The effect of thermoregulation and roads on the movements and habitat selection of moose in Massachusetts

........................................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. xi LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... xiv CHAPTER 1. THERMOREGULATORY BEHAVIOR OF MOOSE: A NORTHERN UNGULATE AT THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF ITS GEOGRAPHIC RANGE ..................................1 1.1 Abstract ..............................................................................................................1 1.2 Introduction ........................................................................................................2 1.3 Study Area .........................................................................................................5 1.4 Methods..............................................................................................................7 1.4.1 Assessing the Thermal Environment ..................................................7 1.4.1.1 Seasons ....................................................................................7 1.4.1.2 Ambient Temperatures versus Upper Critical Temperatures (UCTs) ...............................................................7 1.4.1.3 Heat Stress Index (HSI) ..........................................................8 1.4.1.4 Thermal Shelters .....................................................................9 1.4.2 Moose Habitat Use and Thermoregulatory Behavior .......................10 1.4.2.1 Capture and Marking ............................................................10 1.4.2.2 Temperature-Habitat Interactions .........................................10 1.4.3 Statistical Analysis ............................................................................12 1.4.3.1 Thermal Shelters ...................................................................12 1.4.3.2 Proportional Use of Cover Types .........................................13 1.4.3.3 Resource Selection Functions (RSF) ....................................13 1.5 Results ..............................................................................................................15 1.5.1 The Thermal Environment ................................................................15