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A food-based habitat-selection model for grizzly bears in Kluane National Park, Yukon McCormick, James Edward

Abstract

I examined the relationship between plant food abundance and diet, and habitat selection by grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Alsek River Valley, Kluane National Park (KNP) in 1995 and 1996. I built a simple model that combined how much food was present in each bear habitat type (BHT) with how prevalent that food was in the diet of grizzly bears to produce a habitat food value (HFV) for each BHT. I tested the effectiveness of the model using habitat selection data from radio-collared grizzly bears. I designed this model to make a priori predictions of selection of BHTs by grizzly bears. The model combined the relative food abundances from each BHT with the respective seasonal food values to produce a HFV for each BHT. I calculated the relative abundance of 10 grizzlybear plant foods within 8 BHTs from 478 food abundance plots. Diet was inferred from an analysis of scats collected in KNP. Four dietary seasons were distinguished based on shifts in plant foods eaten. I calculated a food value by dietary season for each plant food based on relative consumption of that food within that season. BHTs were ranked by HFV within each season and these ranks represented predicted habitat selection by grizzly bears. I tested the utility of this model by comparing actual habitat selection with the predictions of my model. Actual selection of BHTs by grizzly bears was measured from aerial locations (n=365) of radio-collared grizzly bears and then ranked within each dietary season. I compared the ranks of actual habitat selection (grizzly bear telemetry locations) to the ranks of predicted habitat selection (HFVs). HFVs were successful predictors of grizzly bear habitat selection. This simple food-based model may be used by Park managers to minimise human disturbance of grizzly bears in the Alsek valley by restricting human activity in areas of high grizzly bear food value.

Item Metadata

Title
A food-based habitat-selection model for grizzly bears in Kluane National Park, Yukon
Creator
McCormick, James Edward
Publisher
University of British Columbia
Date Issued
1999
Description
I examined the relationship between plant food abundance and diet, and habitat selection by grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Alsek River Valley, Kluane National Park (KNP) in 1995 and 1996. I built a simple model that combined how much food was present in each bear habitat type (BHT) with how prevalent that food was in the diet of grizzly bears to produce a habitat food value (HFV) for each BHT. I tested the effectiveness of the model using habitat selection data from radio-collared grizzly bears. I designed this model to make a priori predictions of selection of BHTs by grizzly bears. The model combined the relative food abundances from each BHT with the respective seasonal food values to produce a HFV for each BHT. I calculated the relative abundance of 10 grizzlybear plant foods within 8 BHTs from 478 food abundance plots. Diet was inferred from an analysis of scats collected in KNP. Four dietary seasons were distinguished based on shifts in plant foods eaten. I calculated a food value by dietary season for each plant food based on relative consumption of that food within that season. BHTs were ranked by HFV within each season and these ranks represented predicted habitat selection by grizzly bears. I tested the utility of this model by comparing actual habitat selection with the predictions of my model. Actual selection of BHTs by grizzly bears was measured from aerial locations (n=365) of radio-collared grizzly bears and then ranked within each dietary season. I compared the ranks of actual habitat selection (grizzly bear telemetry locations) to the ranks of predicted habitat selection (HFVs). HFVs were successful predictors of grizzly bear habitat selection. This simple food-based model may be used by Park managers to minimise human disturbance of grizzly bears in the Alsek valley by restricting human activity in areas of high grizzly bear food value.
Extent
3423162 bytes
Genre
Thesis/Dissertation
Type
Text
File Format
application/pdf
Language
eng
Date Available
2009-06-15
Provider
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
DOI
10.14288/1.0089010
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2429/9182
Degree
Master of Science - MSc
Program
Forestry
Affiliation
Forestry, Faculty of
Degree Grantor
University of British Columbia
Graduation Date
1999-05
Campus
UBCV
Scholarly Level
Graduate
Aggregated Source Repository
DSpace

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Rights

For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.