open access

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/86159

Reforestation provides a foraging habitat for brown bears (Ursus arctos) by increasing cicada Lyristes bihamatus density in the Shiretoko World Heritage site

英語

Ursus arctos

2021-03

Canadian Science Publishing

Canadian Journal of Zoology

99(3)

205-212

Reforestation, which converts abandoned farmland back into forestland by planting woody species, can provide habitat for wildlife, including the brown bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758). In the Shiretoko World Heritage site, northern Japan, where brown bears occur at high density, conifers have been planted since the 1970s to reforest abandoned farmland. In this area, brown bears were first observed digging for cicada Lyristes bihamatus Motschulsky, 1861 = Auritibicen bihamatus (Motschulsky, 1861) nymphs from 2000. Our preliminary observations suggested that the emergence of digging behavior might be associated with reforestation. We examined whether reforestation provided a foraging habitat for brown bears. We found that digging occurred only within the restored conifer forests, but not within the natural forest. The densities of cicada nymphs in the restored forests were higher than in the natural forest. These results indicate that the reforestation of abandoned farmland provides a foraging habitat for brown bears by increasing the availability of cicada nymphs in the Shiretoko World Heritage site.

学術雑誌論文

Accepted Manuscript

0008-4301

1480-3283

AA00597929