Hierarchical habitat selection by barren-ground grizzly bears in the central Canadian Arctic

Abstract

Using resource selection functions, we examined habitat selection patterns of barren-ground grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the central Canadian Arctic among and within home ranges. There was no difference between the sexes with regard to habitat selection patterns at the home range level (Wilks' λ, approx. F =1.27, P=0.37). Bear home ranges contain more esker habitat, tussock/hummock successional tundra, lichen veneer, birch seep, and tall shrub riparian areas relative to the proportional availability of habitats in the study area. We observed differences in habitat selection within home ranges among levels of sex/reproductive status (Wilks' λ, approx. F=3.32, P<0.001) and by season (Wilks' λ, approx. F =2.71, P<0.001). Eskers and tall shrub riparian zones were the habitats most preferred by bears throughout the year. Tussock/hummock successional tundra was also favored by males at varying times during the year and lichen veneers were favored in spring and autumn by most bears. Females with cubs tended to avoid the highest ranked habitat for males throughout the year. This pattern of habitat selection was not observed for females without accompanying young. Results of this study underline the importance of scale dependence in habitat selection. Failure to view habitat selection as a hierarchical process may result in a narrow and possibly misleading notion of habitat selection patterns.

The Influence of Prey, Pastoralism and Poaching on the Hierarchical Use of Habitat by an Apex Predator

“…That habitat use by lions was strongly determined by the occurrence of prey resources agrees with trophic-based species-habitat relationships (Krebs, 2009;Mitchell & Hebblewhite, 2012). For instance, food resources were the primary predictor of second-order habitat selection by grizzly bears in the Canadian Arctic (McLoughlin et al, 2002) and tigers in the Russian Far East (Miquelle et al, 1999). Following this, predation risk by wolves was the primary predictor of second-order habitat selection by caribou, Rangifer tarundus, in northern Canada (Rettie & Messier, 2000) and predation risk by lions was the primary predictor of second-order habitat selection by zebra, giraffe and wildebeest on a reserve in South Africa (Thaker et al, 2011).…”

Use of Telemetry Data to Investigate Home Range and Habitat Selection in Mammalian Carnivores

“…Differences between use and availability may also occur when not all animals have free or equal access to all areas within their home ranges. Habitat-selection scales are often assumed to be a function of home-range sizes (e.g., Chamberlain et al, 2003;McLoughlin et al, 2002McLoughlin et al, , 2004Rettie & Messier, 2000). Thus, an important concept associated with habitat selection is home range.…”

Conservation Strategy for Brown Bear and Its Habitat in Nepal

“…In addition to resource availability, brown bear habitat selection is influenced by a suite of dynamic factors, including risk of predation and human disturbance [27][28][29][30]. In the present study, we did not find any signs of brown bears closer than 5 km from villages and human settlements, most likely because of the combined effects of over-exploitation of resources and perceived threat from humans.…”