Winter track patterns of snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), red fox (Vulpes fulva) and lynx (Lynx canadensis) related to distance from corridors and habitat type near Cochrane, northeastern Ontario, Canada.
Creators: name: Davey, Cynthia Jane.
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 1997
Subjects: subject: Biology, Ecology.

description: Track distributions of snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), fox (Vulpes fulva) and lynx (Lynx canadensis) were related to distance from anthropogenic corridors (abandoned road, ditch and hydroline) and habitat types in a disturbed winter landscape near Cochrane, northeastern Ontario. More hare tracks were found in mature conifer habitat than expected. There were fewer hare tracks in the corridor, in immature conifer habitat and in mature mixedwood habitat than expected. The rest of the habitat types contained hare tracks close to expected values. Fifty-four percent of all hare tracks were found 10 to 30 metres from the centre of the corridor. Far fewer hare tracks were found 0 to 10 metres from the centre of the corridor than expected. More tracks were found 10 to 30 metres from the corridor centre than expected. Distances farther than thirty metres from the corridor centre contained hare tracks close to expected values. Loglinear analysis indicated that distance from the corridor had more influence on the distribution of hare tracks than did habitat type. The interaction of distance and habitat had an effect as well, but much less so than distance alone. Information analysis also demonstrated that distance from the corridor was more significant to the distribution of hare tracks than habitat type. The distance/habitat interaction was strong as well, with specific distance interval/habitat type combinations contributing much to the observed pattern. The corridor habitat at 0 to 10 metres, mature conifer at 10 to 20 metres, mature hardwood habitat at 10 to 30 and 40 to 50 metres, and mature mixedwood habitat at 20 to 50 metres are specific habitat/distance combinations contributing the most to the observed track pattern. These combinations represent patches which were either avoided or preferentially used by hare, with mature conifer at 10 to 20 metres being used preferentially while the other combinations are avoided. The sample sizes for fox and lynx were very small (n = 30 and 24 respectively). Statistical testing at p 0.05 could not reject the hypotheses that fox and lynx tracks were found in distance intervals and habitat types according to availability. At p 0.1, analysis showed only that less fox tracks were found in hardwood habitat than expected. However, when the fox and lynx datasets were combined into a single 'predator' dataset, goodness-of-fit testing rejected the hypothesis that tracks were found in distance intervals and habitat types according to availability. However, no variable classes showed significant chi-square values at the p 0.05 level. At the p 0.1 level, analysis showed that the combined fox and lynx tracks were found in mature conifer habitat more than expected. As well, the combined fox and lynx tracks were found 40-50 metres from the centre of the corridor in less than expected values.