Impacts of Harvest Removal on Mesocarnivore Territorial Dynamics Captured by Mechanistic Home Range Analysis

AbstractTerritorial behavior plays a key role in shaping the emergent population dynamics and spatial distribution of animal species, yet given its complexity, our understanding of the mechanisms driving territorial formation remains limited. This study used an integrated step selection analysis and a complete territorial location dataset to parameterize a mechanistic home range analysis (MHRA) model, allowing an examination of territorial dynamics in Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) at a population peak. MHRA models were parameterized using data from two study sites, allowing an analysis of territorial formation and movement under contrasting harvest regimes. In an unharvested region, the model successfully predicted the behavior of a nonterritorial individual that used a mix of territorial space and poor-quality (unoccupied) habitat. In the high-harvest region, the model correctly predicted neighboring lynx response to an observed territorial shift following the harvest of a territorial lynx. This predictive accuracy suggests that territorial behaviors in this cyclically fluctuating species are driven by the interplay among territorial saturation, prey availability, and human exploitation. This approach provides a framework for understanding territorial processes grounded in individual movement patterns while offering insights relevant to population ecology and wildlife management across territorial species.