Characteristics of moose ( Alces alces ) winter yards on different exposures and slopes in southern Quebec

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Author: Proulx, Gilbert
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1983
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Alces alces
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z83-013; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z83-013

Forty-two moose (Alces alces) wintering yards were located in February 1970 in southern Quebec. The yards were established without preference for a particular exposure, and no significant difference (p > 0.05) in mean areas existed between yards with southern and northern exposures. However, yards with greater slopes tended to be smaller. The average winter yard slope (12.9 ± 8.8%) was significantly (p < 0.05) smaller than that of control blocks (18.2 ± 9.6%). Fifty percent of the yards were located on slopes ≤10%. The number of winter yards with gentle (0–≤10%), intermediate (>10–≤20%) and steep (>20%) slopes was significantly (p < 0.005) different from that of control blocks. Independent of exposure and slope classes, moose winter yards were mosaics of mature and young coniferous, deciduous, and mixed stands.