Abstract

We analyse the selection of denning habitats by Scandinavian brown bears Ursus arctos and test if there are differences related to sex and age. At the landscape level, the vegetation types within a 500-m radius around 250 dens used during 1990-2000 in south-central Sweden were analysed using a Geographical Information System (GIS). Compositional analysis (CA) was used to test if bears selected or avoided certain habitat types for denning. There were relatively few differences in habitat selection among bears of different age or sex. Overall, as a group the bears showed distinct preferences in selection of denning habitats; selecting for open canopy (Scots pine Pinus sylvestris) forests and habitats with moist soil with rich vegetation, before closed canopy (older Norway spruce Picea abies and Scots pine) forests, young forest and clear cuts, mountain coniferous forests and bogs. Denning bears avoided water, alpine mountain-birch forest, deciduous forest, peat, exposed bedrock and gravel pits. Bears denned more on lower altitudes, easterly aspects and steeper slopes than was available. Furthermore, bears avoided intermediate-size roads, perhaps because they are the source of human disturbance, providing a combination of easy winter access (because they are ploughed) and relatively high traffic intensity.

Keywords

brown bear; denning site selection; GIS; habitat selection; human disturbance; Sweden; Ursus arctos

Published in

Wildlife Biology
2008, Volume: 14, number: 2, pages: 176-187

SLU Authors

• Ball, John

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Behavioral Sciences Biology
Ecology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2981/0909-6396(2008)14[176:SODHBS]2.0.CO;2

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/20603