Selective habitat use by brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) in
northern Pindos, Greece |
NIKOLAOS
KANELLOPOULOS1, GEORGIOS MERTZANIS2,
GEORGIOS KORAKIS3* and MARIA PANAGIOTOPOULOU4
1 Forestry Service, 44200, Metsovo, Greece
2 NGO “Gallisto”, Wildlife & Nature Conservation Society
Nikiforou Foka 5, 54621, Thessaloniki, Greece
3 Department of Forestry, Environment and Natural Resources,
Democritus University of Thrace,
P.O. Box 129, Pantazidou 193, 68200, Orestiada, Greece
4 Frangini 9, 54624, Thessaloniki, Greece |
Abstract
The brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) is a key species indicating the
conservation status of natural and seminatural mountainous ecosystems.
Brown bear populations in Greece are confined to the mountain ranges of
Pindos and Rodopi. Systematic data on brown bear spatial behavior based
on telemetry data were lacking in Greece until 1997. This paper presents
the results on brown bear habitat use patterns monitored on an annual
basis in the area of Grammos and NW Voio mountains located in Northern
Pindos range. A sample of six radiocollared brown bears (n=6, 5 males -
1 female) was monitored from 1997 to 2002 using ground telemetry.
Generated data (n=3,052 bearings and n=739 radiolocations) were combined
to an analysis of vegetation characteristics identified through a
classification of eight habitat types according to vegetation structure
and dominant formations. Bear home range size varied individually from
102 km2 to 507 km2. Seasonal variability of home
range size was also evident with fall presenting the highest values
ranging from 87 km2 to 314 km2. Bears showed clear preference
for mixed agro-forestry systems as well as for agricultural lands
especially in the end of summer and beginning of fall (-2,
p=0.05). Forests with mixed broadleaved species including chestnuts (Castanea
sativa) and hazelnuts (Corylus avellana) were also used more
than expected (-2, p=0.05). Brown bear habitat choice and
preferences can be used as a decision making tool to delineate important
areas and to take appropriate management and conservation measures for
the targeted species and the related forest ecosystems.
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