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Eurasian badger habitat selection in Mediterranean environments: Does scale really matter?

Habitatauswahl des eurasischen Dachses in mediterranen Gebieten: Ist die Wahl der untersuchten Biotopgrösse von Bedeutung?

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Abstract

It is widely believed that spatial scale affects habitat selection, and should influence management options, especially for species with wide geographic distribution or large territories. Eurasian badger habitat selection has been well studied throughout most of its European distribution range, but never at multiple spatial scales. We used compositional analysis to assess habitat selection of Eurasian badgers in southern Portugal at four spatial scales (1, 4, 25, and 100 km2). We assessed habitat use from setts, latrines and footprints presence, and road kills. Oak woodlands with understorey were selected at all scales, being the most preferred habitat at 3 scales (1, 4, and 100 km2). Pastures were most selected at the scale of the 25 km2 cell, but their use was not significantly different from oak woodland with understorey. Shrubs and pastures were also secondly important at the majority of scales. Contrary to findings at northern latitudes, deciduous forests decreased in importance as cell size increased. In the highly humanized and fragmented landscape of southern Portugal, Eurasian badgers are selecting the matrix of oak woodlands interspersed with patches of pastures, shrubs and riparian vegetation. In these oak woodlands, scale does not have a marked effect. Management for badgers should provide, for at least, 30% of oak woodland cover at all scales. Our study illustrates the across-scale importance of maintaining the historically human altered, sustainable and unique landscape and land use system — the montado.

Zusammenfassung

Es wird weithin angenommen, daß die Biotopgrösse die Wahl des Lebensraums beeinträchtigt, und daß dies die Landschaftsplanung beeinflussen sollte, besonders bei Tierarten mit ausgedehnten Lebensräumen und weiter geographischer Verbreitung.

Die Auswahl des Lebensraumes durch den eurasischen Dachs ist im Grossteil des europäischen Verbreitungsraumes weitgehend bekannt, jedoch wurden bei Untersuchungen niemals mehrfache Flächenmaße angewandt. Wir haben Kompositionsanalysen verwandt, um die Wahl des Lebensraumes von eurasischen Dachsen in Südportugal mittels fünf Rastergrössen (1, 4, 25, and 100 km2) unter Verwendung von Anwesenheitsanzeichen (Dachsbau, Dachsabtritte, Spuren, Strassenkadaver) abzuschätzen. Bei keiner Rastergrösse wurde die Wahl des Lebensraumes zufällig getroffen. Bei allen verwendeten Rastergrössen wurden Eichenwälder mit Unterwuchs ausgewaehlt, der bevorzugteste Lebensraum bei 4 Rastergrössen (1 m2, 4, 25, and 100 km2). Bei einer Rastergröße von 25 km2 wurden Weiden bevorzugt. Ferner waren bei der Mehrzahl der Rastergrössen Sträucher und Weiden von zweithäufigster Bedeutung. Im Gegensatz zu Ergebnissen aus nördlichen Breiten verloren Laubwälder mit zunehmender Rastergröße in Portugal an Bedeutung. In der stark bevölkerten und fragmentierten Landschaft Südportugals bevorzugen eurasische Dachse die Matrix von Eichenwäldern mit dazwischenliegenden Weiden, Sträuchern und Ufervegetation. In diesen offenen Eichenwäldern hat die Wahl der Rastergrösse keinen merklichen Effekt.

Die Landschafts- und Naturschutzplanung sollte deshalb mindestens 30% Eichenwaldanteil im Landschaftbild sicherstellen, um den Dachsbestand langfristig zu sichern. Unsere Fallstudie zeigt die Bedeutung historischer Kulturlandschaften wie des Montados für den Artenreichtum, Naturschutz und für die Sicherstellung einer zukunftsfähigen und ausgewogenen Landnutzung.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Ciência, Centro de Biologia Ambiental/Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade de Lisboa, Ed. C2 3° Piso, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal

    L. M. Rosalino, Maria J. Santos & Margarida Santos-Reis

  2. Centre for Environmental Sciences and Education, Physical Sciences Building, Northern Arizona University, P.O. Box 5694, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011-5694, USA

    Maria J. Santos

  3. School of Forestry and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011-5018, USA

    Maria J. Santos & P. Beier

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  1. L. M. Rosalino
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  4. Margarida Santos-Reis
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Correspondence to L. M. Rosalino.

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Rosalino, L.M., Santos, M.J., Beier, P. et al. Eurasian badger habitat selection in Mediterranean environments: Does scale really matter?. Mamm Biol 73, 189–198 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2007.02.004

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