ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
    • Animals
    • Climate
    • Renewable Energy
    • Eco tips
    • Environmental Issues
    • Green Living
  • Health
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Anatomy
    • Diseases
    • Genetics
    • Mind & Brain
    • Nutrition
  • FutureNEW
  • Space
  • Feature
    • Feature Post
    • Art
    • Great Pics
    • Design
    • Fossil Friday
    • AstroPicture
    • GeoPicture
    • Did you know?
    • Offbeat
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
HomeEnvironmentAnimals

Microhabitat management may be the key to happy, neighborly bears

How to live harmoniously -- the bear version.

Contributing Author byContributing Author
June 14, 2018 - Updated on June 11, 2018
inAnimals, Biology
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

Have you ever seen a black bear in your backyard and thought it was searching for an easy meal? Black bears are opportunistic foragers when natural food sources are isolated, but bears do prefer their natural habitat of forests over your yard. Therefore, researchers in Florida suggest that black bear management should focus on conserving microhabitats – small, specialized habitats within a larger habitat.

Image credits: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, 2012.

The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is the most widely distributed bear species, ranging across three countries (IUCN Red List, 2018). Black bears play a key role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Their foraging habits increase seed dispersal, aid in the process of decay, and redistribute nutrients. Their feces spread seeds to germinate, which promotes pollination and facilitates plant reproduction, further increasing biodiversity. While foraging for insects, bears accelerate the decomposition of the logs they overturn, returning key nutrients to the soil. Healthy soil even benefits human health. Soil with diverse biota enhances the quality and quantity of plant production, increases water retention (reducing flooding and runoff), and reduces human illness caused by particles of dust or pathogens (Carey, 2016).  Thus, black bears provide benefits for all cohabiting species – including us.

As human development expands, bears experience habitat loss and fragmentation. Unfortunately, this has led to an increase in human-bear conflicts. Conflicts result in property damage, economic loss, human injury, bear euthanasia, translocation and hazing (rubber bullets, bean bag shotgun rounds, light/sound “scare tactics”), according to the Telluride Daily Planet.

ADVERTISEMENT

For large mammals in fragmented areas, researchers in Florida found that it’s crucial to understand the microhabitat needs that influence habitat use. This can help wildlife agencies to identify limiting resources, and develop better habitat management strategies. Despite the misconception that bears prefer human food, it’s been shown that bears choose their natural diet of native plants when available. The study, published in Global Ecology and Conservation, further emphasizes black bears’ preferences for the au naturale.  The study investigated “microhabitat features of areas within home ranges that received high vs. low intensity of use”. This was based on utilization distribution.

The features of high-use microhabitats included “high canopy cover, high visual obstruction, high cover of food-producing shrubs, and closer to the creeks but farther away from the roads”. The high-use sites were utilized for resting and foraging, and associated in forested wetlands where cover and food was most abundant. Cover is important “to reduce disturbance from other bears or humans and possibly to aid in thermoregulation”. Low-use sites, where bears were seen less frequently, were used primarily for travelling long distances between preferred areas.

As bears’ natural habitat continues to become fragmented, conservation efforts should focus on restoring “structural and compositional aspects” of their microhabitats. As an umbrella species – whose conservation results in many other species being conserved – black bears should be valued and their forests should be micromanaged, if you will. To help maintain their natural habitat you can secure your trash, bird feeders, pet food, and other bear attractants. Your actions, combined with proper land and wildlife management, will ensure the survival of black bears.

The main findings appeared in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation.

ADVERTISEMENT

Journal Reference: Carey, J. (2016). Crucial role of belowground biodiversity. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America, 113(28), 7682-7685. doi:10.1073/pnas.1609238113

IUCN Red List. 2018. Ursus americanus. Retrieved from http://www.iucnredlist.org/

This is a guest post by Nicole Bodzewski, a graduate student with Miami University, based in Denver, CO.

 

Tags: bearblack bear
Share10TweetShare

How much money are you losing by not going solar? Use our savings calculator for rooftop solar.

Contributing Author

Contributing Author

This article was authored by one of our readers or friends.

ADVERTISEMENT

EDITOR'S PICKS

Leaf blowers are not only annoying but also bad for you (and the environment)
Environment

Leaf blowers are not only annoying but also bad for you (and the environment)

by Alexandru Micu
November 15, 2019 - Updated on November 17, 2019

It comes down to the inefficient engines they use.

Read more
What are greenhouse gases and why we need to worry about them? A simple explainer

What are greenhouse gases and why we need to worry about them? A simple explainer

November 15, 2019
The difference between programming and coding with Leslie Lamport

The difference between programming and coding with Leslie Lamport

November 15, 2019
Why ketamine is so good against depression

Why ketamine is so good against depression

November 8, 2019
pixabay-brain-fog

What is brain fog: the mental fatigue that ruins your mood

October 25, 2019
ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Feature
  • More

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
    • Animals
    • Climate
    • Renewable Energy
    • Eco tips
    • Environmental Issues
    • Green Living
  • Health
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Anatomy
    • Diseases
    • Genetics
    • Mind & Brain
    • Nutrition
  • Future
  • Space
  • Feature
    • Feature Post
    • Art
    • Great Pics
    • Design
    • Fossil Friday
    • AstroPicture
    • GeoPicture
    • Did you know?
    • Offbeat
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Before you leave...
Subscribe to ZME Science 
Every weekday, we send out a free newsletter with the most exciting science news of the moment.
Stay Updated
By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy. Give it a try, you can unsubscribe anytime.
close-link