Scale dependency and functional response in moose habitat selection

摘要: Habitat selection can be influenced by the distribution of habitat types in landscape as well net gain visiting patches resources, causing individual variation selection. Moreover, hypothesis functional response predicts that degree a resource depends on its relative availability. We used radio-telemetry data from moose an island off coast northern Norway to evaluate whether at scale differed choice within home range, and investigated relating range characteristics. At scale, selected for provided both good forage cover, with small differences between sex age groups. all individuals were associated cover low human impact. was not modified local density, but related size spatial scales. Larger ranges contained larger proportions non-preferred compared smaller ranges. type decreased availability, indicating This suggests is size, which influences availability shapes patterns. Our results support previous suggestions analyses or should follow multi-scale approach. Both accounted order disentangle complex mechanisms contribute shape patterns animals.