Population estimation and trend analyses are critically important for sustainable harvest and management of many species. The bobcat (Lynx rufus) plays important ecological and economic roles in Kentucky as a furbearer and mesopredator. I conducted a study of the bobcat in southeastern Kentucky as a twenty year follow-up to research conducted in the same study area. I radio-collared five (4F, 1M) bobcats and assessed space and habitat use patterns. Mean annual minimum convex polygon (MCP) home range size for all bobcats was 14.7 km2 (n = 5, SE = 3.9 km2), and 22.2 km2 (n = 5, SE = 7.5 km2) using the adaptive kernel (AK) method. Mean female annual home range size was 17.4 km2 (MCP, n = 4, SE = 3.9 km2) and 27.4 km2 (AK, n = 4, SE = 7.5). Mean female-female home range overlap was 29.1% (MCP, n = 6, SE= 8.7), and female-male overlap was 17.1% (MCP, n = 4, SE = 7.0). Mean female-female core area overlap was 10.5% (MCP, n = 6, SE = 10.5), and female-male 12.1% (MCP, n = 4, SE = 12.1). Bobcats (all bobcats pooled) used forest in proportion to availability at the study area spatial scale, used open habitat more than expected, but avoided active mines (P < 0.001). Movement rate (x = 0.12 km/hr) of a single GPS-collared male bobcat was lower during midday than during the morning, late afternoon, or nighttime periods. Also, more locations were recorded in forested habitat than expect based on habitat available within the home range, which contradicts the trend seen in the VHF data analysis, possibly indicating VHF data were not reliable in assessing habitat selection.
","abstract_html":"<p>Population estimation and trend analyses are critically important for sustainable harvest and management of many species. The bobcat (Lynx rufus) plays important ecological and economic roles in Kentucky as a furbearer and mesopredator. I conducted a study of the bobcat in southeastern Kentucky as a twenty year follow-up to research conducted in the same study area. I radio-collared five (4F, 1M) bobcats and assessed space and habitat use patterns. Mean annual minimum convex polygon (MCP) home range size for all bobcats was 14.7 km2 (n = 5, SE = 3.9 km2), and 22.2 km2 (n = 5, SE = 7.5 km2) using the adaptive kernel (AK) method. Mean female annual home range size was 17.4 km2 (MCP, n = 4, SE = 3.9 km2) and 27.4 km2 (AK, n = 4, SE = 7.5). Mean female-female home range overlap was 29.1% (MCP, n = 6, SE= 8.7), and female-male overlap was 17.1% (MCP, n = 4, SE = 7.0). Mean female-female core area overlap was 10.5% (MCP, n = 6, SE = 10.5), and female-male 12.1% (MCP, n = 4, SE = 12.1). Bobcats (all bobcats pooled) used forest in proportion to availability at the study area spatial scale, used open habitat more than expected, but avoided active mines (P < 0.001). Movement rate (x = 0.12 km/hr) of a single GPS-collared male bobcat was lower during midday than during the morning, late afternoon, or nighttime periods. Also, more locations were recorded in forested habitat than expect based on habitat available within the home range, which contradicts the trend seen in the VHF data analysis, possibly indicating VHF data were not reliable in assessing habitat selection. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Shipley, Andrea Joy"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Biological Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:19Z","subjects":["Bobcat","Conservation","Habitat Selection","Home Range","Kentucky","Resource","Ecology and Evolutionary Biology","Zoology"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2012 Andrea Joy Shipley"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/117","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Shipley, Andrea Joy"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Bobcat","Conservation","Habitat Selection","Home Range","Kentucky","Resource","Ecology and Evolutionary Biology","Zoology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2012 Andrea Joy Shipley"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/117"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Population estimation and trend analyses are critically important for sustainable harvest and management of many species. The bobcat (Lynx rufus) plays important ecological and economic roles in Kentucky as a furbearer and mesopredator. I conducted a study of the bobcat in southeastern Kentucky as a twenty year follow-up to research conducted in the same study area. I radio-collared five (4F, 1M) bobcats and assessed space and habitat use patterns. Mean annual minimum convex polygon (MCP) home range size for all bobcats was 14.7 km2 (n = 5, SE = 3.9 km2), and 22.2 km2 (n = 5, SE = 7.5 km2) using the adaptive kernel (AK) method. Mean female annual home range size was 17.4 km2 (MCP, n = 4, SE = 3.9 km2) and 27.4 km2 (AK, n = 4, SE = 7.5). Mean female-female home range overlap was 29.1% (MCP, n = 6, SE= 8.7), and female-male overlap was 17.1% (MCP, n = 4, SE = 7.0). Mean female-female core area overlap was 10.5% (MCP, n = 6, SE = 10.5), and female-male 12.1% (MCP, n = 4, SE = 12.1). Bobcats (all bobcats pooled) used forest in proportion to availability at the study area spatial scale, used open habitat more than expected, but avoided active mines (P < 0.001). Movement rate (x = 0.12 km/hr) of a single GPS-collared male bobcat was lower during midday than during the morning, late afternoon, or nighttime periods. Also, more locations were recorded in forested habitat than expect based on habitat available within the home range, which contradicts the trend seen in the VHF data analysis, possibly indicating VHF data were not reliable in assessing habitat selection.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Space Use And Habitat Selection By Bobcats In Southeastern Kentucky"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Shipley, Andrea Joy"],"dc:description.abstract":["Population estimation and trend analyses are critically important for sustainable harvest and management of many species. The bobcat (Lynx rufus) plays important ecological and economic roles in Kentucky as a furbearer and mesopredator. I conducted a study of the bobcat in southeastern Kentucky as a twenty year follow-up to research conducted in the same study area. I radio-collared five (4F, 1M) bobcats and assessed space and habitat use patterns. Mean annual minimum convex polygon (MCP) home range size for all bobcats was 14.7 km2 (n = 5, SE = 3.9 km2), and 22.2 km2 (n = 5, SE = 7.5 km2) using the adaptive kernel (AK) method. Mean female annual home range size was 17.4 km2 (MCP, n = 4, SE = 3.9 km2) and 27.4 km2 (AK, n = 4, SE = 7.5). Mean female-female home range overlap was 29.1% (MCP, n = 6, SE= 8.7), and female-male overlap was 17.1% (MCP, n = 4, SE = 7.0). Mean female-female core area overlap was 10.5% (MCP, n = 6, SE = 10.5), and female-male 12.1% (MCP, n = 4, SE = 12.1). Bobcats (all bobcats pooled) used forest in proportion to availability at the study area spatial scale, used open habitat more than expected, but avoided active mines (P < 0.001). Movement rate (x = 0.12 km/hr) of a single GPS-collared male bobcat was lower during midday than during the morning, late afternoon, or nighttime periods. Also, more locations were recorded in forested habitat than expect based on habitat available within the home range, which contradicts the trend seen in the VHF data analysis, possibly indicating VHF data were not reliable in assessing habitat selection.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/117"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2012 Andrea Joy Shipley"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["Bobcat","Conservation","Habitat Selection","Home Range","Kentucky","Resource","Ecology and Evolutionary Biology","Zoology"],"dc:title":["Space Use And Habitat Selection By Bobcats In Southeastern Kentucky"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biological Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:19Z"}