http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/authors/read/21097?format=citation Publications by P.W. Colgan en-ca 2008-06-23 00:00:00 MST 2008-06-23 00:00:00 MST webmaster@nofc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/publications?id=28735 Marten (Martes americana) experience greater survival and production rates in old growth forests than in postclear-cut forests. To determine whether total time active and foraging success contribute to these differences, we compared marten movements and hunting activities in their preferred old-forest habitats to those in logged forests. Marten in uncut forests captured up to 119% (P = 0.003) more prey biomass than those in logged forests, depending on prey populations. We found few marten activity differences by forest type attributable to differences in density and prey species, or habitat structure. Distances between core areas in individual home ranges were greater (P 0.001) in logged forests than in uncut forests. In years when food was scarce, mean distance between core areas was greater (P 0.001) than in years of abundant food. Total diel time active was the same for males and females, but females were more (P 0.001) nocturnally active than males in uncut forests or all marten in logged forests. Marten activity declined (P = 0.01) from =14 hours/day in summer to 4 hours/day in late winter. Marten changed their activity patterns from active at all times of the day (24 hr) in summer, to diurnal in winter. We hypothesize that marten activity in winter may be influenced by energy conservation, particularly when temperatures are below -15 C. Access to the subnivean zone was more available in uncut forests than in logged forests, but marten in each habitat hunted beneath the snow at similar rates (P = 0.76) suggesting that subnivean access may not be a limiting feature of habitat structure in boreal forest. Marten may prefer old coniferous forests because of a greater rate of prey capture compared with that in more open habitats presented by logged forests Mon, 23 Jun 2008 http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/publications?id=28735 http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/publications?id=28761 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/publications?id=28761