Abstract 267 – Landscape connectivity modelling for the long-term conservation of the Karelian brown bear population

Daniele Falcinelli, Vincenzo Penteriani, Maria del Mar Delgado, Paolo Ciucci, Ilpo
Kojola, Samuli Heikkinen, Daniele De Angelis, Alexander Kopatz

Landscape connectivity is a vital component of animal population dynamics. Conserving
movement corridors for large carnivores is challenging due to their low densities, large
dispersal distances, and high levels of human persecution. Indeed, for most of the previous two
centuries, hunting decimated the once-continuous Fennoscandian brown bear (Ursus arctos)
population, although both the Scandinavian and Karelian populations have increased and
expanded in recent decades. During the recovery process, several studies have assessed their
genetic structure showing a restricted and asymmetrical gene flow between Karelia and
Scandinavia, but a comprehensive landscape connectivity analysis in that area has been lacking.
Using long-term (2002-2015) GPS data from brown bears inhabiting the Finnish and Russian
Karelia, jointly with a set of high-resolution remotely-sensed variables, we aim to identify
movement corridors facilitating gene flow with the Scandinavian population. First, after
retaining only those steps describing active bears' movements, we have performed an
integrated step selection analysis. Karelian bears selected forests with higher vegetation,
natural open areas and anthropogenic areas but did not appear to avoid proximity to roads.
Next, we derived a resistance surface to model landscape connectivity by applying circuit
theory in the Circuitscape software and an omnidirectional approach. Ultimately, the
connectivity analyses for the transboundary Karelian population provide spatially explicit
guidelines crucial for its long-term conservation and viability.