The influence of landscape matrix on isolated patch use by wide-ranging animals: conservation lessons for woodland caribou

摘要: For conservation purposes, it is important to design studies that explicitly quantify responses of focal species different land management scenarios. Here, we propose an approach combines the influence landscape matrices with intrinsic attributes remaining habitat patches on space use behavior woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), a threatened subspecies Rangifer. We sought link characteristics forest remnants and their surrounding environment (i.e., occurrence intensity). tracked 51 females using GPS telemetry north Saguenay River (Quebec, Canada) between 2004 2010 documented mature ranging 30 ∼170 000 ha in highly managed landscape. Habitat proportion anthropogenic feature density within incremental buffer zones (from 100 7500 m), together residual patch characteristics, were linked location establish range matrix. found size composition intensity patch. Patch had reach approximately 270 km(2) attain 75% probability by caribou. small (<100 km(2)) induced concentration activities shown make them more vulnerable predation act as ecological traps. Woodland clearly need large patches, embedded relatively undisturbed matrix, achieve low densities antipredator strategy. Our patch-based methodological approach, data, offers new perspective wide-ranging inhabiting fragmented landscapes allows us highlight impacts scale management. Furthermore, our study provides insights might have implications for effective