We related winter habitat selection by Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), relative abundance of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus), and understory stem densities to evaluate whether lynx select stands with the greatest snowshoe hare densities or the greatest prey accessibility. Lynx (3 F, 3 M) selected tall (4.4‐7.3 m) regenerating clear‐cuts (11‐26 yr postharvest) and established partially harvested stands (11‐21 yr postharvest) and selected against short (3.4‐4.3 m) regenerating clear‐cuts, recent partially harvested stands (1‐10 yr), mature second‐growth stands (>40 yr), and roads and their edges (30 m on either side of roads). Lynx selected stands that provided intermediate to high hare density and intermediate cover for hares (i.e., prey access) but exhibited lower relative preference for stand types with highest hare densities where coniferous saplings exceeded 14,000 stems/ha.
Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) were listed as a federally threatened species in 14 states at the southern extent of their geographic range in March 2000, with Maine being the only state in the northeastern United States known to support a resident population. Relatively little information is known about the ecology of lynx living at the southern edge of their range, including range requirements, movements, and spatial organization. Basic knowledge of lynx ecology is needed for federal recovery planning efforts. Between 1999 and 2004, we trapped and radiocollared 43 lynx (21 M, 22 F) in northern Maine in an intensively managed and predominantly early successional forested landscape. We estimated diurnal annual and seasonal home‐range size for male and female lynx using the 85% fixed‐kernel home‐range estimator. Annual home ranges of adult male lynx (x̄ = 53.6 km2) were more than twice the size of adult female home ranges (x̄ = 25.7 km2). Home ranges of adult females during snow periods (x̄ = 38.3 km2) were nearly 3 times larger than their snow‐free‐period ranges (x̄ = 14.3 km2), whereas, snow‐free ranges of adult males (x̄ = 58.8 km2) were slightly larger than their snow‐period ranges (x̄ = 45.2 km2). We observed a limited amount of home‐range overlap among lynx of the same sex (F: x̄ = 17.2%; M: x̄ = 11.8%). Lynx of opposite sex showed more extensive overlap (x̄ = 24.3%). Most home‐range shifts of resident lynx were typically not extensive. Based on territory mapping, we estimated a minimum lynx density of 9.2–13.0 lynx/100 km2. We observed lynx spatial ecology and densities that were more similar to northern lynx populations when hares were abundant than to other southern lynx populations, suggesting that region‐specific studies under varying habitat conditions and hare densities are needed to ensure realistic recovery goals and effective management of lynx at the southern extent of their range.
We evaluated patterns of occurrence and non‐occurrence for Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) across a 16,530‐km2 study area in Maine to provide a better understanding of lynx habitat selection and habitat ecology on commercially managed forestlands in the Acadian Forest. Because of the influence of forest structure on lynx habitat selection and abundance of their primary prey, the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), and to improve our ability to build robust models, we used habitat information derived from a time series of Landsat satellite imagery spanning the period 1973–2004. We defined and mapped 10 forest types based on forest harvest history, time since harvest, and current forest condition. We compared a suite of models to evaluate relative influences of forest composition, habitat patch configuration, and hare density on habitat selection by lynx at the landscape scale. Occupied areas had greater average hare densities and percentage of mature conifer. Average hare density in occupied areas (0.74 hares/ha) was greater than in unoccupied areas (0.62 hares/ha), but was less than previous research has suggested may be necessary to support lynx populations in the southern portion of the species' range. No occupied areas occurred where average hare density was <0.5 hares/ha. Average hare density at the landscape‐scale was strongly influenced by amount of high‐quality hare habitat (i.e., conifer or mixedwood regenerating forest, 15–35 yr post‐harvest). Edge density between mature conifer and high‐quality hare habitat was substantially greater in occupied areas compared to unoccupied areas. Juxtaposition of those 2 forest types may provide edge habitat where lynx experience easier travel and improved access to prey in landscapes with extensive areas of high‐quality hare habitat where travel and access may be somewhat limited by high understory stem density. Probability of occurrence declined nonlinearly with changes in hare density and percent mature conifer forest in the landscape; thus, suitability of currently occupied landscapes could change markedly with future changes in landscape‐level hare densities and changing habitat associated with forest management. Where lynx conservation is a priority, we recommend that managers focus on creating and maintaining a minimum of 27% high‐quality hare habitat within 100‐km2 areas to promote landscape‐scale hare densities >0.5 hares/ha. © The Wildlife Society, 2013
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