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Experimental evidence that simplified forest structure interacts with snow cover to influence functional connectivity for Pacific martens

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Abstract

Context

Functional connectivity—the facilitation of individual movements among habitat patches—is essential for species’ persistence in fragmented landscapes. Evaluating functional connectivity is critical for predicting range shifts, developing conservation plans, and anticipating effects of disturbance, especially for species affected by climate change.

Objectives

We examined whether simplifying forest structure influenced animal movements and whether an experimental approach to quantifying functional connectivity reflects normal behavior, which is often assumed but remains untested.

Methods

We evaluated functional connectivity for Pacific marten (Martes caurina) across a gradient in forest structural complexity using two novel methods for this species: incentivized food-titration experiments and non-incentivized locations collected via GPS telemetry (24 individuals).

Results

Food titration experiments revealed martens selected complex stands, and martens entered and crossed areas with reduced forest cover when motivated by bait, particularly in the winter. However, our telemetry data showed that without such incentive, martens avoided openings and simple stands and selected complex forest stands equally during summer and winter.

Conclusions

Detections at baited stations may not represent typical habitat preferences during winter, and incentivized experiments reflect the capacity of martens to enter non-preferred stand types under high motivation (e.g., hunger, curiosity, dispersal). We hypothesize snow cover facilitates connectivity across openings when such motivation is present; thus, snow cover may benefit dispersing animals and increase population connectivity. Landscapes with joined networks of complex stands are crucial for maintaining functional connectivity for marten, particularly during summer.

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Acknowledgments

Funding and field support were provided by the Lassen National Forest and Almanor Ranger District, California, as well as Oregon State University (OSU) Laurels Block Grant, the Western Section of the Wildlife Society (TWS), the OSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and the Oregon Chapter-TWS, Mountain Hardwear, and Madshus Skis. Publication fees were supported by the OSU Fisheries and Wildlife Thomas G. Scott Fund. We thank M. Williams and T. Frolli and the staff at Almanor Ranger District, and C. Dillingham, R. Martinez, and S. VanPetten for assistance with mapping management activities. We thank A. Moffett, the Epps and Betts labs, the staff at OSU for logistics support. We appreciated assistance improving this manuscript from anonymous reviewers. Lastly, we thank our field technicians (M. Linnell, M. Delheimer, L. Kreiensieck, P. Tweedy, R. Adamczyk, K. Mansfield, B. Barry, B. Peterson, D. Hamilton, C. Wood, M. Dao, M. Cokeley), and the many volunteers on this project.

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Author notes

  1. Katie M. Moriarty & Clinton W. Epps

    Present address: Pacific Northwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 3625 93rd Ave SW, Olympia, WA, 98512, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Katie M. Moriarty & Clinton W. Epps

  2. Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, 216 Richardson Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Matthew G. Betts

  3. Natural Resources, Anchor QEA LLC, 220 Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee, WA, 98801, USA

    Dalton J. Hance

  4. Department of Forest Engineering, Resources, and Management, Oregon State University, 280 Peavy Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    J. D. Bailey

  5. Pacific Southwest Research Station, U.S. Forest Service, 1700 Bayview Drive, Arcata, CA, 95521, USA

    William J. Zielinski

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  1. Katie M. Moriarty
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Correspondence to Katie M. Moriarty.

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Moriarty, K.M., Epps, C.W., Betts, M.G. et al. Experimental evidence that simplified forest structure interacts with snow cover to influence functional connectivity for Pacific martens. Landscape Ecol 30, 1865–1877 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-015-0216-2

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