Habitat selection by wapiti (Cervus elaphus xanthopygus) in the Wandashan Mountains based on habitat availability
基于生境可获得性的完达山地区马鹿(Cervus elaphus xanthopygus)冬季生境选择

In 2004 and 2005, we studied winter habitat use and selection of wapiti in the Wandashan Mountains, Heilongjiang Province, China. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS), we measured habitat availability in terms of the area of each habitat category in the study area. We compared winter habitats used by wapiti and their availability. The results showed that the habits used by wapiti were disproportional to their availability. Wapiti preferred clear-cuttings, low vegetation coverage (No.2, 3 NDVI classes), 200-300m elevation range, south aspect, and 600-700 m distance range away from roads. They also showed different preference for feeding and resting. The feeding sites tended to be located at broadleaf stands and clear-cuttings, No. 2, 3 NDVI classes, south slope whereas the bedding sites tended to be clear-cuttings, No. 2, 3, 4 NDVI classes. Using logistic regression model to predict the probability of habitat use by wapiti in winter, we found that the overall prediction accuracy was 74.4% for total habitat plots, with 84.2% for the habitat plots used by wapiti and 62.4% for the control samples correctly predicted by this model.