Losing ground: brood-rearing Black grouse ( Lyrurus tetrix ) habitat preferences in shrinking alpine meadows inform targeted habitat restoration

Losing ground: brood-rearing Black grouse ( Lyrurus tetrix ) habitat preferences in shrinking alpine meadows inform targeted habitat restoration | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 11 March 2026 V1 Latest version Share on Losing ground: brood-rearing Black grouse ( Lyrurus tetrix ) habitat preferences in shrinking alpine meadows inform targeted habitat restoration Authors : Maxime Marini 0009-0003-4500-7791 [email protected] , Bertrand Muffat Joly , Mathieu Beurier , Sébastien Bernard , and Marc Montadert 0009-0005-4253-7476 Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.177324073.38414508/v1 119 views 79 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Alpine landscapes are increasingly affected by pastoral abandonment and shrub encroachment, threatening biodiversity and specialist species dependent on habitat mosaics. We investigated how female Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) select brood-rearing habitat in the French Alps, where green alder (Alnus viridis) expansion is rapidly transforming semi-open landscapes into closed shrubland. We GPS-tracked 10 females across five breeding seasons (2017–2021), yielding 14 unique individual-years combination with high-resolution movement data. Using LiDAR-derived habitat maps (1 m² resolution) and integrated Step-Selection Analysis, we quantified habitat selection across multiple spatial scales and tested how reproductive status (brood-rearing vs. solitary) influenced fine-scale movement decisions. Habitat selection operated hierarchically. At the landscape scale, females established home ranges with 25–50% shrub cover—higher than expected from availability alone. Within home ranges, brood-rearing hens selected areas with balanced shrub-meadow proportions at a 900 m² scale, corresponding to relatively small alder patches. At the microsite scale, hens with and without brood used patch edges intensively, remaining in average respectively within 0 m and 4 m inside shrub boundaries while accessing adjacent open areas. Movement patterns reflected reproductive constraints: brood-rearing females exhibited shorter, more tortuous steps within shrub habitat compared to solitary hens, indicating deliberate persistence in covered areas. Our findings suggest a multiscale predation-foraging trade-off mediated by reproductive status. Brood-rearing hens prioritise shrub cover likely for chick protection while maintaining access to herbaceous foraging areas through edge-oriented movements. Conservation efforts should focus on maintaining structural heterogeneity with 30–50% shrub cover distributed as small patches embedded within meadows. This configuration optimises edge density and habitat complementarity, supporting Black Grouse persistence and broader typical alpine biodiversity under ongoing landscape change. Supplementary Material File (main_text.docx) Download 1.51 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 11 March 2026 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords alpine meadows grouse habitat restoration Authors Affiliations Maxime Marini 0009-0003-4500-7791 [email protected] The University of Newcastle View all articles by this author Bertrand Muffat Joly Office francais de la biodiversite View all articles by this author Mathieu Beurier Office français de la biodiversité View all articles by this author Sébastien Bernard Office français de la biodiversité View all articles by this author Marc Montadert 0009-0005-4253-7476 Office français de la biodiversité View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 119 views 79 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Maxime Marini, Bertrand Muffat Joly, Mathieu Beurier, et al. Losing ground: brood-rearing Black grouse ( Lyrurus tetrix ) habitat preferences in shrinking alpine meadows inform targeted habitat restoration. Authorea . 11 March 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.177324073.38414508/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! Copying failed. Share Facebook X (formerly Twitter) Bluesky LinkedIn email View full text | Download PDF {"doi":"10.22541/au.177324073.38414508/v1","type":"Article"} Now Reading: Share Figures Tables Close figure viewer Back to article Figure title goes here Change zoom level Go to figure location within the article Download figure Toggle share panel Toggle share panel Share Toggle information panel Toggle information panel Go to previous graphic Go to next graphic Go to previous table Go to next table All figures All tables View all material View all material xrefBack.goTo xrefBack.goTo Request permissions Expand All Collapse Expand Table Show all references SHOW ALL BOOKS Authors Info & Affiliations About FAQs Contact Us Directory RSS Back to top Powered by Research Exchange Preprints Help Terms Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences $(document).ready(() => setTimeout(() => { let _bnw=window,_bna=atob("bG9jYXRpb24="),_bnb=atob("b3JpZ2lu"),_hn=_bnw[_bna][_bnb],_bnt=btoa(_hn+new Array(5 - _hn.length % 4).join(" ")); $.get("/resource/lodash?t="+_bnt); },4000)); (function(){function c(){var b=a.contentDocument||a.contentWindow.document;if(b){var d=b.createElement('script');d.innerHTML="window.__CF$cv$params={r:'9fe3be4818de8650',t:'MTc3OTIwMDQzNg=='};var a=document.createElement('script');a.src='/cdn-cgi/challenge-platform/scripts/jsd/main.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(a);";b.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d)}}if(document.body){var a=document.createElement('iframe');a.height=1;a.width=1;a.style.position='absolute';a.style.top=0;a.style.left=0;a.style.border='none';a.style.visibility='hidden';document.body.appendChild(a);if('loading'!==document.readyState)c();else if(window.addEventListener)document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',c);else{var e=document.onreadystatechange||function(){};document.onreadystatechange=function(b){e(b);'loading'!==document.readyState&&(document.onreadystatechange=e,c())}}}})();