GIS ANALYSIS OF THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF EUROPEAN BISON (BISON BONASUS L.) IN VÂNĂTORI NEAMȚ NATURAL PARK, ROMANIA, BETWEEN 2014 AND 2019

Gabriel DĂNILĂ , Sebastian CĂTĂNOIU , Sanda ROȘCA , Cosmin COȘOFREȚ

DOI: 10.21163/GT_2024.191.10

ABSTRACT: The European bison (Bison bonasus L.) is a species that has been successfully reintroduced in several European countries and requires ongoing monitoring to protect and restore its biodiversity. This study examines the population dynamics of free-ranging European bison in the Vânători Neamț Natural Park in Romania, taking into account various local biotic and abiotic factors. Data collected from the collars of several European bison from 2014 to 2019, as well as vector maps of the study area, was used for the analysis. Furthermore, the study identifies the influence of slope and altitude on the distribution patterns of the European bison throughout the seasons. While a confluence of biotic and abiotic factors shapes exploration behavior, the study underscores that food supply and land use exert the most pronounced impact on the sustainability and growth of the European bison population. Despite an exhaustive analysis of correlations between various biotic and abiotic factors with recorded temperatures, no significant results reflecting discernible trends or linkages induced by temperature were obtained. The analysis of GPS collar data revealed that, in the research area, the European bison inhabited areas with forest vegetation for about 74% of their time and places without it for 26%. Over 80% of the localization patterns were found in wooded areas, with fewer than 20% found in non-forest areas, year after year. The age class distribution research shows that the European bisons have a significant preference (more than 55%) for old-growth forests that are older than 100 years. This preference is present in all seasons except winter, when the preference for these types of forests decreases. On the other hand, forests that are younger and less than 60 years old are preferred in the summer and spring, which offers important information on the diverse habitat preferences of the European bison population.

Keywords: GIS; telemetry; dynamics; forest structure; spatial analysis

Full article here