Socio-spatial organization of urban stone martens

摘要: Stone martens Martes foina are common occupants of urban environments across continental Europe. We predicted that like other ‘urban adapters’, stone should exhibit smaller home ranges, more extensive home-range overlap and higher population densities than their rural counterparts. radio-tracked 13 (10 females, three males) in two towns southern Luxembourg during a 2-year period, order to investigate nocturnal ranging behaviour. All maintained stable, year-round territories almost wholly within the perimeter respective study towns. Socio-spatial organization was based on intra-sexual territoriality. Territories (100% minimum convex polygon) were small size (males: 112.6±24.8 ha; females: 37.0±22.2 ha) moderately high (4.7–5.8 adults km−2) by comparison with previous studies populations. conclude although clearly well adapted conditions, urbanization has surprisingly little impact socio-spatial its effects mesocarnivores. This apparent inflexibility spacing patterns lends support view (Martes spp.) is predominantly phylogenetic trait under limited environmental influence.