Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus - a good candidate for an umbrella species in taiga forests

摘要: The capercaillie Tetrao urogallus is widely accepted as a species seriously suffering from fragmentation of forests and habitat loss. Foresters well conservationists agree on the need principles for maintaining viable populations, but proposed management means often differ. approach currently favoured by Finnish foresters to manage leks their surroundings using methods that differ those used in intensive forestry. It may be desirable prove with also favour other forest bird biodiversity general. During last 16 years (1987–2002), birds have been censused were mapped 465-km2 study area southern Finland. Most consists spruce-dominated mature forests. remainder landscape mixture variously aged forests, agricultural areas, lakes scattered human settlements gradient an agricultural-forest mosaic forest-dominated areas. old-growth three-toed woodpecker Picoides tridactylus, pygmy owl Glaucidium passerinum red-breasted flycatcher Ficedula parva more abundant within 300 m 1,000 radii around lek sites than non-lek control sites. Also overall richness breeding was higher vicinity leks. On larger scale (100 × 100 km squares), wildlife triangle scheme developed Finland, we show density closely coincides index describing total abundance 15 forest-dwelling mammal diverse ecology requirements. Capercaillie flagship foresters, can considered good candidate umbrella taiga