Deer Abundance Research Articles

HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF THE SIKA DEER (CERVUS NIPPON) POPULATION ON THE GEOMETRID MOTHS FAUNA (LEPIDOPTERA: GEOMETRIDAE) OF THE ASKOLD ISLAND (PRIMORSKY KRAI)

Comparing of check lists of species of geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) collected on the Askold Island (Peter the Great Bay, Russian Far East) in 1878– 1873 and in 2021, revealed a low level of their intersection at 43.4%. An attempt to explain the significant historical change in the moth fauna by the impact on the ecosystems of the island of the local population of sika deer (Cervus nippon Temminck, 1838) was made. These deer here trends to episodic sharp increases in numbers, leading to significant damage to the vegetation cover on the island. Based on comparative areaological and ecological analyses of the old and new lists of geometrid moths, no changes have been identified that can be linked with the direct influence of deer on the population of the moths on the Askold Island. However, strong decline numbers of individuals during periods of high deer abundance, which draw indigenous populations of moths into an "extinction whirlpool", can explain the high rate of change of the moth fauna on the island.

Effects of understory characteristics on browsing patterns of roe deer in central European mountain forests.

Selective browsing by deer on young trees may impede the management goal of increasing forest resilience against climate change and other disturbances. Deer population density is often considered the main driver of browsing impacts on young trees, however, a range of other variables such as food availability also affect this relationship. In this study, we use browsing survey data from 135 research plots to explore patterns of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) browsing pressure on woody plants in mountainous forests in central Europe. We fitted species-specific generalised linear mixed models for eight woody taxa, assessing the potential effects of understory characteristics, roe deer abundance and lying deadwood on browsing intensity. Our study reveals conspecific and associational effects for woody taxa that are intermediately browsed by roe deer. Selective browsing pressure was mediated by preferences of plants, in that, browsing of strongly preferred woody taxa as for example mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) and of least preferred woody taxa, for example Norway spruce (Picea abies) was not affected by the surrounding understory vegetation, while browsing pressure on intermediately browsed species like for example silver fir (Abies alba) was affected by understory characteristics. Contrary to our expectations, roe deer abundance was only positively associated with browsing pressure on silver fir and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), while all other plants were unaffected by deer abundance. Finally, we did not find an influence of lying deadwood volume on the browsing pressure on any woody-plant species. Overall, our results indicate that patterns in browsing preference and intensity are species-specific processes and are partly affected by the surrounding understory vegetation. Current management strategies that aim to reduce browsing pressure through culling may be inefficient as they do not address other drivers of browsing pressure. However, managers also need to consider the characteristics of the local understory vegetation in addition to deer abundance and design species-specific plans to reduce browsing on woody plant taxa.

Spatiotemporal epizootiology of chronic wasting disease in Wisconsin deer

AbstractChronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease of cervids caused by a misfolded protein with no vaccines or other cures to prevent infection and death. In the past decade, CWD has been recognized as one of the 10 most important challenges facing wildlife management. This paper evaluates the temporal and spatial patterns of CWD prevalence in southern Wisconsin white‐tailed deer during the past 20 years. In most CWD areas, prevalence progresses from introduction to enzootic equilibrium in 15–20 years. In some monitoring areas, the disease grows at a much slower rate and remains below the equilibrium levels. Outbreaks are characterized by four distinct epizootic stages. Disease establishment (Stage 1) depends on the distance from a CWD focus. High rates of incidence and prevalence growth (Stage 2) are followed by slower growth as the relative number of susceptible deer declines (Stage 3). The rate of prevalence increase over time is higher in more forested ecoregions and in males (0.48 vs. 0.43) but similar in females (0.43 vs. 0.37) and yearlings (0.44 vs. 0.39). Habitat features, acting as surrogates for deer behavior and contact, may affect the rate of prevalence growth at a landscape (ecoregion) scale. Additionally, prevalence may be affected by deer management practices that favor higher deer abundance and more mature males. Finally, enzootic equilibrium (Stage 4) is higher in males (0.5), followed by females (0.36) and then yearlings (0.26). These equilibrium prevalence levels are high enough to have significant population impacts, reduce the abundance of mature males, and facilitate CWD spread by infected yearlings. Epizootic patterns suggest that CWD transmission has been frequency‐dependent and primarily driven by direct contact with infected deer. Evidence for a meaningful change in the epizootic pattern from a 10‐year management program to reduce deer abundance is lacking. The trajectory of CWD dynamics in Wisconsin suggests rapid growth in regional prevalence following introduction and increased spread across the landscape.

Tree species size class patterns portend compositional shifts and low resilience in managed northern hardwood forests

AbstractDeclining temperate forest biodiversity is a global challenge to future sustainability and resilience. Canopy tree diversity has declined in northern hardwood forests (NHFs) of the Great Lakes region since European colonization, with current tree regeneration patterns suggesting this trend may continue. However, regional (106 ha) patterns and drivers are underexplored. We used data from 141 managed NHF stands, Michigan, USA, to examine diversity indices across tree size classes (seedling, sapling, and canopy); stand‐level drivers of regeneration (seedling and sapling) diversity and individual species density; and patterns among species in relative abundances across size classes. Diversity was similar across size classes (mean asymptotic species richness of 6–7 species and <3 effective common species); however, some species contributing to sapling diversity are unlikely to contribute to future canopy diversity (Fraxinus americana and Fagus grandifolia, insect/pathogen limited; Ostrya virginiana, small maximum size). For the 11 most common species, conspecific canopy density (+, seedlings, significant for 10 species) and stand basal area (−, saplings, 3 species) most consistently associated with density; deer use, site quality, and substrate were less predictive. Patterns of relative density by size class among 18 species present on >10% of sites were consistent with species life history strategy and/or establishment/recruitment barriers. For seven species (including Tsuga canadensis, Betula alleghaniensis), relative density was lowest in the seedling layer, suggesting seedling establishment substrate and/or early shade mortality limitations. For two species (Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra), reduced sapling relative density compared with seedling or canopy strata suggests a sapling recruitment bottleneck from deer browsing/shade, whereas six species (e.g., F. grandifolia, O. virginiana, Pinus strobus) had highest relative density for saplings, suggesting sapling to canopy recruitment limitations. Lastly, seedlings were relatively most dense for Acer rubrum and Prunus spp., indicating disproportionally high seedling establishment, if not sapling or canopy recruitment, and for F. americana, consistent with recent pest‐related canopy mortality. Collectively our analyses suggest sustained low diversity and shifting composition are driven by limited local seed availability, limited seedling establishment substrate, deep shading, and abundant deer. Management aimed at overcoming these limitations may be necessary to promote future NHF resilience.

Horse fly and deer fly (Diptera: Tabanidae) species and abundance following logging in northwestern Ontario

Horse flies and deer flies are important components of habitat for many species, but how logging may alter the communities of biting flies in the boreal forest is largely unexplored. Such knowledge is important to conservation, because biting flies can shape the behaviour and sometimes even the demography of vertebrates in the boreal forest. We compared the abundance and distribution of Tabanidae species in managed boreal forest stands in northwestern Ontario with three harvest histories. Using sweep nets during 2 summers, we collected specimens from forest stands that were young (harvested 20–35 years ago), intermediate (harvested 36–69 years ago), and old (unharvested or harvested ≥ 70 years ago). We tested the hypothesis that greater harassment potential in young stands was due not only to more abundant tabanids, but more abundant obligate blood-feeding (anautogenous) tabanids, which are more persistent in host seeking. We caught 8,895 specimens from 44 species. The oldest stands had the highest species richness, but the lowest abundance of individuals, whereas young stands had the highest relative abundance and the most anautogenous specimens, potentially causing more stress to hosts in young stands. These results demonstrate that forest harvesting may reduce habitat suitability for many large mammals due to an altered tabanid community.

Scanning sympatric sika deer and Japanese serows using drones: A methodological trial in Mt. Asama, Central Japan

AbstractThe negative impacts of sika deer (Cervus nippon) on Japanese serows (Capricornis crispus) are a subject of concern in the mountainous regions of Japan. To develop a methodology to collect information with regard to the abundance and habitat selection of sympatric large mammals using drones (unmanned aerial vehicles; UAVs) equipped with thermal infrared and red‐green‐blue (RGB) sensors, surveys were conducted at night and in the early morning in a high mountainous habitat. Despite the similar size and shape in thermal infrared images for sika deer and Japanese serows, species identification based on body color using RGB images was possible during the period from dawn to early morning. The UAV surveys also revealed the large abundance of deer (>40 deer/km2) and suggested different habitat selection between deer and serows in the alpine grassland. Our results were the first snapshots of sympathetic deer and serow distribution. UAV surveys using both thermal infrared and RGB sensors in early morning could be useful for research and monitoring of large mammals in open areas, such as grasslands, marshlands, high mountains, farmlands and drylands.

Spatial variation in red deer density in a transboundary forest ecosystem

Forests in Europe are exposed to increasingly frequent and severe disturbances. The resulting changes in the structure and composition of forests can have profound consequences for the wildlife inhabiting them. Moreover, wildlife populations in Europe are often subjected to differential management regimes as they regularly extend across multiple national and administrative borders. The red deer Cervus elaphus population in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem, straddling the Czech-German border, has experienced forest disturbances, primarily caused by windfalls and bark beetle Ips typographus outbreaks during the past decades. To adapt local management strategies to the changing environmental conditions and to coordinate them across the international border, reliable estimates of red deer density and abundance are highly sought-after by policymakers, wildlife managers, and stakeholders. Covering a 1081-km2 study area, we conducted a transnational non-invasive DNA sampling study in 2018 that yielded 1578 genotyped DNA samples from 1120 individual red deer. Using spatial capture-recapture models, we estimated total and jurisdiction-specific abundance of red deer throughout the ecosystem and quantified the role of forest disturbance and differential management strategies in shaping spatial heterogeneity in red deer density. We hypothesised that (a) forest disturbances provide favourable habitat conditions (e.g., forage and cover), and (b) contrasting red deer management regimes in different jurisdictions create a differential risk landscape, ultimately shaping density distributions. Overall, we estimated that 2851 red deer (95% Credible Interval = 2609–3119) resided in the study area during the sampling period, with a relatively even overall sex ratio (1406 females, 95% CI = 1229–1612 and 1445 males, 95% CI = 1288–1626). The average red deer density was higher in Czechia (3.5 km−2, 95% CI = 1.2–12.3) compared to Germany (2 km−2, 95% CI = 0.2–11). The effect of forest disturbances on red deer density was context-dependent. Forest disturbances had a positive effect on red deer density at higher elevations and a negative effect at lower elevations, which could be explained by partial migration and its drivers in this population. Density of red deer was generally higher in management units where hunting is prohibited. In addition, we found that sex ratios differed between administrative units and were more balanced in the non-intervention zones. Our results show that the effect of forest disturbances on wild ungulates is modulated by additional factors, such as elevation and ungulate management practices. Overall density patterns and sex ratios suggested strong gradients in density between administrative units. With climate change increasing the severity and frequency of forest disturbances, population-level monitoring and management are becoming increasingly important, especially for wide-ranging species as both wildlife and global change transcend administrative boundaries.

Impact of white-tailed deer on northern white cedar recruitment beyond the browsing vulnerability zone: A broad-scale study

By selectively feeding on the new vegetation from forest regeneration, cervids influence the abundance of understory species. This can lead to recruitment failure for the consumed species. The impact of cervids on regeneration is generally studied at fine scales, making it difficult to generalize about the species distribution scale for co-occurring cervid and tree species. This is especially problematic for species such as northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.), which is susceptible to browsing and has been declining throughout much of its range. In our study, we aimed to determine the effect of the spatio-temporal variations in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman) abundance on northern white cedar recruitment over a broad spatial scale. We combined distinct forest and wildlife monitoring databases for two Canadian provinces, Québec and New Brunswick. We also surveyed cedar regeneration and deer browsing pressure in a subset of plots located in Québec. In both provinces, we detected a negative effect of deer abundance and deeryard proximity on the recruitment of cedar saplings. In Québec, local deer browsing pressure also had a negative effect on cedar seedling abundance. As deer browsing pressure can vary considerably over a short distance, we recommend the inclusion of browsing indicators in national forest surveys to precisely assess the impact of browsing on regeneration and recruitment. This would allow managers to identify areas that are highly vulnerable to browsing and adapt forest management accordingly to reduce browsing-induced regeneration failures.

Herbaceous plant height is an early indicator of groundlayer response to an experimental manipulation of forest structure and deer pressure

There is growing interest in adapting forest management to increase diversity, in both composition and structure, to restore old-growth characteristics and to build resiliency against anthropogenic disturbances. In order to determine appropriate interventions, managers need to evaluate the quality of natural areas but efficient and effective measurements are elusive. Using a suite of herbaceous species and measuring their responses to experimental treatments, we aim to assess (1) the sensitivity of different metrics and (2) the current and likely future effects of gap-generating disturbances and abundant deer on the understory of a northern hardwood forest in Wisconsin, USA. More specifically, we investigated plant cover, density, height, aggregate height and the proportion of individuals producing flowers/fruits under unmanipulated canopies v. three gap sizes, with and without downed woody material (DWM) additions, and inside v. outside of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) exclusion fences, approximately seven years after treatment. The effects were taxon-specific with Anemone quinquefolia, Arisaema triphyllum, Laportea canadensis and Trillium grandiflorum being most responsive to canopy structure, Impatiens spp. and T. grandiflorum to deer pressure, and A. triphyllum, Impatiens spp., L. canadensis and Sanguinaria canadensis to canopy structure in combination with DWM. Cover was least responsive to treatments, density and proportion of sexually reproducing individuals sometimes differed, but height was overall the best metric. Mean height and maximum height showed similar results so we suggest that managers focus on measuring maximum height to limit sampling time. We also draw attention to the importance of retaining and/or creating DWM which has long been recognized as an important structural feature promoting diversity in natural forests. In the present study, DWM additions appeared to play a role in mitigating microclimates and/or deer pressure for multiple herbaceous species.

Effect of Deer and Forest Edge on Understory Plant Communities

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) impact the ecological integrity of eastern deciduous forests by modifying plant community composition and structure. Previous studies have shown that overabundant deer can negatively impact the recruitment and persistence of both woody and herbaceous plants. However, the strength and nature of these interactions can depend on habitat context. Forest edges provide favorable habitat for deer along with many introduced plant species, and have the potential to modify the nature of deer impacts. Here, we explore whether forest edges shape the impacts of deer on plant communities within the forest landscape. Specifically, we excluded deer, or, alternatively, allowed deer access, in plots along the edge and within the interior of two northern hardwood forests. Background deer abundance in these forests was approximately 6–12 individuals per km2. After eight years of exclusion, we surveyed plant communities within plots to assess the impacts of deer on plant community composition across the forested landscape. We found that the impacts of deer were robust across habitat context within the forest, with relatively weak impacts on cover and richness of both native and introduced species. Edge habitat, on the other hand, had strong impacts on cover of both native and introduced species, as well as woody and herbaceous species, but the magnitude of these impacts was variable across the two forest sites. This work suggests that deer can have modest impacts when at relatively low densities, and that these effects can be consistent across forest habitat types, while forest fragmentation and subsequent generation of edge habitat can be an important driver of composition in the forest understory.

Examination of the Appropriate Inference Procedure in a Model Structure for Harvest-Based Estimation of Sika Deer Abundance

（要旨）．ニホンジカ個体数推定のためのHarvest-based modelsにおける適切なモデル設計の検討．Harvest-based models（HBMs）を用いて野生動物の適切な個体数推定値を得るためには，モデルの構造とデータの特性を理解することが必要である．これらに対する理解が不十分な場合，適切な推定値を得られないリスクが大きくなる．本研究では，狩猟メッシュを単位とした空間解像度の高いHBMsを複数構築してニホンジカ個体数の推定を試み，モデル構造とデータの質が個体数推定値に及ぼす影響を明らかにすることを目指した．データとして，岐阜県が収集したモニタリングデータと，筆者らが収集した観測データを用いた．モデル構造（観測モデルにおける過分散の考慮の有無）とデータ（追加観測データの有無）の組み合わせにより，4つのHBMsを構築し個体数推定を試みた．その結果，4つのモデルのうち，精度の低いデータに対する観測モデルのみに過分散を設定した2つのモデルでは妥当なニホンジカ個体数が推定された．一方，すべての観測モデルで過分散を考慮した他の2つのモデルではパラメータは収束せず，また個体数推定値は過大であった．本研究の結果から，ある時点で利用可能なデータからHBMsを用いて野生動物の個体数を適切に推定するためには，モデル構造とデータの特性に対する理解が不可欠であることが確認された．

Kinship analysis reveals low dispersal in a hog deer (Axis porcinus) population in Wilsons Promontory National Park, Australia

Context A wild population of non-native hog deer has established in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia, and there is particular concern about its impact on native vegetation in Wilsons Promontory National Park (WPNP). Since 2015, there has been annual culling of hog deer at WPNP to reduce deer abundances and impacts. Aims The aims of this study were to use a kinship approach based on genotyping to assess contemporary dispersal of hog deer across WPNP, by identifying close kin, to determine whether dispersal of deer into culled sites from unculled sites may affect the long-term success of management there. Differences in the dispersal of male and female hog deer were also investigated. Methods In total, 91 hog deer tissue samples were collected across WPNP and surrounding sites. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were sequenced, and a final dataset comprising 8275 SNPs was used for analysis. First-order, second-order, and intermediate relative pairs were identified, and the geographic distance between these pairs was assessed to determine inter-pair distances to infer dispersal. Spatial autocorrelation between male and female samples was evaluated to measure the effects of sex-biased dispersal. Key results Only seven second-order relative pairs were found across different sites, with a 30 km distance between the furthest pair observed. However, most inter-pair distances across sites were ~5–10 km. Analyses of sex-biased dispersal showed that movement by deer was not strongly influenced by one sex. Conclusions Although hog deer in WPNP are genetically similar, most relatives that were sampled were not widely dispersed. This suggests that there is limited dispersal of hog deer across this park. Implications Recolonisation of hog deer at culled sites via dispersal is likely to be infrequent in WPNP. Kinship analysis provides an effective method of assessing contemporary dispersal and could be applied to other species to assess fine-scale movement across landscapes.

Олень шляхетний (Cervus elaphus) Чорнобильського радіаційно-екологічного заповідника: моніторинг, екологія, поведінка

Data on the number, monitoring system, ecology, and behaviour of red deer are presented. The most effective survey methods of the number and spatial distribution of deer turned out to be the survey of the number per roar (during the mating season) and transect survey for piles of faeces. The most significant factors limiting the population were established: wolf predation, the spread of invasive tree species, clonal marten grass, weak recovery of heather on the fires, and changes in behaviour (digging wells-watering holes). Under the conditions of the Chernobyl Reserve, the species is an effective ecosystem engineer able to a certain extent to restrain undesirable phenomena of ecosystem development. But this species is not able to independently restore degraded ecosystems, and in the Chernobyl Reserve, special projects are needed to restore natural forests, grazing areas for ungulates, and degraded ecosystems. Photos of antlers of adult deer makes it possible to reliably identify them. The specific shape of the antlers is preserved in the following year with the possibility of identification. The process of deer reintroduction in the Chornobyl Reserve, after the phase of intensive population growth, entered a state of dynamic equilibrium of the predator-prey system. After the fall in the number of wild boars (Sus scrofa) in 2015 the pressure of wolf predation probably increased. The current abundance of deer in the exclusion zone fluctuates around 30% throughout the year and is 3.8–2.6 thousand individuals with a population of about 3.4 thousand individuals during rut. Foraging conditions for deer and other herbivores slowly deteriorate over time due to the overgrowth of fallows with pine (Pinus sylvestris), expansion of invasive trees and clonal marten grass (Calamagrostis epigejos). Fires on a large area with piles of wood do not contribute to the creation of mosaic productive biotopes for deer. In the future, the number of deer and other herbivores may increase in the case of successful implementation of re-wilding projects, restoration of heather wastelands, natural forests, reduction of the spread of martens, introduction of a system of targeted fires to create patches of early successional vegetation. The creation of a scientific hub in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, the involvement of volunteers in monitoring work, and the development of ecotourism will contribute to the strengthening of technical capabilities of conducting fieldwork, attracting volunteers and funding for restoration projects.

Comparing fecal DNA capture‐recapture to mark‐resight for estimating abundance of mule deer on winter ranges

AbstractMonitoring big game populations is necessary for making well‐informed management decisions. In the eastern Sierra Nevada in California, USA, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) herds have been monitored using traditional mark‐resight methods on winter ranges since the 1990s. Although mark‐resight methods work well for estimating abundance, animal capture for marking is expensive, invasive, and risky. We were motivated to evaluate fecal DNA‐based capture‐recapture for estimating abundance on winter ranges based on the effectiveness of this new technique in other populations in California. This method has been successful for estimating abundance when animals are concentrated around a required resource or pellets are collected from game trails, but it has not been evaluated using randomly selected transects on winter ranges where traditional methods work well. We compared precision (CV) and cost of fecal DNA capture‐recapture surveys to aerial mark‐resight surveys for estimating population abundance. In the Round Valley and Goodale study areas in the eastern Sierra Nevada, we conducted annual aerial mark‐resight surveys and collected fecal pellet samples in Round Valley during winter 2020. We genotyped fecal DNA from pellets to identify unique individuals and sex. Population abundance estimates from aerial mark‐resight surveys were more precise in Round Valley (CV = 6.6%) compared to abundance estimates from fecal DNA capture‐recapture (CV = 20.4%). But based on simulations from Round Valley data, to obtain the same CV (CV = 10%), fecal DNA capture‐recapture was about 63% less expensive than aerial mark‐resight using very high frequency collars and 70% less expensive than aerial mark‐resight using global positioning system collars. In contrast, fecal DNA capture‐recapture did not succeed in the Goodale study area because of weather and logistical constraints. Determining which method is best depends on the situation, but fecal DNA capture‐recapture provides another tool for estimating population size on winter range. We conclude that fecal DNA capture‐recapture is a cost‐effective alternative for estimating abundance of ungulates on winter ranges when weather is not limiting and when researchers can survey an adequate proportion of the study area and collect an adequate number of samples.

A sampling strategy for habitat selection, mapping, and abundance estimation of deer by pellet counts

AbstractWe propose a design‐based strategy to exploit pellet group counts performed within plots of a prefixed size using the clearance count technique with the purposes of analyzing habitat selection, mapping the pellet group presence throughout the study area, and estimating the abundance of deer populations. As is customary in design‐based inference, the strategy is free of model assumptions, and the precision and statistical consistency of the proposed estimators are determined by the probabilistic sampling scheme adopted to locate plots. The unique necessary assumptions are the absence of migratory movements during the survey period, the accurate recording of the number of pellet groups deposited within sample plots between the 2 visits, and a precise approximation of the daily defecation rate of the population. In addition to these assumptions, which can be attained by a suitable design of the survey, the statistical soundness of the strategy rests on the use of tessellation stratified sampling, a stratified sampling scheme that ensures an even distribution of plots throughout the study area. The scheme also allows for the estimation of the standard errors and the construction of confidence intervals without involving any other assumptions. We applied this strategy in summer 2019 in a protected area of a Mediterranean coastal region to estimate the density of a fallow deer (Dama dama) population. We estimated the corresponding standard error considering the uncertainty entailed by the estimation of the daily defecation rate, with the purpose of performing reliable monitoring. The proposed strategy provided precise estimates of deer abundance and is readily implementable in the field, standardized, and easily repeatable over time, thus allowing reliable monitoring and comparisons across time and space, which are fundamental attributes for management of deer populations.

The Significance of Supply Chain Research on Deer Season

The success of parasitic nematodes comes at a cost to humans, including a negative impact on human health, as well as a negative impact on plant and livestock productivity in the form of costly invoices from parasite control businesses. Anthelmintic medications are necessary for the management of animal nematodes that are parasitic. Certain species of the nematode that can infect livestock tend to only parasitize a single host, and they are only occasionally discovered in different hosts. White-tailed deer directly affect many aspects of our lives, particularly hunters, farmers, foresters, motorists, gardeners, and homeowners are all impacted by deer abundance levels. This could be through car deer collisions, crop damage, loss of desirable landscaping, disease transmission, or over- browsed woodlands. The intake of deer meat by humans has been linked in some cases to the transmission of Mycobacterium bovis and another significant zoonotic disease. Deer serves as reservoir hosts for both of these pathogens. Hepatitis E, which is formed from genotypes of the hepatitis E virus (HEV), and it is increasing in red deer, but the prevalence of it in white-tailed deer is unknown. Hepatitis E can be transmitted to humans by the consumption of deer meat. White-tailed deer conservationists could improve their supply-chain management tactics by utilizing this data.

Preliminary research on the relationship between tick and deer abundance on Tsushima Islands, western Japan

Preliminary research on the relationship between tick and deer abundance on Tsushima Islands, western Japan

Top-down and bottom-up forces explain patch utilization by two deer species and forest recruitment

Ungulates play an important role in temperate systems. Through their feeding behaviour, they can respond to vegetation by selecting patches or modify vegetation composition by herbivory. The degree in which they interact with vegetation can either reinforce landscape heterogeneity by creating disturbance or reduce heterogeneity in case of overbrowsing. This study evaluates how bottom-up (patch quality, structure), top-down forces (hunting, distance to village, forest edge) and deer features (feeding type, abundance) mediate patch utilization in a temperate forest and assess the implications of patch utilization and light on forest recruitment. Theory predicts that animals seek to maximize their energetic gains by food intake while minimizing the costs associated to foraging, such as the energy required for avoiding predators and exploiting resources. We focused on two deer species with contrasting feeding type: a browser (C. capreolus) and a mixed feeder (C. elaphus). We paired camera traps to vegetation sub-plots in ten forest sites in the Netherlands that widely ranged in deer abundance and landscape heterogeneity. Results showed that patch utilization is simultaneously explained by bottom-up, top-down forces and by deer abundance, as predicted by the safety-in-numbers hypothesis. Yet, forces best explaining patch utilization differed between deer species. Overall, higher patch utilization came with higher browsing, lower tree diversity and a large difference in forest composition: from a mix of broadleaves and conifers towards only conifers. We conclude that these two deer species, although living in the same area and belonging to the same guild, differentially perceive, interact with and shape their surrounding landscape.

Estimation of ungulate population density in Kazakhstan: Case study from foothill ecosystems

Data on wildlife abundance is an important indicator both for the species concerned and the stability of entire ecosystems as well as for sustainable game management. Therefore, the abundance of ungulate game was verified in a foothill region of Kazakhstan. The methods of thermal imagery and faecal pellet group (FPG) census on transects were compared. The results obtained by the FPG counting method for moose (Alces alces, 0.34 individuals per 100 ha) and maral deer (Cervus elaphus sibiricus, 0.04 individuals per 100 ha) were relatively consistent with the data reported by the hunting ground tenants. Only one moose was detected by the thermal imaging transect count method. The results show that deer and moose abundance in Kazakhstan is significantly lower than in Central and Eastern Europe. Thus, for Kazakhstan, the method of FPG counting is well applicable for both routine and control counts. Detailed data on game populations can be obtained using the camera trap counting method, which has not been verified in Kazakhstan as yet.

Rapid increase in sensitive indicator plants concurrent with deer management in an oak forest landscape

AbstractWildlife managers are implementing programs to reduce abundant populations of large herbivores, such as white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in eastern North America, with renewed research interest in understanding these programs' ecological effects. To examine plant community change following culling of white‐tailed deer in oak (Quercus spp.) forests in Ohio, USA, we measured browse severity on tree seedlings and cover of 43 deer‐sensitive, native indicator plant species across 20 years spanning pre‐ (2002–2015) and post‐ (2016–2021) deer culling periods. After culling halved deer abundance from 16.7 deer/km2 to 8.6 deer/km2, browse patterns on tree seedlings reversed from most seedlings exhibiting browse damage to most being undamaged. Cover of deer‐sensitive indicator plants increased 7‐fold in the 6 years after deer culling. Five of 6 indicator plant groups (e.g., Liliaceae) and 32 of 43 indicator species (74%) increased in cover after deer culling. Rhizomatous, clonally reproducing and early flowering (May–Jun) species were generally most responsive. The rapid increase in deer‐sensitive plants after deer culling in our study is among the fastest and largest reported among eastern North American studies. The plant community resilience observed in this study could partly relate to the relatively short duration (~10 yr) that deer populations were elevated before culling began, allowing persistence of local plant regeneration potential. Deer culling enabled a moderate deer population to coexist with a rising sensitive plant population.