Estimating Abundance of Siberian Roe Deer Using Fecal-DNA Capture-Mark-Recapture in Northeast China.

Yuehui Li,Long Chen,Yuanman Hu,Yueyuan Li,Nana Li,Zaiping Xiong

doi:10.3390/ani10071135

Abstract

Simple SummaryEstimation of population abundance or density is necessary for managing deer populations. However, there is no estimation of Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) in the Lesser Xing’an Mountains, northeast China where the density of roe deer is much lower than that of European or North American populations. We used fecal-DNA capture-mark-recapture to estimate the abundance and density in Liangshui National Nature Reserve. We collected 422 fecal pellet groups during two sampling periods in 2016, identified them to be 77 individuals by the DNA microsatellite technique and estimated the abundance of roe deer to be 87 deer (80–112, 95% CI) using the Program CAPTURE. Density was estimated to be 2.9 deer/km2 (2.7–3.7, 95% CI). Our study estimated the roe deer population abundance by a feces-based capture-mark-recapture approach in northeast China, successfully demonstrating the applicability of this feces sampling method in monitoring deer populations in this area. It also contributes to the development of low-density deer population ecology and management.It is necessary to estimate the population abundance of deer for managing their populations. However, most estimates are from high-density populations inhabiting the forests of North America or Europe; there is currently a lack of necessary knowledge regarding low-density deer populations in different forest habitats. In this article, we used fecal DNA based on the capture-mark-recapture method to estimate the population abundance of Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) in Liangshui National Nature Reserve in the Lesser Xing’an Mountains, northeast China, where the deer population was found to be of a low density by limited studies. We used a robust survey design to collect 422 fecal pellet groups in 2016 and extracted DNA from those samples, generating 265 different genotypes; we thus identified 77 deer individuals based on six microsatellite markers (Roe1, Roe8, Roe9, BM757, MB25 and OarFCB304). With capture and recapture records of these 77 individuals, the abundance of roe deer was estimated to be 87 deer (80–112, 95% CI) using the Program CAPTURE. Using an effective sampling area which resulted from the mean maximum recapture distance (MMRD), we converted the population abundance to a density of 2.9 deer/km2 (2.7–3.7, 95% CI). Our study estimated the roe deer population abundance by a feces-based capture-mark-recapture approach in northeast China, successfully demonstrating the applicability of non-invasive genetic sampling in monitoring populations of deer in this area, which contributes to the development of low-density deer population ecology and management.

Highlights

Estimating population abundance or density is one of the basic requirements for wildlife research because it is important to understand a population’s structure and dynamics and how that population reacts to the environment [1,2]
Our study suggests that the fecal-DNA capture-mark-recapture method is effective in the low-density roe deer population area, providing a feasible and efficient sampling design and genetic analysis
The fecal-DNA capture-mark-recapture method is found to be effective in the dense forest landscape of the Lesser Xing’an Mountains, northeast China, where the roe deer appear to be at a low density and are difficult to observe

Summary

Introduction

Estimating population abundance or density is one of the basic requirements for wildlife research because it is important to understand a population’s structure and dynamics and how that population reacts to the environment [1,2]. It is common to see a deer density in excess of 10 deer/km2 —even up to more than 25 deer/km2 —in the United States or Europe [7,8]. In those areas, deer abundances, even sex-specific or habitat-specific abundance, have been intensively monitored by various methods in order to facilitate deer management, limiting or controlling their population size within bounds [4,9]. Very little research has been conducted in low-density deer population areas where the population abundance is urgently required for effective management [10]. More studies are needed to support the roe deer restoration regionally

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