(Tables 1,2) Tracking records and space use statistics of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in Storfjorden, Svalbard ...
Arctic sea ice is declining rapidly, making it vital to understand the importance of different types of sea ice for ice-dependent species such as polar bears Ursus maritimus. In this study we used GPS telemetry (25 polar bear tracks obtained in Svalbard, Norway, during spring) and high-resolution sy...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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Format: | Dataset |
Language: | English |
Published: |
PANGAEA
2010
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.809534 https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.809534 |
Summary: | Arctic sea ice is declining rapidly, making it vital to understand the importance of different types of sea ice for ice-dependent species such as polar bears Ursus maritimus. In this study we used GPS telemetry (25 polar bear tracks obtained in Svalbard, Norway, during spring) and high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sea-ice data to investigate fine-scale space use by female polar bears. Space use patterns differed according to reproductive state; females with cubs of the year (COYs) had smaller home ranges and used fast-ice areas more frequently than lone females. First-passage time (FPT) analysis revealed that females with COYs displayed significantly longer FPTs near (<10 km) glacier fronts than in other fast-ice areas; lone females also increased their FPTs in such areas, but they also frequently used drifting pack ice. These results clearly demonstrate the importance of fast-ice areas, in particular close to glacier fronts, especially for females with COYs. Access to abundant and ... : Home range was measured as km**2 per 9 d period. DATE/TIME is the month when the bear was tracked. Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150 ... |
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