Variations, selon la progression de l'hiver, dans le choix de l'habitat et du régime alimentaire chez trois groupes d'orignaux (Alces alces) en milieu agro-forestier

Abstract

Three distinct groups of moose (Alces alces) were followed for one winter in settlement areas of northwestern Quebec to investigate changes in their choice of diet and habitat over the winter. No trend was observed in structure and plant composition of winter yards over the season. From December to March, each group used at least three different core areas intensively, these areas totalling 1.02 (first group), 1.28 (second group), and 2.48 km2 (third group). The size of the winter yards diminished in March but this decrease was not due to an increase in snow depth, which reached its maximum of 88 cm in February. The total areas used by the three groups were 1.7, 2.6, and 6.6 km2, respectively. No trend was found in the diet during the winter, except that trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) was most heavily used by the three groups in March. Twenty-three species of browse were used but 6 species formed nearly 95% of the diet; balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and mountain maple (Acer spicatum) were almost completely absent from the diet.