Abstract Forestry activities are globally widespread and can have a large positive or negative influence on wildlife. Wildlife responses to forestry cutblocks (defined areas where trees were harvested) vary as a function of forest succession, which differs across systems. Across their distribution, moose (Alces alces) and forestry are often closely associated. Moose are predicted to select for cutblocks because of greater browse quantity in early successional vegetation, but moose responses to cutblocks are inconsistent across studies. Our objective was to compare moose spatial responses to cutblocks as a function of year since cut between study areas (Prince George South [PGS] and Bonaparte [BP]) while considering differences in vegetation composition and regrowth to better inform forestry planning in British Columbia, Canada. We characterized cutblocks by dominant tree species as a proxy for vegetation composition and estimated the normalized burn ratio (NBR) from multispectral satellite imagery as an index of vegetation regrowth (i.e., structure). We then examined the use of cutblocks by moose dependent upon vegetation composition and NBR using generalized additive mixed effects models. Next, we used locations of collared moose and nearby available locations to examine moose responses as a function of year since cut and used those responses to group cutblocks into age classes, which were incorporated into resource selection functions (RSF) to compare moose responses between study areas. Vegetation composition differed between study areas, and although cutblocks in both study areas followed similar regrowth trajectories, NBRs for cutblocks > 13 years post-logging in PGS exceeded those in BP. Moose demonstrated greater use of locations within cutblocks with intermediate NBRs and dominanted by spruce (Picea engelmannii × glauca) versus Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca). Moose responses as a function of year since cut varied seasonally, but across seasons, moose tended to avoid new cutblocks (1–8 years), select for regenerating cutblocks (9–24 years), and avoid older cutblocks (25–40 years). In both study areas, RSFs revealed that moose avoided new cutblocks, but moose in PGS were more likely to select for regenerating cutblocks in comparison to BP. Our analyses suggest that the use of cutblocks by moose is a function of year since cut, vegetation composition, and vegetation regrowth, likely resulting from differences in browse quantity and lateral cover. To maintain stable moose populations, managers should consider vegetation composition and regrowth during forestry planning, and future research should focus on identifying region-specific forestry thresholds for moose.

中文翻译：

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区域驼鹿（Alces alces）对林业割块的反应是由植被组成和再生的景观尺度模式驱动的

摘要 林业活动在全球范围内广泛存在，可以对野生动物产生巨大的正面或负面影响。野生动物对林业割块（树木被砍伐的定义区域）的反应随森林演替的函数而变化，而森林演替因系统而异。在其分布范围内，驼鹿 (Alces alces) 和林业通常密切相关。预计驼鹿会选择切割块，因为早期演替植被中的浏览量更大，但驼鹿对切割块的反应在研究中不一致。我们的目标是比较驼鹿对割块的空间响应作为研究区域（南乔治王子 [PGS] 和波拿巴 [BP]）之间割割年份的函数，同时考虑植被组成和再生的差异，以更好地为不列颠哥伦比亚省的林业规划提供信息，加拿大。我们将主要树种的切割块表征为植被组成的代表，并从多光谱卫星图像中估计归一化燃烧率 (NBR) 作为植被再生（即结构）的指数。然后，我们使用广义加性混合效应模型检查了驼鹿对取决于植被成分和 NBR 的切割块的使用。接下来，我们使用带颈圈驼鹿的位置和附近可用位置来检查驼鹿响应作为切割年份的函数，并使用这些响应将切割块分组到年龄等级中，这些响应被纳入资源选择函数 (RSF) 以比较研究之间的驼鹿响应领域。研究区域之间的植被组成不同，尽管两个研究区域的切割块遵循相似的再生轨迹，切割块的 NBR > PGS 的 13 年后测井超过了 BP。与花旗松（Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca）相比，驼鹿表现出更多地使用具有中间 NBR 的切割块内的位置，并以云杉（Picea engelmannii × glauca）为主。驼鹿作为切割年份函数的反应随季节变化，但跨季节，驼鹿倾向于避免新切割块（1-8 岁），选择再生切割块（9-24 岁），并避免旧切割块（25-40 岁） . 在这两个研究领域，RSF 显示驼鹿避免新的切割块，但与 BP 相比，PGS 中的驼鹿更有可能选择再生切割块。我们的分析表明，驼鹿对切割块的使用是自切割以来的年份、植被组成和植被再生的函数，这可能是由于浏览量和侧向覆盖的差异造成的。