Abstract

Topic: Movements and habitat use

Habitat selection of moose at the southwestern edge of their European range

Tomasz Borowik¹, Ratkiewicz Mirosław², Maślanko Weronika³, Duda Norbert⁴, Kowalczyk Rafał¹, Żmihorski Michał¹

Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Stoczek 1, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland
Faculty of Biology, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1J, Białystok 15-245, Poland
Department of Animal Ethology and Wildlife Management, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, Lublin 20-950, Poland
Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących, Nr 2 w Białymstoku, Narewska 11, Białystok 15-840, Poland

Abstract
Our study explores the temporal patterns of habitat selection in moose (Alces alces) at the southwestern edge of their distribution range in Europe. Using GPS tracking data across two study sites in Eastern Poland, we revealed significant temporal variability in habitat selection by moose, with distinct diel patterns and shifts in habitat preferences over the course of the year. The study highlighted distinct selection patterns across different habitat types: natural habitats (deciduous forests, coniferous forests, wetlands) showed pronounced seasonal variation, while anthropogenic habitats (grasslands, arable land, roads and settlements) showed more diel variability. Moose generally avoided human-related habitats during daytime hours, but their preferences during nighttime varied depending on the habitat type and time of the year. During summer, the utilization of forest habitats by moose depended on ambient temperature. When temperatures exceeded thermal comfort, moose increased their activity during cooler twilight hours and sought for tree canopy cover during midday hours. They also utilized denser forest stands more frequently on hotter days to mitigate solar radiation. These results underscore the importance of considering temporal dynamics in habitat selection modelling and highlight the significance of behavioral changes in species' adaptation to ongoing climate warming.