Ecology and protection of a flagship species, the Siberian flying squirrel

Peer reviewe

Differences in habitat use between the native Eurasian beaver and the invasive North American beaver in Finland

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Promoting species protection with predictive modelling : Effects of habitat, predators and climate on the occurrence of the Siberian flying squirrel

Species distribution models (SDMs) can be used to predict species occurrence and to seek insight into the factors behind observed spatial patterns in occurrence, and thus can be a valuable tool in species conservation. In this study, we used MaxEnt software to explain the occurrence of a protected forest-dwelling species, the Siberian flying squirrel. We produce occurrence maps covering the main distribution area for the species in the European Union. Using an exceptionally extensive presence-absence dataset collected with a standardized method, we evaluated the relative role of predation pressure, climate, and amount of habitat affecting flying squirrel occurrence. We found that regional variation in mean winter temperature had relatively large predictive power for flying squirrel occurrence. In addition, the regional abundance of flying squirrels was partly explained by differences in predation pressure. The results also support the conclusion that areas with older forests and nearby agricultural areas are optimal for the species. Our study shows that multiple factors affect the species' occurrence in large spatial scales. We also conclude that climate is having a large effect on species occurrence, and thus the changing climate has to be taken into account in conservation planning. Our results help conservation managers in targeting surveys and protection measures on various spatial scales, and decision makers in focusing on the factors that drive the species' occurrence. Our results also indicate that we would need additional tools and measures in the EU for achieving a favourable conservation status of those species that occur in commercial forests.Peer reviewe

Sex-specific patterns in body mass and mating system in the Siberian flying squirrel

Background: Reproductive strategies and evolutionary pressures differ between males and females. This often results in size differences between the sexes, and also in sex-specific seasonal variation in body mass. Seasonal variation in body mass is also affected by other factors, such as weather. Studies on sex-specific body mass patterns may contribute to better understand the mating system of a species. Here we quantify patterns underlying sex-specific body mass variation using a long-term dataset on body mass in the Siberian flying squirrel, Pteromys volans. Results: We show that female flying squirrels were larger than males based on body mass and other body measures. Males had lowest body mass after the breeding season, whereas female body mass was more constant between seasons, when the pregnancy period was excluded. Male body mass did not increase before the mating season, despite the general pattern that males with higher body mass are usually dominant in squirrel species. Seasonal body mass variation was linked to weather factors, but this relationship was not straightforward to interpret, and did not clearly affect the trend in body mass observed over the 22 years of study. Conclusions: Our study supports the view that arboreal squirrels often deviate from the general pattern found in mammals for larger males than females. The mating system seems to be the main driver of sex-specific seasonal body mass variation in flying squirrels, and conflicting selective pressure may occur for males to have low body mass to facilitate gliding versus high body mass to facilitate dominance.Peer reviewe

Distribution patterns of the native Eurasian and the non-native North American beaver in Finland - possible factors affecting the slow range expansion of the native species

Distribution patterns of species are affected by resource availability, dispersal, disturbance and population dynamics. The smaller population size and range of the native Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) compared to the non-native North American beaver (Castor canadensis) in Finland raise questions on reasons for the slower range expansion of the native species. We compared the population growth rates and the spread of both species from their release sites. We also studied the factors possibly affecting the spread of the Eurasian beaver in South western Finland in more detail. We found that the North American beaver has spread longer distances than the Eurasian beaver, but we did not find evidence for movement barriers constraining the expansion rate of the native species. Lack of high-quality habitats does not seem to constrain the expansion to nearby areas either. Despite this, the Eurasian beaver population has grown to a high density close to its reintroduction site, and it has started to spread to novel areas only recently. We conclude that the expansion of the native beaver in Finland seems to be controlled by factors other than those related to barriers for movement: movement behavior and population dynamics, which require further investigation

Differences in habitat use between the native Eurasian beaver and the invasive North American beaver in Finland

Habitat requirements largely determine the distribution and abundance of a species. An invasive species can therefore threaten the survival of a native species, if the two species are similar in niche use. In Finland, the distribution of the invasive North American beaver (Castor canadensis) is approaching the range of the native Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) possibly creating a threat for the latter. We compared the habitat use of the native and invasive beaver species in Finland in the main distribution of the species and within a smaller area where the species live in sympatry. We compared the used habitats (volume of birch and other deciduous trees and distance to agricultural and urban areas) at beaver lodges and at random locations in the available riparian habitat with (conditional) logistic regression models. Results indicated that the native beaver lodges were located closer to agriculture than those of the invasive beaver. The volume of birch was also slightly greater near the lodges of the native beaver than those of the invasive beaver. However, habitat use of both of the species seemed quite flexible, because the habitat near lodges did not differ much from the available habitat. We conclude that the probability that the North American beaver will invade the distribution area of the Eurasian beaver in Finland depends, at least partly, on the ability of the former to live in proximity to agricultural areas. However, methods other than those related to managing habitat quality may be the best approach to controlling the invasive species.</p