![]() The role bobcats play as a predator of game animals is still poorly understood in many systems. Additionally, bobcats are a top carnivore and a vital component of most terrestrial ecosystems in the USA. 2004), and thus, conservation practices that reduce use by predators may result in increased nest success.īobcats are the most widely distributed wild felid in North America, and population abundance is increasing in many regions (Roberts and Crimmins 2010). ![]() Frequent fire can also reduce foraging habitat for common avian nest predators such as raccoons ( Procyon lotor Jones et al. Fire also benefits fauna found in this system including common game birds (e.g., eastern wild turkey, northern bobwhite quail ) and species of conservation concern (e.g., red-cockaded woodpeckers, gopher tortoise ). Without fire disturbance, hardwood encroachment reduces plant diversity (Landers et al. For example, approximately 40% of the 1600+ plant species (including many rare species) found in the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains are found in longleaf pine savannas (Walker 1998).įire is the primary management tool in longleaf pine savannas and can increase understory plant species richness, diversity, and evenness (Brockway and Lewis 1997). Frequent fire enables pine savannas to support an abundant diversity of flora and fauna (Alavalapati et al. Today, longleaf pine savannas are primarily managed by frequent prescribed fires (≤ 3 years return interval) to reduce undesirable vegetation while stimulating growth and development of a diverse understory (Waldrop et al. Longleaf pine savannas were shaped over millennia by frequent, low-intensity fires ignited by man and lightning (Brockway et al. This unique ecosystem is considered one of the most biologically diverse in North America because it supports hundreds of species of flora and fauna (Alavalapati et al. Longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris) savannas historically occupied over 30 million hectares in the southeastern USA (Brockway et al. Additionally, we suggest land managers consider scale of selection by bobcats when developing habitat management strategies. Our results show that bobcats exploit a broad range of habitat types in pine landscapes managed with frequent fire and commonly use recently burned stands (≤ 1.1 year post-fire), suggesting prey in many areas of this system are at risk of bobcat predation. Bobcats primarily selected for stands burned ≤ 1.1 years post-fire. We found no difference in selection of mature pine, mixed pine-hardwoods, hardwoods, young pine, and primary roads between sexes. At the annual area of use scale, female bobcats were closer to secondary roads, but farther from agriculture and shrub-scrub relative to males. ![]() We found no difference in selection of agriculture, shrub-scrub, and primary roads between sexes. At the landscape scale, female bobcats were closer to mixed pine-hardwoods, young pine, and secondary roads, but farther from mature pine and hardwoods stands relative to males. We found differential habitat selection by sex. Specifically, we monitored 45 bobcats (16 males and 29 females) during 2001–2007. We examined bobcat habitat selection in a pine savanna managed with frequent fires at two spatial scales (i.e., study area boundary ) and annual area of use ), and assessed effects of prescribed fire on bobcat habitat selection. However, a knowledge gap exists in our understanding of bobcat ( Lynx rufus) habitat selection in longleaf pine savannas and research is warranted to direct our future management decisions. Pine savannas are primarily managed with frequent prescribed fire (≤ 3 years) to promote diversity of flora and fauna, and to maintain open, park-like conditions needed by species such as the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker ( Picoides borealis).
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