| Abstract |
The most severe effects of outdoor tourism orrecreation (OTR) are habitat fragmentation, modification, and loss, which affect animal behaviour, survivorship, distribution, and reproduction (e.g.: Karlson & Mörtberg, 2015; Monz, Pickering, & Hadwen, 2017). A highly used path can create a barrier and lead animals to avoid a much wider area through trail-edge effects (Monz et al., 2017; Moss et al., 2014). Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) respond differently to different OTR activities, e.g., they avoid mountain-bike trails up to 1091.5m and winter infrastructure up to 327.1m (Coppes et al., 2017). Along multiuse tracks, capercaillie use trees closer to tracks in less visited woodland than in highly visited woodland, with tree use asymptotes of 197m and 291m, respectively (Summers et al., 2007). The present study assessed 1) patterns of recreational uses, 2) functional habitat loss of capercaillie due to trail-edge effects, 3) the impacts of OTR on lek site selection, and 4) the potential for capercaillie refuges. |
