Modelling of the habitat claims of the mountain pieper (Anthus spinoletta spinoletta) in the Gesäuse National Park with means of remote sensing and GIS

In spring 2009, a grid mapping was carried out in the Gesäuse National Park with the aim of collecting absent presence data on the mountain pieper. Based on this data, habitat modelling was carried out using bivariate logistic regression. A main component analysis showed the need for separate consideration of the two ecological units Alm and Alpine Matte. In total, 235 of the 804 grid fields studied could be identified as positive in relation to the breeding presence of the mountain pieper. The level of occupation on the alpine flats was much lower at 16 % than on the Alpine mats, where more than half of the areas were inhabited. This circumstance can be explained to a large extent by the local circumstances in the Gesäuse National Park. Both on the alpine pastures and on the Alpine mats, snow fields proved to be extremely important habitat props. The presence of wood structures and rising values of the average biomass on the flat also had a positive effect on the Alpine mats. Mostly bare, rocky surfaces were avoided in the area of the Alpine mats. On the other hand, the more attractive the open area and the farther the distance to the nearest forest area is. In addition, a negative influence of the minimum biomass on the occurrence of the mountain pieper was demonstrated, suggesting that the species in the alpine pasture area In spring 2009 a grid mapping was carried out in the Gesäuse National Park with the aim of collecting absent presence data on the mountain pieper. Based on this data, habitat modelling was carried out using bivariate logistic regression. A main component analysis showed the need for separate consideration of the two ecological units Alm and Alpine Matte. In total, 235 of the 804 grid fields studied could be identified as positive in relation to the breeding presence of the mountain pieper. The level of occupation on the alpine flats was much lower at 16 % than on the Alpine mats, where more than half of the areas were inhabited. This circumstance can be explained to a large extent by the local circumstances in the Gesäuse National Park. Both on the alpine pastures and on the Alpine mats, snow fields proved to be extremely important habitat props. The presence of wood structures and rising values of the average biomass on the flat also had a positive effect on the Alpine mats. Mostly bare, rocky surfaces were avoided in the area of the Alpine mats. On the other hand, the more attractive the open area and the farther the distance to the nearest forest area is. In addition, a negative influence of the minimum biomass on the occurrence of the mountain pieper could be demonstrated, suggesting that the species in the alpine pasture area requires low vegetation, schutter-covered flats.