Ecological factors influencing winter field sign abundance of Korean water deer Hydropotes inermis argyropus in a temperate forest in South Korea

Abstract

The objective of this study was to clarify ecological factors influencing winter field sign abundance of Korean water deer Hydropotes inermis argyropus in a temperate forest on Mt. Maehwa, Hongcheon, South Korea. There were significant differences in four variables of cover and three variables of forage between the different topographic features, part from the midstory vegetation coverage. Most of the winter field signs of Korean water deer were observed on the ridge. The abundance of feces and total field signs of Korean water deer varied considerably between the topographical features. The understory vegetation, midstory vegetation, forb and shrub coverage, topography, understory vegetation × topography, midstory vegetation × topography, and shrub × topography were higher value of relative variable importance among habitat variables. Understory and midstory vegetation coverage, forage and topography were important ecological factors for affecting winter field sign abundance of Korean water deer.