Habitat Use, Movement Patterns, and Potential Corridors for Black Bears on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA
摘要
Movements of black bears to obtain resources are often affected by anthropogenic influences, structure of the landscape, and physical attributes of associated habitat. Analyzing and providing connectivity for black bears throughout their range is important for their successful conservation and management. Movement corridors for black bears on the Kenai Peninsula were primarily associated with riparian areas and associated low-elevation valleys because of riparian areas high productivity and efficient movement networks. These areas coincided with major transportation routes on the Kenai Peninsula. The pinch points within those corridors identified likely road crossing areas for black bears. That information allowed landscape and transportation planners to focus management activities in key areas to promote black bear movement across roadways, maintain connectivity within and among populations on the Kenai Peninsula, and reduce the potential for wildlife vehicle collisions. Successful conservation of black bears depended on land management that preserved a variety of high-quality habitat patches and corridors. Connectivity allowed black bears to access resource patches during day-to-day and seasonal movements, facilitated dispersal, and encouraged gene flow. Providing for connectivity may include road crossing structures to large landscape corridors and is often a critical part of conservation plans for species of concern.