An individual-based model for black bears in the southern Appalachians
Salinas RA, Gross LJ, Van Manen FT, Clark JD. 2011. An individual-based model for black bears in the southern Appalachians. National Park Service
We describe an individual-based model for black bears (Ursus americanus) in the southern Appalachians, which consists of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), Cherokee (CNF), Pisgah (PNF), and Nantahala (NNF) national forests, and most of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. This model incorporates fall hard mast variation which determines black bear reproductive success and movement. We evaluated the model with existing empirical data on harvest, year-to-year variation, and reproductive dynamics. To demonstrate the potential use of the model for spatial control, we tested an alternative harvesting strategy in a subregion of the model to address concerns regarding potential bear-human encounters. This model has the capability to provide insight into the hard mast-driven dynamics of the back bear population and test the effectiveness of different harvesting strategies.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Salinas, Rene; Gross, Louis; Van Manen, Frank; Clark, Joseph
- Date of Issue
- 2011-12-08
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- Bear-human encounters, Black Bear, GRSM-00025, hard mast, harvest management, Individual-based, Spatial
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Mammals