Redundancy analysis reveals complex den use patterns by eastern spotted skunks, a conditional specialist

Wildlife managers tasked with understanding habitat and resource selection at the population level attempt to characterize patterns in nature that aid inform conservation. Resource functions (RSFs), such as discrete choice analyses, are standard convention effects of attributes on patterns. These tools invaluable for wildlife management conservation have proven successful numerous studies. However, analysis small datasets using RSF becomes problematic when attempting account complex sources variation, inclusion factors weather or intrinsic variation target species' response may produce models poor predictive ability. We compared application generalized linear mixed-effects modeling (GLMM) redundancy (RDA) Appalachian spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius putorius) den data four study sites within George Washington, Jefferson, Monongahela National Forests, surrounding private lands Mountains western Virginia northeastern West Virginia. assessed need alternative (i.e., conditions individual variation) addition better identify selection. The RDA elucidated opposing relationships, whereby type use was based reproductive status condition, which were not evident GLMM model relied solely measures. Our results demonstrated importance examining multivariate techniques conventional analyses understand intricate habitat–species especially datasets. Furthermore, from our we proposed skunks neither a true generalist nor specialist species. introduced define term “conditional specialist” represent species is conditionally selective given one more current environmental conditions.