Spring habitat selection of sables in Daxing’an Mountains

Abstract

This paper studies the habitat selection of sables (Martes. zibellina) in spring adopting radio-tracking and GPS (Global Positioning System) in Daxing’an Mountains of China. Sables liked mature and elder forest, but it avoided uncovered and young growth land. In spring sables had strong selection to medium cover-degree forest, but it avoided widen ground and especial high cover-degree forest. On the contrary sables didn’t have the strong selection to shrubs cover-degree, but strong selection to dominant tree species, slope degree and slope direction, especially sable liked medium and lower slope. At the same time, sables had the strong selection to the log’s density and the crown’s cover-degree. Generally it avoided high elevation and lower slope land.

Keywords

Sable / Radio-tracking / GPS / Habitat Selection / Daxing’an Mountains