Distribution and density of moose in relation to landscape characteristics: effects of scale
We analyzed the relation between early winter distribution and density of female moose (Alces alces L.) and habitat heterogeneity in interior Alaska. We tested for effects of vegetation type, topography, distance to rivers and towns, occurrence and timing of fire, and landscape metrics. A spatial li...
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/x05-123 2024-10-06T13:41:52+00:00 Distribution and density of moose in relation to landscape characteristics: effects of scale Maier, Julie AK Ver Hoef, Jay M McGuire, A David Bowyer, R Terry Saperstein, Lisa Maier, Hilmar A 2005 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x05-123 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x05-123 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Forest Research volume 35, issue 9, page 2233-2243 ISSN 0045-5067 1208-6037 journal-article 2005 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/x05-123 2024-09-12T04:13:25Z We analyzed the relation between early winter distribution and density of female moose (Alces alces L.) and habitat heterogeneity in interior Alaska. We tested for effects of vegetation type, topography, distance to rivers and towns, occurrence and timing of fire, and landscape metrics. A spatial linear model was used to analyze effects of independent variables organized at multiple scales. Because densities of moose vary widely as a result of differences in management and other factors, a spatial response surface of the log of moose density was fit to remove large-scale effects. The analysis revealed that the densest populations of moose occurred closer to towns, at moderate elevations, near rivers, and in areas where fire occurred between 11 and 30 years ago. Furthermore, moose tended to occur in areas with large compact patches of varied habitat and avoided variable terrain and nonvegetated areas. Relationships of most variables with moose density occurred at or below 34 km 2 , suggesting that moose respond to environmental variables within a few kilometres of their location. The spatial model of density of moose developed in this study represents an important application for effective monitoring and management of moose in the boreal forest. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alces alces Alaska Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35 9 2233 2243 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
description |
We analyzed the relation between early winter distribution and density of female moose (Alces alces L.) and habitat heterogeneity in interior Alaska. We tested for effects of vegetation type, topography, distance to rivers and towns, occurrence and timing of fire, and landscape metrics. A spatial linear model was used to analyze effects of independent variables organized at multiple scales. Because densities of moose vary widely as a result of differences in management and other factors, a spatial response surface of the log of moose density was fit to remove large-scale effects. The analysis revealed that the densest populations of moose occurred closer to towns, at moderate elevations, near rivers, and in areas where fire occurred between 11 and 30 years ago. Furthermore, moose tended to occur in areas with large compact patches of varied habitat and avoided variable terrain and nonvegetated areas. Relationships of most variables with moose density occurred at or below 34 km 2 , suggesting that moose respond to environmental variables within a few kilometres of their location. The spatial model of density of moose developed in this study represents an important application for effective monitoring and management of moose in the boreal forest. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Maier, Julie AK Ver Hoef, Jay M McGuire, A David Bowyer, R Terry Saperstein, Lisa Maier, Hilmar A |
spellingShingle |
Maier, Julie AK Ver Hoef, Jay M McGuire, A David Bowyer, R Terry Saperstein, Lisa Maier, Hilmar A Distribution and density of moose in relation to landscape characteristics: effects of scale |
author_facet |
Maier, Julie AK Ver Hoef, Jay M McGuire, A David Bowyer, R Terry Saperstein, Lisa Maier, Hilmar A |
author_sort |
Maier, Julie AK |
title |
Distribution and density of moose in relation to landscape characteristics: effects of scale |
title_short |
Distribution and density of moose in relation to landscape characteristics: effects of scale |
title_full |
Distribution and density of moose in relation to landscape characteristics: effects of scale |
title_fullStr |
Distribution and density of moose in relation to landscape characteristics: effects of scale |
title_full_unstemmed |
Distribution and density of moose in relation to landscape characteristics: effects of scale |
title_sort |
distribution and density of moose in relation to landscape characteristics: effects of scale |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2005 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x05-123 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x05-123 |
genre |
Alces alces Alaska |
genre_facet |
Alces alces Alaska |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Forest Research volume 35, issue 9, page 2233-2243 ISSN 0045-5067 1208-6037 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/x05-123 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Forest Research |
container_volume |
35 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
2233 |
op_container_end_page |
2243 |
_version_ |
1812182540070420480 |