Brown bear habitat selection in relation to anthropogenic structures in the Bieszczady Mountains, Poland

Abstract In Europe, brown bear Ursus arctos habitats frequently overlap with human settlements and infrastructure. We tested whether anthropogenic structures played an important role in habitat selection by brown bears in the Bieszczady Mountains, Poland. We analysed 668 signs of brown bear presence...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biologia
Main Authors: Frąckowiak, Witold, Theuerkauf, Jörn, Pirga, Bartosz, Gula, Roman
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: Walter de Gruyter GmbH 2014
Subjects:
Plant Science
Animal Science and Zoology
Genetics
Cell Biology
Biochemistry
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Molecular Biology
Ursus arctos
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/s11756-014-0386-4
https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/biolog.2014.69.issue-7/s11756-014-0386-4/s11756-014-0386-4.pdf
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Summary:Abstract In Europe, brown bear Ursus arctos habitats frequently overlap with human settlements and infrastructure. We tested whether anthropogenic structures played an important role in habitat selection by brown bears in the Bieszczady Mountains, Poland. We analysed 668 signs of brown bear presence recorded during 6 counts along 246 km of transects (total 1,476 km) in spring, summer and autumn of 1993 and 1994. Habitat selection of bears was more related to habitat and altitude than to human factors. Avoidance of roads, settlements and forest clearings influenced habitat selection by brown bears in spring but less in summer and autumn.

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