The Influence of Wild Ungulates on Forest Regeneration in an Alpine National Park

Abstract

The browsing of wild ungulates can have profound effects on the structure and composition of forests. In the Swiss National Park, the density of wild ungulates, including red deer (Cervus elaphus), ibex (Capra ibex), and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), is exceptionally high due to strict protection and the absence of large predators. We examined count data of larch (Larix decidua), cembra pine (Pinus cembra), spruce (Picea abies), upright mountain pine (Pinus mugo subsp. uncinata), and mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) of four sampling years between 1991 and 2021, and modelled how topographic and location factors affected the probability of browsing on saplings of larch, cembra pine, and spruce. Despite the high density of wild ungulates, the number of saplings and young trees has increased over the past 30 years. The probability of browsing on saplings was highest for larch at a height of 10–40 cm and increased with increasing elevation. In our study area, open grasslands are mainly located above the tree line, which might explain the positive correlation between elevation and the probability of browsing. Further, the probability of browsing was related to exposition and slope, diversity of tree species, and disturbance by humans. It appears that in the investigated part of the Swiss National Park, the potential of the forest to regenerate has increased despite the high densities of wild ungulates.