title: Habitat correlates of the Eurasian otterLutra lutrarecolonizing Central Poland.
abstract: The increase in Eurasian otterLutra lutrapopulations in their natural range and recolonization processes are recently observed in several European countries. We address the process of otter recolonization and habitat utilization in Central Poland over 14 years. Field surveys in 1998 and 2007 documented increase in occurrence of the species. The frequency of positive sites denoted 15 % in 1993, 38 % in 1998, and 89 % in 2007. Otter occurrence at study sites was positively affected by river width while negatively affected by presence of buildings at the site and river regulation. During the most intensive colonization process in the 1990s, the habitat preferences of the otter did not change. However, the sites inhabited by otters after 1998 were characterized by lower river width and tree cover and were more often located on regulated river sections, suggesting change in habitat tolerance during expansion. The otter abundance in transformed habitats is a result of increasing population numbers and the necessity to inhabit suboptimal sections of watercourses. Thus, it seems that presence-absence data for otter populations cannot be considered a reliable indicator of habitat quality, being depended of the population density.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Dziekanów Leśny ul. Konopnickiej 1, 05-092 Łomianki, Poland ; Faculty of Biology and Environmental Studies UKSW, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romanowski
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brzeziński
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zmihorski
keywords: Habitat selection; Indicator species; Recolonization; Riparian zone
references.citation: Environ Pollut. 2001;111(3):457-69
references.pmid: 11202751
references.citation: Ambio. 2004 May;33(3):148-52
references.pmid: 15151385
references.citation: Oecologia. 2007 Sep;153(3):579-88
references.pmid: 17566780