III Congreso Ib%C3%A9rico del Lobo

ORAL - 16
III Congreso Ibérico del Lobo Resúmenes
Global patterns in home site selection by wolves
V. Sazatornil Luna, J.V. López-Bao & L. Llaneza
It is well-known that gray wolf (Canis lupus) occurs in a wide range of habitats,
being usually considered as a habitat generalist. However, from a global
perspective, this ecological plasticity has not yet been assessed at lower levels of
habitat selection such as the selection of home sites in the most vulnerable period
for the species, the breeding period, when all individuals from a pack turn
predictable both in space and time. In this study, we conducted a review, and a
posterior meta-analysis, on habitat selection of home sites (including both den
and rendez vous sites) by wolves. In a first step, a systematic review of the wolf
literature resulted in a total of 366 independent variables from 12 studies addressing
this topic. Eighty eight percent of these variables (322) fitted the criteria required
for a meta-analysis approach. Then, all variables were classified according
to their ecological interpretation into the following seven factors: accessibility,
direct vulnerability, indirect vulnerability, macrohabitat refuge, positive and negative
microhabitat refuge and water availability. Finally, for each variable we calculated
the Hedge’s g value as a measure of the effect size. Weighted average effect
sizes and 95% bias-corrected bootstrap confidence limits for the mean effect size
were used to test for significant influence of each factor on home site selection
by wolves. Our results indicate that water availability is a crucial factor in home
site selection. In addition, we found that wolves select home sites located in areas
with low human exposure, both direct and indirect vulnerability; whereas refuge
in terms of vegetation structure and type at both spatial scales may play a secondary
role. We discuss how management plans integrate this level of selection in
order to assess whether the current management of the species envisage breeding
habitat availability and protection. In this regard, we stress that the management
of this charismatic species should focus a greater attention on habitat availability
at small spatial scales during this critical period, being transversally implemented
in other sectoral policies with potential to interfere with the unveiled home site
habitat requirements.
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