Assessment of browsing biomass, nutritive value and carrying capacity of shrublands for red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) management in Monfragüe Natural Park (SW Spain)

Abstract

Relationships between shrub browsing biomass (BB) and the morphological variables maximum height (H), relative height (RH), maximum diameter (D1) and minimum diameter (D2) were determined using stepwise multiple logarithmic regressions in shrublands composed of three dominant species, black heather (Erica australis L.), wild olive tree (Olea sylvestris Miller) and phillyrea (Phillyrea angustifolia L.), from the Monfragüe Natural Park in south-western Spain. Significant statistical analyses indicate that these models can be used for the determination of BB for the three dominant species. Analysis of the leaves of the three species were undertaken to determine the following nutritional parameters: minerals, ashes, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, crude protein, crude fat and metabolizable energy. Results of BB together with the nutritional analysis, the acceptability of each species and the demand of metabolizable energy of deer were used in the determination of carrying capacity for three periods: maintenance (1·28 deer ha−1), lactation (0·78 deer ha−1) and gestation (0·99 deer ha−1). These results are only applicable to 22% of the Monfragüe Natural Park (south-western Spain) where these shrublands occur.