Karen Beazley, Lara Smandych, Tamaini Snaith, Frances MacKinnon, Peter Austen-Smith, Jr., and Peter Duinker. 2005. Biodiversity considerations in conservation system planning: map-based approach for Nova Scotia, Canada. Ecological Applications 15:2192–2208.

Appendix A. Maps of Nova Scotia showing distribution of (Fig. A1) moose populations and protected areas; (Fig. A2) moose habitat suitability values; (Fig. A3) road density and moose pellet presence/absence; (Fig. A4) contiguous areas of natural cover 10,000 ha; (Fig. A5) roadless areas; (Fig. A6) uneven-aged forest stands; (Fig. A7) combined cover for contiguous natural cover 10,000 ha, roadless areas, and uneven-aged forest stands; (Fig. A8) areas of primary priority combining natural areas, 10,000 ha, uneven-aged forest stands, and roadless areas; (Fig. A9) species at risk globally or provincially; (Fig. A10) highest rarity-weighted richness values; (Fig. A11) significant ecosites; (Fig. A12) signigficant old and unique forest stands; (Fig. A13) areas of primary priority for special elements; highest habitat suitability and population densities for (Fig. A14) American moose, (Fig. A15) American marten, and (Fig. A16) Northern Goshawk; (Fig. A17) 47 core areas selected by priority sites for representation, special elements, and focal species; (Fig. A18) cost-surface for American marten; and (Fig. A19) least-cost paths for American marten.

FIG. A1. Locations of moose populations and protected areas. Locations of core populations, those of lower densities and fringe areas were derived from Pulsifer and Nette (1995) and consultations with local experts. Protected areas boundaries coincide more or less completely with the boundaries of only one of the remnant American moose populations, which consists of < 300 individuals) (Snaith and Beazley 2004a,b).

FIG. A2. Spatial distribution of moose habitat suitability values on mainland Nova Scotia, based on HSI Eq. 5 (see Appendix E)

FIG. A3. Distribution of road density and moose pellet presence/absence in mainland Nova Scotia. With statistical analysis, habitat suitability alone was not able to predict moose pellet presence/absence; road density alone was able to predict moose pellet presence/absence. When habitat suitability and road density were combined, statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation with moose pellet presence/absence. The assessment of correlation between road density, habitat suitability and moose pellet presence/absence was conducted for mainland Nova Scotia only, because of data limitations in the moose pellet group inventory and the status of moose on Cape Breton Island as introduced and abundant.

FIG. A4. Spatial distribution of contiguous areas of natural cover 10,000 hectares.

FIG. A5. Spatial distribution of roadless areas.

FIG. A6. Spatial distribution of uneven-aged forest stands.

FIG. A7. Spatial distribution of combined coverages for contiguous areas of natural cover 10,000 hectares, roadless areas, and uneven-aged forest stands.

FIG. A8. Areas of primary priority for representation, combining natural areas, 10,000 ha in size, uneven-aged forest stands and areas of no roads.

FIG. A9. Spatial distribution of species at risk globally (G1-G3) or provincially (S1-S1S2B) and with locational precision of 1000 m or less.

FIG. A10. Spatial distribution of highest rarity-weighted richness values.

FIG. A11. Spatial distribution of significant ecosites.

FIG. A12. Spatial distribution of significant old and unique forest stands.

FIG. A13. Areas of primary priority for special elements, where clusters exist of critical habitat of species at risk, high rarity-weighted richness values, and significant ecosites and old and unique forests.

FIG. A14. Spatial distribution of highest habitat suitability and population densities for American moose.

FIG. A15. Spatial distribution of highest habitat suitability and population densities for American marten.

FIG. A16. Spatial distribution of highest habitat suitability and population densities for Northern Goshawk.

FIG. A17. Forty-seven core areas selected by considering only the primary priority sites for representation, special elements and focal species. These core areas do not adequately represent every landscape type, so subsequent assessments were conducted to incorporate areas of secondary value (refer to Fig. 5).

FIG. A18. Cost-surface for American marten. Red tones indicate areas of high cost to American marten (low habitat suitability and high road density); green areas indicate areas of low cost (high habitat suitability and low road density).

FIG. A19. Map of least-cost paths for American marten. Paths are based on a minimum width of 1 km, are located between relevant core areas, and represent the route with highest habitat suitability and lowest road density.

LITERATURE CITED

Pulsifer, M. D., and T. L. Nette. 1995. History, status and present distribution of moose in Nova Scotia. Alces 31:209–219.

Snaith, T., and K. Beazley. 2004a. The distribution, status and habitat associations of moose in mainland Nova Scotia. Proceedings of the Nova Scotian Institute of Science 42:263–317.

Snaith, T. V., and K. F. Beazley. 2004b. Application of population viability theory to moose in mainland Nova Scotia. Alces 38:193–204.