Data for: Coexistence or conflict: black bear habitat use along an urban-wildland gradient

<b>Abstract</b><br/><p class="MsoNormal">The urban-wildland interface is expanding and increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflict. Some wildlife species adapt to or avoid living near people, while others select for anthropogenic resources and are thus more prone to conflict. To promote human-wildlife coexistence, wildlife and land managers need to understand how conflict relates to habitat and resource use in the urban-wildland interface. We investigated black bear (<em>Ursus americanus</em>) habitat use across a gradient of human disturbance in a North American hotspot of human-black bear conflict. We used camera traps to monitor bear activity from July 2018 to July 2019, and compared bear habitat use to environmental and anthropogenic variables and spatiotemporal probabilities of conflict. Bears predominantly used areas of high vegetation productivity, avoided higher human densities, and increased their nocturnality near people. Still, bears used more high-conflict areas in summer and autumn, specifically rural lands with ripe crops. Our results suggest that bears are generally modifying their behaviours in the urban-wildland interface through spatial and temporal avoidance of humans, which may facilitate coexistence. However, conflict still occurs, especially in autumn when hyperphagia and peak crop availability attract bears to abundant rural food resources. To improve conflict mitigation practices, we recommend targeting seasonal rural attractants such as with pre-emptive fruit picking, bear-proof compost containment, and other forms of behavioural deterrence. By combining camera-trap monitoring of a large carnivore along an anthropogenic gradient with conflict mapping, we provide a framework for evidence-based improvements in human-wildlife coexistence.</p><b>摘要</b><br/>城市-荒野交错带（urban-wildland interface）持续扩张，加剧了人兽冲突风险。部分野生动物类群能够适应或规避在人类聚居区周边栖息，另有部分物种则会主动利用人为活动提供的资源，因此更易引发冲突。为推动人兽共存，野生动物与土地管理者需要明晰人兽冲突与城市-荒野交错带内栖息地及资源利用之间的关联关系。我们针对北美一处人熊冲突热点区域，调查了美洲黑熊（Ursus americanus）在人类干扰梯度下的栖息地利用模式。研究于2018年7月至2019年7月间利用红外相机陷阱（camera traps）监测黑熊活动，并将黑熊的栖息地利用情况与环境变量、人为干扰因子以及冲突的时空发生概率进行对比分析。结果显示，黑熊主要选取植被生产力较高的区域活动，规避人类密度较高的地带，并在人类活动周边提升了夜行行为的占比。尽管如此，黑熊在夏季与秋季会更多利用高冲突区域，尤其是作物成熟的乡村地带。本研究结果表明，在城市-荒野交错带中，黑熊通常会通过空间与时间上的行为调整来规避人类活动，这或许有助于实现人兽共存。但冲突仍时有发生，尤其在秋季，此时黑熊处于暴食期（hyperphagia）且作物正值成熟期，会吸引黑熊前往资源丰富的乡村觅食区域。为优化人兽冲突防控实践，我们建议针对季节性乡村诱集源采取提前果实采摘、防熊堆肥设施及其他行为威慑手段。本研究将沿人为干扰梯度开展的大型食肉动物红外相机监测与冲突空间制图相结合，为基于实证的人兽共存优化提供了可借鉴的分析框架。