Effects of forest disturbance, snow depth, and intraguild dynamics on American marten and fisher occupancy in Maine, <scp>USA</scp>

Human land use is a driving force of habitat loss and modification globally, with consequences for wildlife species. The American marten (Martes americana) fisher (Pekania pennanti) are forest-dependent carnivores native to North America. Both species suffered population declines due forested overharvest furs, continued an ongoing threat. Furthermore, the smaller may be susceptible intraguild exclusion where larger abundant, both climate change reduce spatial refugia available marten. A detailed understanding co-occurrence patterns in landscapes subjected intense forest disturbance represents key knowledge gap ecology management. Maine, northeastern United States, supports populations these It extensively state, vast majority managed as commercial timberland. We designed large-scale field study understand relative importance three sets predictions occupancy silviculture widespread: (1) intensity primarily determined rates, (2) was limited areas shallower snow by presence, or (3) responded composition tree within habitat. collected data test nonmutually exclusive hypotheses via camera-trap surveys, using experimental design balanced across gradient intensity. deployed 197 camera stations summer winter over 3 years (2017–2020). tagged 800,000 images found at 124 (63%) 168 (85%) stations. By fitting multiseason models data, we that degree negatively influenced detection, occupancy, temporal turnover Contrary our expectations, however, no evidence interspecific competition instead support positive associations detection probabilities spatially temporally. were positively associated stands containing deciduous trees. Our findings further illustrate impact has on dynamics carnivores.