Multiple landscape scales and winter distribution of moose, Alces alces, in a forest ecotone

Abstract

At a local scale in Algonquin Provincial Park, C Ontario, (<100km2), moose select closed-canopy habitats in winter. Hemlock Tsuga canadensis provided important winter habitat in the transition-zone ecotone. At larger, regional scales (>1000km2), moose select areas of canopy disturbance. Plots impacted by logging >33% of their area supported more moose than plots with <1/3 of their area logged. Similarity, spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana defoliation created more browse and consequently contained more moose in severely affected areas, but plots in moderately defoliated areas require additional logging activity to produce comparable amounts of browse and moose use. -from Authors