Spatial mismatch between management units and movement ecology of a partially migratory ungulate

1. Population-level management is difficult to achieve if wildlife routinely crosses administrative boundaries, as is particularly frequent for migratory populations. However, the degree of mismatch between management units and scales at which ecological processes operate has rarely been quantified. Such insight is vital for delimiting functional population units of partially migratory species common in northern forest ecosystems.

2. We combined an extensive dataset of 412 GPS-marked red deer (Cervus elaphus) across Norway with information on the size and borders of two administrative levels, the governmental level (municipality) and landowner level (local management units; LMUs) to determine the timing and scale of mismatch between animal space use and management units. We analysed how landscape characteristics affected use of management units and the timing and likelihood of crossing borders between them, in an effort to delineate more appropriate units in various landscapes.

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