Conservation of Biodiversity in Alps: mountain hare (Lepus timidus) as model system.

• Main Author: Bisi, Francesco
• Other Authors: MARTINOLI, ADRIANO
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: Università degli Studi dell'Insubria 2010
• Subjects: BIO/03 BOTANICA AMBIENTALE E APPLICATA; Lepus timidus; mountain hare
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11383/2090263; http://hdl.handle.net/10277/177

Knowledge about mountain hare (Lepus timidus) is still scarce, especially in alpine ecosystem. We collected information about mountain hare behaviour and distribution to asses if this species can be a useful indicator of environmental changes across the Alps. First, we tested two di_erent live capture methods for mountain hare in Scotland and we verified if sex or age composition and body condition of hares di_ered between methods. Individuals in poor condition were more frequently taken with traps, a tendency which may reflect increased risk taking of individuals in poorer body condition and less aversion to entering traps to bene_t from eating bait. We then used data of body mass of recaptured hares in two study areas in Italy. Here we did not _nd di_erence in body mass between _rst capture and recaptured hares, supporting the hypothesis that di_erences in capture methods, at least partly, depend on the habitat type where they have been applied. The main part of the _eldwork aimed to investigate space and habitat use of mountain hare in relation to habitat structure and composition. We analysed the space-use patterns of two mountain hare populations from the Central Alps using radiotracking. We monitored 34 hares, estimating home range size, overlap and site _delity, and compared our data with space use in Scottish and North-European populations. Home ranges of mountain hares did not di_er between two study sites with di_erent habitat types. Subadult animals used larger ranges than adults and both age groups reduced home range size in autumn, a period that might be critical for hares due to changes in diet and/or high energy expenditure during the previous breeding season. Younger hares probably made exploratory movements to gather information about surrounding habitats. Home ranges in alpine 'edge' populations were smaller than in Scandinavian populations, but within the range of populations in di_erent habitat types in Scotland. Seasonal home ranges overlapped considerably, but di_ered among the sexes: ...