Brainerd, S.M. & Rolstad, J. 2002: Habitat selection by Eurasian pine martens Martes martes in managed forests of southern boreal Scandinavia. - Wildl. Biol. 8: 289-297.
Using radio telemetry, we examined within home range habitat selection by the Eurasian pine marten Martes martes (11 males and eight females; 1,495 locations) in managed forest in two study areas, the Varaldskogen Wildlife Research Area, Norway, and the Grimso Wildlife Research Area, Sweden, near the southern limit of the boreal forest zone. Pine martens preferred spruce-dominated forest with large (³ 20 m tall) trees and avoided clearcuts and open habitats. Males and females used similar habitats and habitat use was little influenced by year, season and activity mode (active vs inactive). When habitat types were ranked in order of use, stands dominated by large spruce trees were preferentially selected over the lowest-ranked habitats, i.e. pine-dominated stands with trees <20 m tall, clearcuts, open areas and deciduous stands, but were used similar to other spruce-dominated categories and pine-dominated stands ³ 20 m tall. Although pine martens exhibited selection and avoidance of certain habitat types, they were able to exploit a wide range of successional stages in forests with a long history of exploitation.
Key words: Eurasian pine marten, habitat selection, Martes martes, Scandinavia
Scott M. Brainerd*, Grimso Wildlife Research Station, S-730 91 Riddarhyttan, Sweden, and Department of Biology and Nature Conservation, Box 5014, Agricultural University of Norway, N-1432 As-NLH, Norway - e-mail: scott.brainerd@nina.no
Jørund Rolstad, Norwegian Forest Research Institute, Høgskoleveien 12, N-1432 As-NLH, Norway - e-mail: jorund.rolstad@skogforsk.no
*Present address: Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Dronningens gt. 13, Box 736 Sentrum, N-0105 Oslo, Norway
Corresponding author: Jørund Rolstad
Received 25 September 2000, accepted 6 March 2002
Associate Editor: Heikki Henttonen