000135969 001__ 135969 000135969 005__ 20240704095849.0 000135969 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.3390/ani14131871 000135969 0248_ $$2sideral$$a138945 000135969 037__ $$aART-2024-138945 000135969 041__ $$aeng 000135969 100__ $$aLarraz, Virginia 000135969 245__ $$aHabitat Selection by Free-Grazing Sheep in a Mountain Pasture 000135969 260__ $$c2024 000135969 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted 000135969 5203_ $$aFor centuries, mountain grasslands have been part of the grazing cycle of sheep and cattle in extensive management systems in the Pyrenees; however, traditional guided herding has been, in many cases, replaced by free-ranging flocks at these pastures. The goal of this study was to analyze the grazing behavior of free-ranging sheep in mountain pastures using GPS-based tracking systems and Geographic Information Systems. During the summer seasons of 2019, 2020, and 2021, a transterminant flock of free-ranging sheep was tracked with GPS devices attached to collars at the mountain pastures of Collarada mountain (Central Pyrenees, Spain). Preferences for grazing on certain geomorphological features (slope, aspect, and altitude) and different plant communities present in the area were evaluated using the Manly’s standardized preference index. The results show that sheep prefer altitudes between 2400 and 2600 m; SE-, SW-, and E-facing sites; and slopes under 20%. The preferred pastures were Festucion eskiae, Primulion intricatae, and Nardion strictae; however, they reject Festucion scopariae communities. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of GPS and GIS technologies in monitoring free-ranging sheep activity, providing valuable data for enhancing pastoral practices and ensuring sustainable pasture use. 000135969 536__ $$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/E03-23R 000135969 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess$$aby$$uhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/ 000135969 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 000135969 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-4877-5249$$aBarrantes, Olivia$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000135969 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-9990-571X$$aReiné, Ramón$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000135969 7102_ $$15011$$2705$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. CC.Agrar.y Medio Natural$$cÁrea Producción Vegetal 000135969 773__ $$g14, 13 (2024), 1871 [16 pp.]$$pAnimals (Basel)$$tAnimals$$x2076-2615 000135969 8564_ $$s3082778$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/135969/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada 000135969 8564_ $$s2421730$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/135969/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada 000135969 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:135969$$particulos$$pdriver 000135969 951__ $$a2024-07-04-07:59:18 000135969 980__ $$aARTICLE