Hackländer Klaus

Habitat Selection of the Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus) in the Central Alps

Project Number: CH-3432
Project Type: Master
Project Duration: 04/01/2007 - 07/31/2008 project completed
Funding Source: other ,
Project Leader: Prof. Klaus Hackländer
Wildbiologie und Jagdwirtschaft
Department für Integrative Biologie und Biodiversitätsforschung
BOKU
Gregor-Mendel-Strasse 33
AT-1180 Wien
Austria
Phone: +43 (0) 1 476 54 44 51
FAX: +43 (0) 1 476 54 44 59
e-Mail: klaus.hacklaender(at)boku.ac.at
http://www.iwj.at

related to this project.
for which the project has a relevance.


Research Areas:
Biodiversity

Disciplines:
general biology
zoology

Keywords:
Mountain hare, Faecal pellets, habitat selection, Lepus timidus, Alps

Abstract:
In this study we investigated habitat selection of the Mountain hare (Lepus timidus) in a continental part of the Central Alps over a one-year period. A trial plot survey by monitoring the number of faecal pellets indicated that the seasonal habitat selection is found to be closely linked to shelter and food availability. The selection of forest habitats has showed small seasonal traits and the Mountain hare selected the area positively during one year. Whereas the selection of open habitat types was stronger influenced by seasonal traits and the Mountain hare mostly avoided the area in snow-covered seasons. Further the influences of the selected habitat, seasonal and climatic parameters to habitat selection were tested. The results indicated that altitude and habitat type are suitable factors to describe the distribution of the Mountain hare. The suggestions of results illustrated that interpretation needs caution because Mountain hare possesses a high flexibility to physical and behaviour adaptations to local existing environment conditions.

Leading questions:
The aim of the present study is to investigate seasonal changes on habitat selection of Mountain hares and the identification of their interacting factors in the Swiss National Park in a continental part of the High Alps by monitoring the number of faeces.

Publications:
Rehnus M., Palme R., Filli F., Hackländer K. (2009): No seasonal changes of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites in Mountain hare (Lepus timidus). Mammalian Biology, 74 (Special Issue), 20-21; ISSN 1616-5047 [83rd Annual Meeting of the German Society of Mammalogy, Dresden, 13.-17.09.2009].


Last update: 12/23/16
Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)
Update the data of project: CH-3432

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