Winter severity and anthropogenic factors affect spatial behaviour of red deer in the Carpathians

Katarzyna Bojarska,Grzegorz Baś,Wiesław Król,Katarzyna Kurek,Izabela Wierzbowska,Stanisław Śnieżko,Ewa Zyśk-Gorczyńska,Henryk Okarma,Elżbieta Widera

doi:10.1007/s13364-020-00520-z

Katarzyna Bojarska, Grzegorz Baś + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-020-00520-z

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Abstract

Spatial ecology of red deer Cervus elaphus is shaped by both natural and anthropogenic factors. We used radio telemetry to investigate factors affecting habitat selection on two spatial scales, home range sizes and migratory behaviour of red deer (N = 8 individuals) in two mountain ranges of the western Carpathians in 2004–2007. The two study areas differed in terms of environmental conditions: Beskid Sądecki had higher altitudes, higher human population and road density and milder winters than Beskid Niski. Red deer in both areas selected forests and avoided agricultural habitats on both spatial scales. Elevation affected site selection only in Beskid Sądecki: deer selected higher altitudes for their home ranges, but lower altitudes within them. Deer avoided major roads when selecting their home ranges in both sites, but only in Beskid Sądecki, they also avoided roads within their home ranges. Deer in both study sites selected locations closer to supplementary feeding sites in winter. In years with more severe winters, deer in Beskid Niski displayed seasonal migration to south-facing slopes. Deer in Beskid Sadecki showed short-distance altitudinal movements from low elevations in winter to high elevations in summer, and a short-term descent to low elevations in August–September. Our results fit the general concept that climatic conditions and human-related factors shape spatial behaviour in ungulates, and that snow conditions are particularly important for migration. Climate change will likely contribute to diminishing migration in red deer in the Carpathians.

Highlights

Red deer Cervus elaphus is one of the most widespread wild ungulates in the world, and its spatial behaviour varies greatly throughout the species’ range (Clutton-Brock et al 1982)
21% of all telemetry locations in Beskid Sądecki and 4% of locations in Beskid Niski were closer than 200 m to another collared individual
Red deer used habitats in a non-random manner, but factors affecting habitat selection varied between spatial scales and study areas (Tables 2 and 3)

Summary

Introduction

Red deer Cervus elaphus is one of the most widespread wild ungulates in the world, and its spatial behaviour varies greatly throughout the species’ range (Clutton-Brock et al 1982). In mountainous environments with substantial spatiotemporal variation in seasonal availability of forage, red deer and other ungulates often display seasonal movements between high-elevation areas in summer and lower winter ranges (Luccarini et al 2006; Zweifel-Schielly et al 2009). Seasonal migration in ungulates is considered disappearing across the globe due to climate change, anthropogenic development and supplementary feeding (Bolger et al 2008; Sawyer et al 2013; Jones et al 2014). Studying migration behaviour of species under various environmental conditions may offer an excellent opportunity to better understand the effect of winter severity on migration and may help to predict future impact of climate change on animal populations (Brinkman et al 2005; Dingle and Drake 2007; Fieberg et al 2008; Rivrud et al 2010)

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