Where the bears roam in Majella National Park, Italy

摘要: Abstract The Brown bear ( Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) occupies contiguous areas in Eastern and Northern Europe. In Western Europe, the largest remnant populations occur Cantabria, Spain Apennines, Italy. Under Italian law its occupied range are protected. of Apennine brown includes Majella National Park. However, information on distribution within NP is extrapolated inconsistent, thus precluding evidence-based protected area species management. To address this lack information, presence records (1996–2010) were collated corrected for observational bias. Multiple Species Distribution Models (SDMs) created at 800 m resolution to predict year-round seasonal distribution. A hierarchical, stepwise maxent SDM approach was applied using climatic, terrain, vegetation, anthropogenic predictors Occupied ranges identified by point density analysis presence. Our climate-only SDMs predicted with relatively low snowfall temperate temperatures. Year-round also accurately temperate-montane elevations mesic, mesotrophic vegetation substrates, irrespective vegetation. Ski-resorts negative occurrence. Bears autumn winter beech forest, spring meadows summer a variety categories. regional our local models throughout south. north Orta valley exclude alpine heights, contrary models. Only similar SDM. We demonstrated that multiple modest number observations comprehensive set environmental variables may generate essential distributional management where full wildlife food source censuses lacking.