Behavioral plasticity in a variable environment: snow depth and habitat interactions drive deer movement in winter
Behavioral plasticity in a variable environment: snow depth and habitat interactions drive deer movement in winter
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DOI：
10.1093/jmammal/gyw167
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发表时间：
2017-02-01
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
Boyce, Mark S.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Gilbert, Sophie L.;Hundertmark, Kris J.;Boyce, Mark S.
在季节性变化的环境中，动物应该随着时间的推移改变栖息地选择，以避免最恶劣的条件。冬季的严酷程度限制了高纬度生态系统中许多有蹄类动物的生存，栖息地的质量是冬季生存的重要决定因素。以前在阿拉斯加东南部的研究表明，锡特卡黑尾鹿（Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis）选择古老的森林，提供积雪拦截和饲料，但研究，年份和地理区域之间的差异很大。皆伐木材采伐大大减少了原始森林的范围和质量。第二生长和古老的森林类型的价值鹿可能取决于积雪深度，这是高度可变的空间和时间。我们测量选择植被类，景观特征和饲料生物量监测56 GPS无线电项圈成年雌鹿从1月1日至2011年4月1日和2013年之间。同时，我们每天测量鹿家范围内的积雪深度。我们确定，积雪深度有很强的影响，选择植被类。在低雪期间，鹿选择年轻的第二次生长，但避免老的第二次生长和大量的老生长。随着积雪深度的增加，年轻的第二次生长被避免，鹿选择了古老的第二次生长和多产的古老森林。景观中植被类别的组成影响选择，鹿选择当地丰富的栖息地。这些行为表明，广泛分布的森林斑块，提供积雪拦截和饲料生物量可能是至关重要的，以满足能源需求的鹿在冬季与雪。这种环境依赖的栖息地选择可能广泛存在于各种环境中的野生动物物种中，应纳入研究设计和分析。
In seasonally varying environments, animals should alter habitat selection through time to avoid the harshest conditions. Winter severity is limiting for many ungulates in high-latitude ecosystems, and quality of habitat is an important determinant of winter survival. Previous studies in Southeast Alaska indicated that Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) selected old-growth forest that provides both snow interception and forage, but with great variability among studies, years, and geographic areas. Clearcut timber harvest has greatly reduced the extent and quality of old-growth forest. The value of 2nd-growth and old-growth forest types to deer likely depends on snow depth, which is highly variable in space and time. We measured selection for vegetation classes, landscape features, and forage biomass by monitoring 56 GPS-radiocollared adult female deer from 1 January to 1 April between 2011 and 2013. Simultaneously, we measured snow depth across deer home ranges daily. We determined that snow depth had a strong effect on selection for vegetation classes. During periods of low snow, deer selected young 2nd growth but avoided old 2nd growth and high-volume old growth. As snow depths increased, young 2nd growth was avoided and deer selected old 2nd-growth and productive old-growth forests. The composition of vegetation classes within the landscape influenced selection, with deer selecting locally abundant habitats. These behaviors suggest that the widespread distribution of forest patches that provide snow interception and forage biomass may be critical to fulfilling the energetic requirements of deer during winters with snow. Such context-dependent habitat selection is likely widespread among wildlife species in variable environments and should be incorporated into study design and analysis.