Janne Miettinen 
,
Pekka Helle,
Ari Nikula,
Pekka Niemelä
Changes in landscape-scale habitat selection of capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in managed north-boreal forest
Miettinen J., Helle P., Nikula A., Niemelä P. (2009). Changes in landscape-scale habitat selection of capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in managed north-boreal forest. Silva Fennica vol. 43 no. 4 article id 182. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.182
Abstract
We studied changes in habitat selection of capercaillie in northern Finnish boreal forests at two spatial scales during two time periods, 1989–1992 and 2000–2003. We studied capercaillie densities and their changes between the study periods in relation to the landscape class proportions within 3-km buffer zones around the wildlife triangle center points. Furthermore, we compared the landscape class proportions in 800-meter buffer zones around capercaillie wildlife triangle count observations and around the counted wildlife triangle transects using t-tests and compositional analysis. At the local population scale (3 km) the change in adult density between the study periods was associated positively with the proportion of young thinning stands in 2003 and reversely with the mature stand (1992 and 2003) and clear-cut (1992) proportions. Capercaillie juvenile and pooled densities during 2000–2003 were positively associated with the advanced thinning stand proportion in 2003. At the capercaillie home range scale (800 m) habitats were rich in mature stands during 1989–1992 in relation to available habitats, but not during 2000–2003 when young thinning stands were more abundant in relation to available habitats. Relatively young managed forests can be suitable for capercaillie, but mature managed forests as capercaillie habitats may have deteriorated between the study periods. Spatial planning may help to form suitable areas that are large enough for the species, but the highest potential may lay in the forest stand scale, where increased cover on the ground could promote the habitat quality.
Keywords
forestry;
landscape composition;
capercaillie;
wildlife triangle
-
Miettinen,
Kankurinhaka 14, FI-90450 Kempele, Finland
E-mail
janne.miettinen@rktl.fi
- Helle, Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute, Tutkijantie 2 E, FI-90570 Oulu, Finland E-mail ph@nn.fi
- Nikula, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Rovaniemi Research Unit, Eteläranta 55, FI-99600 Rovaniemi, Finland E-mail an@nn.fi
- Niemelä, University of Turku, Department of Biology, FI-20014 University of Turku, Finland E-mail pn@nn.fi
Received 25 July 2008 Accepted 3 July 2009 Published 31 December 2009
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