected herbaceous and wooded wetlands at both second- and third-order scales. River otters selected terrestrial cover types with vegetative cover potentially due to shelter or prey availability. Forests were selected over crop fields at the third-order scale, which was consistent with studies using sign surveys. River otters in our study had home ranges containing 0–40% developed land cover, but we found no evidence that otters living in more developed areas used their home ranges more selectively. River otters in this landscape were plastic in regard to social behavior and habitat selection, highlighting their generalist nature and providing insight into their ability to successfully recolonize areas of the Midwest with sufficient vegetative cover and aquatic habitat, among other factors.
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Sherburne, Stuart, and John Bissonette. "The Role of Subnivean Access in Winter Habitat Selection of Marten in Yellowstone National Park." UW National Parks Service Research Station Annual Reports 13 (January 1, 1989): 215–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.13001/uwnpsrc.1989.2837.
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This research project has two primary goals. The first is to determine home range spatial dynamics of marten (Maxes americana) in Yellowstone relative to habitat type. Results of this analysis will aid in the understanding of marten habitat selection. The study's second goal is aimed at identifying the habitat variables that influence subnivean access. A proximate factor analysis of subnivean access behavior will be conducted to determine the components that make old growth suitable for marten. Results from both objectives will allow assessment of the effects of the 1988 fires in Yellowstone on marten habitat.
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Munroe, S. E. M., C. A. Simpfendorfer, and M. R. Heupel. "Habitat and space use of an abundant nearshore shark, Rhizoprionodon taylori." Marine and Freshwater Research 65, no. 11 (2014): 959. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf13272.
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Shark resource-use strategies affect how they will respond to changes within their environment and, as such, may be important to consider in conservation and management. Movement data on sharks that use nearshore areas is particularly valuable because these habitats are highly dynamic. The present study used passive acoustic telemetry to examine the space-use, habitat-selection and habitat-specialisation patterns of the Australian sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon taylori, in a nearshore area. Habitat selectivity and specialisation were assessed across five benthic habitat types, including outer bay, seagrass, reef, sandy inshore and intertidal mudflats. The majority of R. taylori sharks were present for short periods of time, ranging from 1 to 112 days (mean ± s.e. = 16.9 ± 4.9). Activity-space analysis indicated that R. taylori roamed widely, but monthly activity-space size was consistent among individuals and through time. Both the population and individuals displayed wide habitat niches, indicating that the species may be resilient to environmental change. However, R. taylori consistently selected for seagrass over other habitats, potentially for feeding. Therefore, declines in seagrass availability may reduce R. taylori presence in nearshore areas and may be relevant to spatial management of this species.