The use of anthropogenic areas helps explain male brown bear movement rates and distance travelled during the mating season
Falcinelli, D.; del Mar Delgado, M.; Kojola, Ilpo; Heikkinen, S.; Lamamy, C.; Penteriani, V. (2024)
Falcinelli, D.
del Mar Delgado, M.
Kojola, Ilpo
Heikkinen, S.
Lamamy, C.
Penteriani, V.
Julkaisusarja
Journal of zoology
Sivut
14 p.
Wiley-Blackwell
2024
How to cite: Falcinelli, D., del Mar Delgado, M., Kojola, I., Heikkinen, S., Lamamy, C. and Penteriani, V. (2024), The use of anthropogenic areas helps explain male brown bear movement rates and distance travelled during the mating season. J Zool. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.13199
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2024080163222
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2024080163222
Tiivistelmä
During the reproductive period, mating strategies are a significant driver of adapta tions in animal behaviour. For instance, for polygamous species, greater movement
rates during the mating season may be advantageous due to the increased probabil ity of encountering several potential mates. The brown bear Ursus arctos is a soli tary carnivore that lives at low densities, with a polygamous mating system and an
extended mating season of nearly 3 months. Here, we hypothesized that male
brown bears may show changes in movement patterns and space-use behaviour
during their mating season. Using long-term (2002–2013) telemetry data from the
Finnish Karelia male population (n = 24 individuals; n = 10 688 GPS locations),
we first analysed daily movement metrics, that is, speed, net and total distance with
respect to the period (mating vs. post-mating) and several environmental predictors.
Then, we conducted a step-selection analysis for each of these periods. Throughout
the year, male bears selected forested/shrub habitats and increased movement rates
near main roads. During the mating season, reproductive needs seem to trigger
roaming behaviour in adult males to maximize encounter rates with potential recep tive females. However, all movement metrics increased within areas of high human
activity, suggesting a bear response to a higher risk perception while using those
areas. During the post-mating period, overlapping with the bear hyperphagia and
the hunting season, males selected anthropogenic areas farther from main roads and
trails, suggesting a trade-off between foraging opportunities and risk avoidance.
rates during the mating season may be advantageous due to the increased probabil ity of encountering several potential mates. The brown bear Ursus arctos is a soli tary carnivore that lives at low densities, with a polygamous mating system and an
extended mating season of nearly 3 months. Here, we hypothesized that male
brown bears may show changes in movement patterns and space-use behaviour
during their mating season. Using long-term (2002–2013) telemetry data from the
Finnish Karelia male population (n = 24 individuals; n = 10 688 GPS locations),
we first analysed daily movement metrics, that is, speed, net and total distance with
respect to the period (mating vs. post-mating) and several environmental predictors.
Then, we conducted a step-selection analysis for each of these periods. Throughout
the year, male bears selected forested/shrub habitats and increased movement rates
near main roads. During the mating season, reproductive needs seem to trigger
roaming behaviour in adult males to maximize encounter rates with potential recep tive females. However, all movement metrics increased within areas of high human
activity, suggesting a bear response to a higher risk perception while using those
areas. During the post-mating period, overlapping with the bear hyperphagia and
the hunting season, males selected anthropogenic areas farther from main roads and
trails, suggesting a trade-off between foraging opportunities and risk avoidance.
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