Intraspecific black bear spatial patterns and interactions at a small spatio-temporal scale

Author

Desiree Early

Graduation Date

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Other

Program

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, Natural Resources: Wildlife, 2010

Committee Chair Name

Richard T. Golightly

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Wildlife, Home range, California, Spatial, interactions, temporal, Black bear

Abstract

Understanding intraspecific spatial patterns and interactions of American black bears (Ursus americanus) can improve the understanding of social behavior and management of the species. Few studies have examined spatial patterns of American black bears at small spatial and temporal scales. Sixteen black bears (8 females and 8 males) were radio-collared between 27 May and 12 August 2008 in a 175 km2 study area in Humboldt County, California. I measured home range size, overlap, and overlap frequency to describe static spatial patterns (without a temporal component). I measured the spatial and temporal interactions of groups of bears by examining distances between bears and of pairs of bears by examining the use of home range overlapping areas. The mean 95% fixed-kernel home-range estimate was larger for males than for females. Females overlapped other bears with a greater percentage of their overall home range than males. Male home ranges overlapped other bears with a greater frequency than females. According to the spatial and temporal interaction analysis based on distances between bears, bears were not moving in response to neighboring bears. Spatial and temporal interactions occurred for 24% of the pairs of bears utilizing home range overlapping areas, with 18% exhibiting a significant spatial interaction and 6% exhibiting a significant temporal interaction. Although spatial and temporal interactions occurred between eight pairs of bears, spatial and temporal interactions were not detected for 26 pairs of bears in the study area. The lack of significant spatial and temporal interactions iv may be a result of high black bear densities. Alternatively, bears within the study area may be interacting at a much finer scale (i.e., within food patches) than this study was able to detect.

https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/n870zt28d

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