Replication data for: Hazel dormouse in managed woodland select for young, dense, and species-rich tree stands

DATASET MIGRATED FROM FIGSHARE: <p>Datasets used in Mortensen et al. 2022, "Hazel dormouse in managed woodland select for young, dense, and species-rich tree stands", Forest Ecology and Management, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120348. In the paper, we studied the habitat selection in hazel dormouse at two spatial scales and investigated differences in individuals' habitat selection within home ranges. </p>
<h2>Abstract</h2>
<p>In <sub><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/forest-fragmentation" target="_blank">fragmented forest</a></sub> landscapes, population persistence of <sub><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/arboreal-species" target="_blank">arboreal species</a></sub> with limited dispersal ability may strongly depend on the quality of the remaining <sub><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/forest-habitats" target="_blank">forest habitat</a></sub>. Using the hazel dormouse (<em>Muscardinus avellanarius</em>) as a model species, we studied habitat selection at two spatial scales (home range and within home range) in intensely managed woodlands at its northern distributional range in Denmark. We modelled selection at home range level as the conditional probability of occupancy of 588 nest boxes and nest tubes in 15 managed forests relative to habitat variables measured within 25 m radius. Habitat selection within home ranges was modelled by comparing habitat variables within 3 m radius of triangulated locations by 19 radio-tracked individuals (12 M, 7 F) when active at night with regularly distributed available locations within their home ranges.</p>
<p>At both spatial scales, hazel dormice strongly selected sites with high abundance-weighted species richness and high vegetation density of <sub><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/woody-plant" target="_blank">woody plants</a></sub>. On home range level, they furthermore selected for young tree vegetation, while they within home ranges selected for intermediate aged tree stands (maximum trunk circumference: 1.50 m). The predicted probability of presence in nest boxes or nest tubes varied from less than 1% to more than 99% as a combined function of three habitat variables. From May to October, selection for abundance-weighted species richness of woody plants of radio-tagged individuals decreased with date and body weight, suggesting that a diverse food base is particularly important early in their season of activity and for lean and small (growing) individuals. Selection for dense vegetation increased with body mass and mean available vegetation density within home ranges, indicating behavioural variability related to changes in energy expenditure and need for safety among individuals.</p>
<p>The study demonstrates that the hazel dormouse has specific habitat requirements related to food and safety that can be accommodated with relatively simple means in managed forests.</p>

本数据集从Figshare平台迁移所得：本数据集为Mortensen等2022年发表于《Forest Ecology and Management》期刊的论文《榛睡鼠在经营林地中偏好幼龄、致密且物种丰富的林分》所用，DOI为https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120348。该研究在两个空间尺度上探究了榛睡鼠的生境选择特征，并分析了个体家域（home range）内生境选择的差异。

## 摘要

在破碎化森林（fragmented forest）景观中，扩散能力有限的树栖物种（arboreal species）的种群存续高度依赖于剩余森林生境（forest habitat）的质量。本研究以榛睡鼠（*Muscardinus avellanarius*）为模式物种，在其分布北限的丹麦集约化经营林地中，于两个空间尺度（家域（home range）尺度与家域（home range）内尺度）开展生境选择研究。
在家域尺度上，研究以15片经营林地内的588个巢箱（nest boxes）与巢管（nest tubes）的占用条件概率为因变量，以25米半径范围内测定的生境变量为自变量，构建生境选择模型。在家域内尺度上，研究通过对比19只无线电追踪（radio-tracked）个体（12雄7雌）夜间活动时的三角定位点周边3米半径内的生境变量，与该个体家域（home range）内随机分布的可用生境点的生境变量，构建了家域（home range）内的生境选择模型。
在两个空间尺度上，榛睡鼠均强烈偏好具有高加权物种丰富度与高木本植物（woody plants）植被密度的生境。在家域尺度上，它们还偏好幼龄林木植被；而在家域内尺度上，它们则选择中等林龄的林分（最大树干周长1.50米）。基于三种生境变量的联合作用，巢箱与巢管的预测占用概率可从不足1%变化至超过99%。
在5月至10月的监测期内，无线电标记个体对木本植物加权物种丰富度的选择偏好随日期与体重增加而降低，这表明多样的食物基础在其活动季早期以及瘦弱、年幼（生长中）个体的生存中尤为重要。对致密植被的选择偏好则随个体体重与家域内平均可用植被密度升高而增强，这反映了与个体能量消耗变化及安全需求差异相关的行为变异。
本研究表明，榛睡鼠对食物与安全存在特定的生境需求，这些需求可通过集约化经营林地中相对简便的经营措施予以满足。