Canada Lynx Lynx canadensis Habitat and Forest Succession in Northern Maine, USA

Abstract

2004: C a n a d a ly n x L y n x canadensis h ab ita t a n d fo re st s u c ce ssio n in n o rth ern M a in e, U S A . -W ild l. B io l. 10: 2 8 5 -2 9 4 . T h e co n tig u o u s U n ite d S tates p o p u latio n o f C a n ad a lynx L y n x canadensis w as listed as th rea ten e d in 2 00 0 . T h e lo n g -te rm v iab ility o f ly n x p o p u la tio n s a t th e so u th e rn ed g e o f th e ir g e o g ra p h ic ran g e h as b ee n h y p o th e siz e d to b e d e p e n d en t on old g row th forests; h o w ev er, lynx are a specialist p red ato r on sn o w sh o e h are L ep u s am ericanus, a species associated w ith early -su ccessio n al forests. T o q u an tify th e effec ts o f su c ce ssio n an d fo re st m a n a g e m e n t o n lan d sca p e-sca le (100 k m 2) patterns o f h ab itat o ccupancy by lynx, w e co m p ared landscape attrib utes in n o rth ern M ain e, U S A , w h ere ly n x h ad b een d etected o n snow track su r v ey s to la n d sc a p e attrib u te s w h ere su rv e y s h a d b e e n c o n d u c te d , b u t ly n x trac k s h ad n o t b ee n d etec ted . M o d e ls w ere c o n stru c te d a priori an d c o m p ared using logistic regression and A k aik e's Inform ation C riterion (A IC ), w hich q u an titativ ely b alan c es d a ta fit a n d p arsim o n y . In th e m o d e ls w ith th e lo w est (i.e. b est) A IC , ly n x w ere m o re lik e ly to o c c u r in la n d sca p es w ith m u ch re g e n e r atin g fo rest, an d less lik e ly to o cc u r in la n d sca p es w ith m u c h re c e n t clearcu t, p artial h a rv e st an d fo re ste d w etlan d . L y n x w e re n o t asso cia te d p o sitiv ely o r negatively w ith m atu re coniferous forest. A probabilistic m ap o f the m odel in di ca te d a p atc h y d istrib u tio n o f ly n x h a b ita t in n o rth e rn M ain e. A cc o rd in g to an ad d itio n a l su rv ey o f th e stu d y are a fo r ly n x trac k s d u rin g th e w in te r o f 2 0 0 3 , th e m odel correctly classified 63.5% o f th e lynx occurrences and absences. Lynx w ere m o re clo sely asso cia te d w ith y o u n g fo re sts th an m a tu re fo rests; h o w e v er, o ld -g ro w th fo re sts w e re fu n c tio n a lly a b se n t fro m th e la n d sca p e. L y n x h ab itat co u ld b e red u c ed in n o rth ern M a in e, g iv e n rec en t tren d s in fo rest m a n ag e m e n t p ractices. H arv est strateg ies h av e sh ifte d fro m c lea rc u ttin g to p artial h arv e stin g . I f th is tre n d co n tin u es, fu tu re la n d sc a p e s w ill sh ift aw ay fro m e x te n siv e re g e n e ra tin g fo re sts an d to w a rd la n d sc a p e s d o m in a te d b y p o le sized and larger stands. B ecause M aine presently supports the only verified popu la tions o f this fed erally th reaten ed species in th e eastern U n ited S tates, changes in fo re st m a n a g e m e n t p rac tice s co u ld affe c t rec o v ery e ffo rts th ro u g h o u t th at reg io n .

Effects of partial harvesting on vertebrate species associated with late-successional forests in Ontario’s boreal region

“…In Maine, stands within lynx home ranges that were partially harvested within the past 10 years, primarily under a selection system with 52% to 59% basal area removal, had too few coniferous saplings to be used by snowshoe hares and were avoided during winter (Fuller 2006). In addition, the amount of improvement thinning, selection, and shelterwood cutting (in unspecified proportions and elapsed time) in a 100-km 2 area had a strong negative association with lynx track detections in this same region (Hoving et al 2004). Lynx may make greater use of partially harvested stands once regeneration becomes well established, however.…”

Integrating Archaeological Theory and Predictive Modeling: a Live Report from the Scene

“…Nevertheless, much of the theory underpinning ecological predictive models seems to be highly generalized, and still inductive modeling using linear or logistic regression methods prevails (for some examples, see Hoving et al 2004;Mathys et al 2006;Zimmermann and Breitenmoser 2007;Hengl et al 2009). In recent years, random forest models-a machine learning technique-have become more popular (e.g., Cutler et al 2007;Peters et al 2007).…”

Assessing cumulative impacts of forest development on the abundance and distribution of furbearers.

“…Overall, fisher had more votes than beaver. Fisher, lynx, and marten are sensitive to habitat change, and thus fit the objectives of this research (Soutiere 1979, Thompson and Colgan 1994, Buskirk et al 2000, Proulx 2000, Mowat and Slough 2003, Poole 2003, Hoving et al 2004, Fuller and Harrison 2005, Weir and Almuedo 2010. Although similar in their general ecology, the three focal species use a range o f habitats that may be affected differently by broad-scale, forest harvesting.…”

“…These forests provide structural complexity and other attributes that are vital to the persistence of furbearers and other old-growth dependent species (Buskirk 1992, Payer and Harrison 2003, Proulx 2006. Other furbearer species, like Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), may thrive across landscapes where different stages of successional forests are present; old-growth forests may provide habitat for denning and resting, while regenerating forests support prey (Hoving et al 2004). …”

“…For example, American marten (Martes americana) and fisher (Pekania pennanti) are often associated with intact, late-successional forests (Thompson and Colgan 1994, Payer and Harrison 2003, Weir and Harestad 2003, Proulx 2006, Proulx 2011. Other species, like Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), may thrive where different stages o f successional forests are present; old-growth forests may provide habitat for denning and resting, while regenerating forests support prey species (Hoving et al 2004). Cumulative landscape change can have profound effects for furbearer habitat and populations, yet in many jurisdictions there is little to no monitoring and research to document these impacts.…”