Ruffed Grouse Brood Habitat Use in Mixed Softwood–Hardwood Nordic–Temperate Forests, Quebec, Canada
Ruffed Grouse Brood Habitat Use in Mixed Softwood–Hardwood Nordic–Temperate Forests, Quebec, Canada
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DOI：
10.2193/2005-614
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发表时间：
2007-02
影响因子：
0.9
通讯作者：
Wendy Giroux;Pierre Blanchette;Jean Bourgeois;G. Cabana
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Wendy Giroux;Pierre Blanchette;Jean Bourgeois;G. Cabana
摘要在繁殖期，当雏鸟死亡率高时，适当的覆盖是皱皮松鸡栖息地的一个重要组成部分。我们评估了栖息地利用皱皮松鸡在育雏期间，通过比较特征的树木，灌木和地面层皱皮松鸡育雏和随机地点。我们在加拿大魁北克波特纳夫动物园的2个森林环境中捕获并放射标记了29只雌性。我们描述了松鸡栖息地利用地面调查和森林地图，我们确定了使用的栖息地特征，方差分析和逻辑回归。女性与育雏使用混合和再生皆伐站，1.5-7米高，11-20岁。与随机地点相比，松鸡地点的侧向障碍更高（76%比68%）、小茎密度更高（29，085茎/公顷比19，340茎/公顷），并且更靠近道路和小径。地面植被的覆盖率并不高，在松鸡的位置，经常在以前的研究报告。这项研究的结果将有助于定向皱皮松鸡栖息地管理魁北克公共土地和其他地方的北温带混合硬木软木森林，以保持合适的育雏栖息地伐木作业后。森林管理应促进年轻的混合林的增长，高水平和垂直覆盖提供高密度的小茎，这提供了对空中和陆地捕食的保护。边缘，如路边也是重要的育雏栖息地，因为他们提供食物和掩护。
Abstract Adequate cover is a critical component of ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) habitat during the brood-rearing period when chick mortality is high. We assessed habitat use by ruffed grouse during the brood-rearing period by comparing characteristics of tree, shrub, and ground layers at ruffed grouse brood and random locations. We captured and radiomarked 29 females with broods in 2 forest settings of the Réserve faunique de Portneuf, Quebec, Canada. We described grouse habitat using ground surveys and forest maps, and we identified the used habitat characteristics using analysis of variance and logistic regression. Females with broods used mixed and regenerated clearcut stands that were 1.5–7 m tall and 11–20 years old. Compared with random locations, grouse locations had higher lateral obstruction (76% vs. 68%), higher small-stem density (29,085 stems/ha vs. 19,340 stems/ha), and were closer to roads and trails. Percentage of coverage by ground vegetation was not higher at grouse locations as often reported in previous studies. Results from this study will help orient ruffed grouse habitat management on Quebec public land and elsewhere in nordic–temperate mixed hardwood–softwood forests to maintain suitable brood habitat after logging operations. Forest management should promote growth of young mixed stands with high horizontal and vertical cover provided by high small-stem density, which offers protection against aerial and terrestrial predation. Edges such as roadsides are also important in brood habitat as they provide food and cover.