Landscape composition mediates movement and habitat selection in bobcats (Lynx rufus): implications for conservation planning

Abstract

Context The analysis of individual movement choices can be used to better understand populationlevel resource selection and inform management. Objectives We investigated movements and habitat selection of 13 bobcats in Vermont, USA, under the assumption individuals makes choices based upon their current location. Results were used to identify ''movement-defined'' corridors.Methods We used GPS-collars and GIS to estimate bobcat movement paths, and extracted statistics on land cover proportions, topography, fine-scale vegetation, roads, and streams within ''used'' and ''available'' space surrounding each movement path. Compositional analyses were used to determine habitat preferences with respect to landcover and topography; ratio tests were used to determine if used versus available ratios for vegetation, roads, and streams 123Landscape Ecol (2018) 33:1301-1318 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-018-0654-8 differed from 1. Results were used to create travel cost maps, a primary input for corridor analysis. Results Forested and scrub-rock land cover were most preferred for movement, while developed land cover was least preferred. Preference depended on the composition of the ''available'' landscape: Bobcats moved [ 3 times more quickly through forest and scrub-rock habitat when these habitats were surrounded by agriculture or development than when the available buffer was similarly composed. Overall, forest edge, wetland edge and higher stream densities were selected, while deep forest core and high road densities were not selected. Landscape-scale connectivity maps differed depending on whether habitat suitability, preference, or selection informed the travel cost map. Conclusions Both local and landscape scale land cover characteristics affect habitat preferences and travel speed of bobcats, which in turn can inform management and conservation activities.

Urbanization reduces genetic connectivity in bobcats (Lynx rufus) at both intra– and interpopulation spatial scales

“…While bobcats generally occur more often in natural areas (Ordeñana et al, 2010), some telemetry studies show that bobcats will cross and sometimes utilize urban development separating habitat fragments, particularly at night (Riley et al, 2003;Tigas et al, 2002). Our results indicate that despite these movements, urban development does constrain gene flow even within areas that consist largely of natural habitat (e.g., (Abouelezz et al, 2018). The ability to identify generalized effects such as that of urbanization here is a key advantage afforded by replication in landscape genetics generally (Balbi et al, 2018;Robertson et al, 2018;Row et al, 2018).…”

“…This pattern is obvious in coastal southern California, where the largest tracts of urban development are situated in the flat regions of the Los Angeles Basin, coastal Orange County, and the coastal plain of San Diego County, and bobcat habitat generally is restricted to the surrounding Santa Monica Mountains, San Joaquin Hills, and eastern Peninsular Ranges. However, bobcats have been shown to also favour topographically rough terrain in less urbanized landscapes (Abouelezz et al, ). The ability to identify generalized effects such as that of urbanization here is a key advantage afforded by replication in landscape genetics generally (Balbi et al, ; Robertson et al, ; Row et al, ).…”

“…Streams and vegetation had significant effects on gene flow only in East–5, our largest and least urbanized population. Vegetation is frequently found to favour bobcat movement and space use throughout the species' range (Abouelezz et al, ; Reding, Cushman, Gosselink, & Clark, ; Tucker, Clark, & Gosselink, ). In particular, the lack of an effect of vegetation in our more urbanized populations contrasts with a study of bobcats in Vermont, USA, which found that movement through vegetated areas is faster when in proximity to urban development compared to when the surrounding area was also vegetated (Abouelezz et al, ).…”

Space use and resource selection of bobcats in the Appalachian Mountains of western Virginia

“…Male movement rates are often greater than female movement rates [14,15,16,17], but most information on bobcat movement rates comes from studies that employed VHF telemetry, which often had coarse sampling intervals and poor locational accuracy. More recent studies using GPS telemetry have found varied results [18,19,20], and there is currently a scarcity of published bobcat movement rates from GPS studies. As obligate carnivores with a stalk and ambush hunting mode, [11], prey availability is a key driver of bobcat space use and resource selection.…”

Sex-specific effects of reproductive season on bobcat space use, movement, and resource selection in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia

“…Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are a solitary, midsized felid with a territorial social organization and polygynous breeding strategy [9]. Male bobcats exhibit larger home ranges than those of females [10], and may exhibit greater movement rates than females [11][12][13][14]. As obligate carnivores, bobcats require sufficient prey to meet energetic demands.…”