Phenology and cover of plant growth forms predict herbivore habitat selection in a high latitude ecosystem.

ABSTRACT: The spatial and temporal distribution of forage quality is among the most central factors affecting herbivore habitat selection. Yet, for high latitude areas, forage quantity has been found to be more important than quality. Studies on large ungulate foraging patterns are faced with methodological challenges in both assessing animal movements at the scale of forage distribution, and in assessing forage quality with relevant metrics. Here we use first-passage time analyses to assess how reindeer movements relate to forage quality and quantity measured as the phenology and cover of growth forms along reindeer tracks. The study was conducted in a high latitude ecosystem dominated by low-palatable growth forms. We found that the scale of reindeer movement was season dependent, with more extens

SUBMITTER: Iversen M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4074057 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature