The model results demonstrated that vegetation type was the most
beneficial environmental factor in predicting suitable foraging habitats
for the two ungulates, and the contribution rate of the wapiti was 50%,
whereas that of the Siberian roe deer was 40.4%. Among these, evergreen
broadleaf and mixed conifer forests had the greatest impact, whereas
deciduous broadleaf forests had the least. Slope direction (21.9%) and
altitude (13.9%) were the key factors affecting the foraging habitat of
the wapiti, followed by aspect (13.9%), distance from road (4.8%), and
distance from water (3.6%). Slope direction (23%) and slope (21.5%)
were also key factors for Siberian roe deer; altitude (9.4%), distance
from roads (3.3%), and distance from water sources (2.4%) contributed
the least (Table 2).
TABLE 2 The Importance of Environmental Variables