A habitat model for brown bear conservation and land use planning in the central Apennines

• Published in: Biological conservation 2004-07, Vol.118 (2), p.141-150
• Main Authors: Posillico, Mario, Meriggi, Alberto, Pagnin, Elisa, Lovari, Sandro, Russo, Luigi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Central Italy; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Distribution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Habitat modelling; Management; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; Ursus arctos
• ISSN: 0006-3207; 1873-2917
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2003.07.017

We investigated the brown bear habitat suitability in an 8000 km 2 study area encompassing Abruzzo, Latium, and Molise regions in central-southern Italy. Based on long-term field surveys and published records, we classified bear habitat as occupied or unoccupied in 92 out of 320 sample squares (5 × 5 km). For each sample square 36 habitat variables were measured from topographic maps and Corine land-cover III level digital maps. The influence of habitat features on bear presence was investigated by multivariate and one-way analyses of variance and by logistic regression analysis. The logistic model correctly classified 95.5% of sample squares of bear presence and 93.8% of those where bears were absent. Average altitude, deciduous woodlands and ecotone length, showed a positive relationship with bear presence, whereas vineyard-olive groves and shrublands were negatively correlated with bear presence. No specific land management guidelines or strategies exist for bear conservation in central Italy, based on knowledge of habitat–population relationships. The landscape scale habitat model we developed could be useful to predict bear occurrence, to identify critical areas for a brown bear conservation strategy, and to enhance the arrangement of the protected areas network for the conservation of this species.