Habitat selection by Eurasian pine martensMartes martesin managed forests of southern boreal Scandinavia

Abstract

Using radio telemetry, we examined within home range habitat selection by the Eurasian pine martenMartes martes(11 males and eight females; 1,495 locations) in managed forest in two study areas, the Varaldskogen Wildlife Research Area, Norway, and the Grimso Wildlife Research Area, Sweden, near the southern limit of the boreal forest zone. Pine martens preferred spruce‐dominated forest with large (≥20 m tall) trees and avoided clearcuts and open habitats. Males and females used similar habitats and habitat use was little influenced by year, season and activity mode (active vs inactive). When habitat types were ranked in order of use, stands dominated by large spruce trees were preferentially selected over the lowest‐ranked habitats, i.e. pine‐dominated stands with trees <20 m tall, clearcuts, open areas and deciduous stands, but were used similar to other spruce‐dominated categories and pine‐dominated stands ≥20 m tall. Although pine martens exhibited selection and avoidance of certain habitat types, they were able to exploit a wide range of successional stages in forests with a long history of exploitation.