RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STAND TYPES AND HABITAT SELECTIONS FOR BIG WILD MAMMAL SPECIES

Abstract

Forests are among the most important wild life areas that provide shelter for various wild animals within different living areas they have. Shortly, selection of habitat which is defined as living area, by the wild animals is effected by variables such as stand types, altitude, flora, sloping direction, and soil composition. Among these factors stand type which forms the forest structure is one of the most important factors in the habitat selection. This study has been conducted on Bartin-Soku Wild Life Development Area with the aim to determine the impact of wild animals on habitat selection. For this purpose for determining the habitat selection of big mammals photo traps are placed at 78 points. The total working time of each photo traps is determined 3800 days. Although 12 pieces of big wild mammals were determined on the area, only 9 of them were considered for evaluation. As a result of study it has been determined that mixed stands were preferred more when compared with pure stands, mixed stands of fir and beech were preferred more when compared with other mixed stands, and healthy and old stands were preferred more when compared with the disrupted ones.