Moose Habitat Needs

Abstract

A review of the literature describing moose habitat needs is presented. The growing season is a period of positive energy balance when moose feed extensively on a variety of deciduous leaves, aquatic macrophytes and herbaceous vegetation which satisfy nutritional requirements for weight gain and development. In winter, a period of negative energy balance, food intake and metabolism are reduced to conserve energy and minimize weight loss. In addition, good moose winter habitat includes shelter from extreme temperatures, deep snow and access to secure areas to help avoid predators expecially during spring calving. Optimum habitats contain an interspersion of food and cover within traditionally used seasonal home ranges.

Can retention harvests help conserve wildlife? Evidence for vertebrates in the boreal forest

“…Both moose and deer benefit from the higher forage availability in early‐seral stands and the greater hiding and thermal cover in late‐seral stands; this could explain the lack of response to different levels of retention harvest 15–18 yr post‐harvest. Moose habitat is characterized by closed‐canopy forest for shelter from extreme temperatures and predators, as well as more recently disturbed areas for food availability (Timmermann and McNicol , Forbes and Theberge ). Browse availability for moose has been reported to be greater in regenerating stands more than 10 yr old post‐harvest (Potvin et al.…”

Reclamation of roads and landings with balsam poplar cuttings

“…Although the two species usually regenerate abundantly and naturally after harvesting, many small areas where natural regeneration is lacking, such as abandoned forestry roads (mostly roads used during the winter) and decking areas, need to be regenerated artificially to ensure sufficient stocking, meet the regeneration standards and maximize wood production on the land base. To date, plantation of aspen seedlings has proved challenging; quality of nurseryproduced seedlings is variable and planted seedlings are often highly affected by browsing (Irwin, 1985;Timmermann and McNicol, 1988). Although the production and planting of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) seedlings are effective and widely practised in this area, they are usually slower-growing than hardwoods, are often overtopped by grass competition (Landhäusser and Lieffers, 1999) and may Forest Ecology and Management 199 (2004) [39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50] change the species composition of the harvested hardwood stands.…”

Habitat use and selection by male and female moose (Alces alces) in a boreal landscape.

“…They frequent a wide variety of stand-cover types and age classes that provide early serai areas for food and mature coniferous cover (Telfer 1984). Conifer species are used primarily as cover to moderate extremes o f heat, cold, wind and deep snow, and as security from predators (Timmermann and McNicol 1988, Balsom et al 1996, Mysterud and Ostbye 1999. Use o f shrub-dominated areas by moose often corresponds with foraging activity because shrub species make up the majority (>60%) of moose diets throughout the year (Renecker and Schwartz 2007).…”

“…Moose feed on a wide variety o f plant species to meet nutritional requirements (Miquelle and Jordan 1979), and require large amounts of forage because of their large body size Hudson 1992, Renecker andSchwartz 2007). Moose with access to high quantities o f forage travel less than in areas where forage is more dispersed (Timmermann and McNicol 1988). Forage quality influences daily activity, range use, and foraging patterns (Saether and Andersen 1990).…”