Hunting Conditions Research Articles

Assessing microhabitat, landscape features and intraguild relationships in the occupancy of the enigmatic and threatened Andean tiger cat (Leopardus tigrinus pardinoides) in the cloud forests of northwestern Colombia.

Mesocarnivores play a key role in ecosystem dynamics through the regulation of prey populations and are sensitive to environmental changes; thus, they are often considered good model organisms for conservation planning. However, data regarding the factors that influence the habitat use of threatened small wild felids such as the Andean tiger cat (Leopardus tigrinus pardinoides) are scarce. We conducted a two-year survey with 58 camera trap stations to evaluate the determinants of Andean tiger cat habitat use in three protected areas in the Middle Cauca, Colombia. We developed site occupancy models and found that Andean tiger cat habitat use increased with leaf litter depth at intermediate elevations and far from human settlements. Through conditional cooccurrence models, we found that Andean tiger cat habitat use was invariant to the presence of prey or potential intraguild competitors and killers/predators, but its detectability increased when they were present and detected. This suggests that Andean tiger cats may be more likely to be detected in sites with high prey availability. We found that Andean tiger cats preferred sites with deep leaf litter, which is a particular feature of cloud forests that provides suitable conditions for ambush hunting and hiding from intraguild enemies. Our results showed that Andean tiger cats avoided human settlements, which may minimize potential mortality risks in those areas. Moreover, the restricted use of middle elevations by Andean tiger cats suggested that they could be used as a sentinel species to track the effects of climate change since their suitable habitat is likely to be projected upward in elevation. Future conservation actions must be focused on identifying and mitigating human-related threats close to the Andean tiger cat habitat while preserving microhabitat conditions and the existing networks of protected areas.

Patterns of predation by the Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx throughout its range: ecological and conservation implications

ABSTRACT Predation on ungulates exposes large predators to conflicts with farmers and hunters if they kill livestock and shared game species. Therefore, it is crucial to know the drivers of predation on large prey, understand how they differ from predation on smaller prey and reveal general large‐scale patterns. We tested three hypotheses in the global Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx population: 1) consumption of ungulates and hares increases with their densities, 2) effects of predictors on ungulate and hare predation differ between continents, latitudes, longitudes and landscapes, 3) effects of predictors are generally applicable regardless of study materials (scats, carcasses and intestinal tracts). We collected information from 70 publications, including data from 174 study cases (107 from Europe and 67 from Asia) and 114 sites in 30 countries, mainly Russia (73 cases and 46 sites). Linear regression of logit‐transformed data and logistic regression were used to test the hypotheses. We found that ungulates made up more than half of the lynx diet in areas containing at least 570 individual ungulates/100 km2 and/or located south of 56°N. Predominance of ungulates in the diet could be related to the higher availability of the main medium‐sized ungulate prey species, and to the presence of (mixed) broadleaf deciduous forests with open spaces providing optimal hunting conditions. No significant effects on hare consumption by lynx were revealed, possibly because of a small sample size of hare density data from lynx habitats, fluctuations and instability of hares as a food resource, declines of some hare populations and separation in habitat use by lynx and hares. We conclude that the Eurasian lynx is an adaptable predator, not a lagomorph specialist; throughout its range, the lynx takes ungulates according to their availability. The use of practical nonlethal interventions is important to limit the availability of domestic ungulates (livestock and game) for predation by lynx, and to promote human‐lynx coexistence.

Influence of extreme and typical rainfall on nestling body condition of the endangered Norfolk Island Morepork: conservation implications of climate change

ABSTRACT Species on small, isolated islands are particularly prone to extinction from human-related threats including climate change. As a case study, we investigated body condition of nestlings of the critically endangered, conservation-dependent subspecies of Tasman Moreporks Ninox novaeseelandiae on Norfolk Island. Annual productivity is low, with only 53 fledglings produced on the island 1989–2007, two in 2019 and an unknown number between. As predicted under climate change, the island is experiencing increasingly drier conditions and more extreme precipitation events. It was postulated that this would negatively impact on body condition. A condition index for 48 nestlings was positively correlated with typical annual rainfall (<1500 mm), but depressed in years of extreme precipitation (>1871 mm). Optimal nestling condition coincided with long-term, median annual rainfall and female nestlings were in better condition than males. The timing of breeding became progressively later over the study period. These results are interpreted as food resource-related, via prey availability and hunting conditions. Implications include that in dry years and under very wet conditions, some adult females may be unable to put on sufficient weight to attempt to reproduce and those that do breed may produce fewer nestlings, and, importantly, that the current population may be around capacity. Conservation efforts should take into consideration the impacts of climate change, particularly on small, human-impacted islands, where species face interacting threats, and resources and options for adaptation are severely limited.

ENGLISH-2 The Jurisdiction and Conditions for Hunting of Animals in Islam

Islam is the last beloved religion of Allah and its teachings are according to nature. That is why Islamic teachings regarding hunting animals are also very balanced. Although the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) have permitted the hunting of animals, this is conditional permission in this regard. Muslim jurists explained the various dimensions and circumstances of hunting animals with their domains and commandments. This article describes all such conditions, permissions, domains, and limitations that Islam has given for the hunting of animals.

Improving Hunted Wild Boar Carcass Hygiene: Roles of Different Factors Involved in the Harvest Phase.

Game meat production strongly differs from that of other meats, as peculiar factors present in the field and in the steps prior to transfer to a game-handling establishment can influence the hygiene of the carcasses and, therefore, of the meat. The effects of such factors were considered in hunted wild boars based on the main hygienic criteria adopted in meat processing. Environmental, animal, and hunting conditions were studied during two selective hunting seasons in Central Italy. A total of 120 hunted wild boar carcasses were sampled after the skinning process and analyzed for aerobic colony count, Enterobacteriaceae count, and Salmonella spp. isolation. The calculated mean values for aerobic colony and Enterobacteriaceae counts were 3.66 and 2.05 CFU/cm2, respectively, in line with the limits set for the meat of other ungulates by EU legislation. Salmonella spp. showed a prevalence of 2.5% (IC 95%: 1.72–3.27%). Statistical analysis of the data performed with the AIC criterion showed that the main parameter to consider for improving the hygienic level of carcasses is to reduce the time in the refrigerator before skinning, followed by hunting on cold days (<10 °C) without rain, hunting animals <60 kg, and reducing the time between shooting and evisceration.

Новоземельские и шпицбергенские зверобойные артели в XIX – начале XX века: правовой статус и внутренняя организация

During the 19th and early 20th centuries in the Arkhangelsk North, sea fishing and hunting were exercised by artels (collective associations). It can be explained by the region’s severe climate and difficult conditions for fishing and hunting, which make working by oneself impossible. This paper is relevant due to the almost complete lack of studies on the internal organization and legal status of sea fishing and hunting artels on Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Moreover, studies on these associations are necessary for further research into the Russian experience of sea bioresource exploitation in the Arctic during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The paper aimed to examine the structure and legal status of sea fishing and hunting artels on Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen throughout the aforementioned period. The materials included legal acts that regulated the work of artels in the 19th and early 20th centuries, published sources about fishing and hunting artels on Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen, as well as documents kept in the State Archives of the Arkhangelsk Region. To perform the analysis, the author utilized the historical-systematic and historicalgenetic methods. The article dwells on the rules and customs that existed in Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen artels during the period under study, revealing how the structure of these associations had been changing. In conclusion, the author identified the applicable area of law for these artels in the 19th and early 20th centuries as well as the principles that contributed to their preservation.

Genesis of Nomadic Cattle Breeding in Mongolia and Southern Trans-Baikal Territory: Prerequisites and Reasons

The article reveals the prerequisites and reasons for development of nomadic cattle breeding in the paleo-economy of the nomadic population of Mongolia and southern Trans-Baikal Territory. The article analyses the changes that occurred in the economic activities of the archaeological cultures of the region during the Bronze Age. The complex type of economy of the Selenga-Daurian culture of the Eneolithic-Early Bronze Age is characterised, which combined the branches of the producing and appropriating economy. The sedentary lifestyle of representatives of the Selenga-Daurian culture is grounded. The nomadic nature of the economy and lifestyle of the population of the culture of tiled graves of the developed Late Bronze Age is shown. The change of cattle breeding in the local type to nomadic cattle breeding is associated with aridisation of the climate which began at the end of the 3rd millennium BC and ended in the middle of 2nd millennium BC. The economic, biological and natural-climatic prerequisites for the transition to nomadism are highlighted including the accumulation of experience in the field of cattle breeding in the Early Metal Age, the adaptive abilities of farm animals for keeping in the open air, changes in the natural environment in the direction of climate aridisation and xerophytisation of vegetation steppes. The reason for the transition to nomadic cattle breeding was the establishment of severe continental climate with hot, dry summers and winters with little snow in the region in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. The arid climate worsened the conditions for farming, hunting, fishing and gathering. The small thickness of the snow cover in winter made it possible to switch to year-round keeping of animals on pasture with periodic change of pastures as they were depleted. As a result, the economy of the steppe population was reorganised into nomadic cattle breeding and a mobile nomadic way of life of the population was formed

Flying Fox Hemolytic Fever, Description of a New Zoonosis Caused by Candidatus Mycoplasma haemohominis.

Hemotropic mycoplasmas, previously classified in the genus Eperythrozoon, have been reported as causing human infections in Brazil, China, Japan, and Spain. In 2017, we detected DNA from Candidatus Mycoplasma haemohominis in the blood of a Melanesian patient from New Caledonia presenting with febrile splenomegaly, weight loss, life-threatening autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and hemophagocytosis. The full genome of the bacterium was sequenced from a blood isolate. Subsequently, we retrospectively (2011-2017) and prospectively (2018-2019) tested patients who had been hospitalized with a similar clinico-biological picture. In addition, as these patients had been in contact with frugivorous bats (authorized under conditions for hunting and eating in New Caledonia), we investigated the role of these animals and their biting flies by testing them for hemotropic mycoplasmas. There were 15 patients found to be infected by this hemotropic mycoplasma. Among them, 4 (27%) died following splenectomy performed either for spontaneous spleen rupture or to cure refractory autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The bacterium was cultivated from the patient's blood. The full genome of the Neocaledonian Candidatus M. haemohominis strain differed from that of a recently identified Japanese strain. Of 40 tested Pteropus bats, 40% were positive; 100% of collected bat flies Cyclopodia horsfieldi (Nycteribiidae, Diptera) were positive. Human, bat, and dipteran strains were highly similar. The bacterium being widely distributed in bats, Candidatus M. haemohominis, should be regarded as a potential cause of severe infections in humans.

Comparison between fixed-opening and variable-opening throttling on two-circuit evaporator performance under water maldistribution

Water maldistribution in the two-circuit evaporator was found to induce instabilities, and further deteriorate capacity of the refrigeration system. As a follow-up study, this article presents a comparison between throttling types on the two-circuit evaporator performance under water maldistribution. The evaporator had two circuits of the same specifications, and a fixed-opening valve (FOV) and a thermostatic expansion valve (TEV) were accessed alternatively. Results show that water maldistribution aroused random oscillations in overall outlet temperature/superheat under FOV throttling, and further triggered hunting under TEV throttling and prompted system parameters into periodic oscillations. With water maldistribution increased, oscillation amplitude in overall outlet superheat increased first but decreased later under FOV throttling with the transition from unstable to stable refrigerant flow. However, it kept increasing under TEV throttling due to greater fluctuation in refrigerant supply during hunting conditions. Moreover, capacity of the circuit with larger water flowrate increased monotonously under FOV throttling, but increased first and decreased later after hunting occurred under TEV throttling, which dominated the faster reduction in overall capacity of the two-circuit evaporator in the TEV loop. The comparison suggests that in off-design conditions, variable-opening throttling might perform worse in stability and energy efficiency than fixed-opening throttling.

Fragmentation of lead-free and lead-based hunting rifle bullets under real life hunting conditions in Germany.

As lead is a heavy metal showing high toxicity for many organisms, its entry in the ecosystem should be minimised. Nevertheless, considerable quantities are deposited in the environment via hunting ammunition. Such practice is responsible for the occurrence of lead poisoning in many wildlife species and represents a health risk to humans. We assess the differences in the fragmentation patterns of lead-based and lead-free hunting rifle bullets using the radiographic characteristics of gunshot wounds. We took radiographs of 297 wild ungulates shot during regular hunting events in Germany. Compared to lead-free ammunition, both the number of bullet fragments and the maximal distance between fragments and the wound channel increased when bullets were lead-based. Under normal German hunting conditions, the use of lead-based bullets causes a broad contamination of the carcass and the viscera with bullet material. The wide-spread substitution of lead-based bullets through non-lead alternatives should therefore be further encouraged.

Palaeoecological and genetic evidence for Neanderthal power locomotion as an adaptation to a woodland environment

The prevailing explanation for Neanderthal body form is the cold (glacial) adaptation hypothesis. However, palaeoecological associations appear to indicate a less cold woodland environment. Under such conditions, encounter and ambush (rather than pursuit) hunting – and thus muscular power and sprint (rather than endurance) capacity – would have been favoured. We hypothesise that the highly muscular Neanderthal body form reflects an adaptation to hunting conditions rather than cold, and here both review the palaeoecological evidence that they inhabited a mainly woodland environment, and present preliminary genetic analyses in support of this new hypothesis.

Activity patterns at the Arctic Circle: nocturnal eagle owls and interspecific interactions during continuous midsummer daylight

Circadian rhythms result from adaptations to biotic and abiotic environmental conditions that cycle through the day, such as light, temperature, or temporal overlap between interacting species. At high latitudes, close to or beyond the polar circles, uninterrupted midsummer daylight may pose a challenge to the circadian rhythms of otherwise nocturnal species, such as eagle owls Bubo bubo. By non‐invasive field methods, we studied eagle owl activity in light of their interactions with their main prey the water vole Arvicola amphibius, and their competitor the white‐tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla during continuous midsummer daylight on open, treeless islands in coastal northern Norway. We evaluated circadian rhythms, temporal overlap, exposure, and spatial distribution. The owls maintained a nocturnal activity pattern, possibly because slightly dimmer light around midnight offered favourable hunting conditions. The eagles were active throughout the 24‐h period as opposed to the strictly diurnal rhythm reported elsewhere, thus increasing temporal overlap and the potential for interference competition between the two avian predators. This may indicate an asymmetry, with the owls facing the highest cost of interference competition. The presence of eagles combined with constant daylight in this open landscape may make the owls vulnerable to interspecific aggression, and contrary to the available literature, eagle owls rarely exposed themselves visually during territorial calls, possibly to avoid detection by eagles. We found indications of spatial segregation between owls and eagles reflecting differences in main prey, possibly in combination with habitat‐mediated avoidance. Eagle owl vocal activity peaked in the evening before a nocturnal peak in visual observations, when owls were active hunting, consistent with the hypothesis of a dusk chorus in nocturnal bird species. The owls may have had to trade‐off between calling and foraging during the few hours around midnight when slightly dimmer light reduced the detection risk while also providing better hunting conditions

Efficacy of non-lead rifle ammunition for hunting in Denmark

Lead has traditionally been used for making hunting ammunition. However, lead from spent hunting bullets has proven to be a health hazard for wildlife, ecosystems, and humans. The transition to use non-lead ammunition for hunting raises several concerns, especially inter alia the question of efficacy. This study examined whether non-lead rifle ammunition fulfills the demands of ethical and humane hunting by causing a rapid kill of hunted animals equivalent to lead rifle ammunition. A field sample of 657 hoofed animals, most red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), were hunted under normal Danish conditions by sport hunters using commonly used rifle calibers. The efficiency of copper versus lead bullets was tested using flight distance after being hit as the primary response parameter. For red deer, we were not able to show any statistical significant difference between performance of non-lead and lead bullet. For roe deer, we found a small, statistically significant, relation between flight distances and shooting distance for roe deer struck with non-lead bullets but not with lead bullets. However, this difference was not of such magnitude as to have any practical significance under hunting conditions. We conclude that in terms of lethality and animal welfare, non-lead ammunition within the tested range of bullet calibers can be recommended as an effective alternative to lead-core bullets.

Multi‐temporal factors influence predation for polar bears in a changing climate

Predation is an ecological interaction influenced by abiotic and biotic factors acting on multiple temporal scales, yet multi‐temporal comparisons are rare in empirical studies. For polar bears Ursus maritimus, the physical configuration of the habitat and conditions in which seals are hunted may change on intra‐ and inter‐seasonal scales. Additionally, while the effects of climate change on polar bears have focused on linking reductions in sea ice to body condition and survival, the potential changes to on‐ice hunting conditions have not been examined. Employing observational counts of seals killed by polar bears between early‐April and late‐May 1985–2011 (n = 650), we modelled the likelihood of predation events in the Beaufort Sea, Canada at multi‐temporal scales. We used the top model to estimate the expected kill rate of seals in the springs of 1985–1986 and 2005–2006 and integrated the result with fasting rates derived from physiological markers in blood samples. A log‐likelihood ratio test suggested a multi‐temporal approach fit the seal kill data better than any single scale alone. Predation events were influenced by ringed seal Pusa hispida reproduction and haul‐out behaviour, regional sea ice concentration and the phase of climatic indices. The expected kill rate from the top predation model and the estimated mean biomass of seal kills were significant predictors of polar bear fasting rates. Results suggest that 50% less seal biomass was killed in 2005–2006 than in 1985–1986, which correlates with a significant increase in the frequency of polar bears in a fasting state. We propose that the documented changes in polar bear fasting rates between 1985–1986 and 2005–2006 are due to a complex set of abiotic and biotic factors including underlying prey dynamics, rather than a single‐scale environmental correlation.

A comparison of lead and steel shot loads for harvesting mourning doves

ABSTRACTWith approximately 100 million shots fired at mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) annually, it is incumbent on managers to determine whether changes in ammunition will substantially alter harvest metrics or hunter satisfaction. We compared mourning dove harvest metrics for 1 lead (Pb 7½, 32 g) and 2 steel (Fe 7 and Fe 6, 28 g) 12‐gauge ammunition types using a double‐blind field test in central Texas, USA. There were no differences in the number of attempts, or number of shots fired among ammunition types. Hunters were unable to distinguish the ammunition type being used in the field, and we detected no relationship between ammunition type and level of hunter satisfaction. Field analyses detected no difference in doves bagged per shot, wounded per shot, bagged per hit, or wounded per hit among the 3 ammunition types. Necropsy analyses detected no difference in the proportion of birds with through‐body strikes, mean penetration depth of through‐body strikes, or mean embedded pellet depth among ammunition types. Ammunition and choke combinations that produced higher pattern densities yielded more hits per shot and produced more total strikes per bird, resulting in a higher percentage of birds with embedded pellets, more embedded pellets per bird, and a higher proportion of birds with broken legs. All 3 ammunition types retained sufficient lethality to harvest mourning doves under typical hunting conditions. Our results demonstrate that when the ammunition type used provides sufficient lethality for pellets to penetrate vital organs, pattern density becomes the primary factor influencing ammunition performance. © 2014 The Authors. The Wildlife Society Bulletin is published by The Wildlife Society

Optimal hunting conditions drive circalunar behavior of a diurnal carnivore

Foraging requirements and predation risk shape activity patterns and temporal behavior patterns widely across taxa. Although this has been extensively studied in small mammals, the influence of predation and prey acquisition on the activity and behavior of large carnivores has received little attention. The diurnal activity described as typical for cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus ) has been explained in terms of their avoidance of antagonistic interactions with other larger predators. However, a recent study revealed that cheetahs are frequently active at night, especially during periods of full moon. Being both predator and “prey” in an environment with comparatively high densities of larger and competitively dominant nocturnal predator species, we investigated whether cheetah nocturnal behavior could be explained by favorable conditions for 1) predator avoidance or 2) prey acquisition. We used a data set of continuously recorded behavior created using machine-learning techniques on behavioral data collected in the field to transform recorded 2D activity values from radio-collars into 3 distinct behavioral states (feeding, moving, and resting). We found that 32.5% of cheetah feeding behavior occurred at night and that, in the dry season, nocturnal feeding behavior was positively correlated with moonlight intensity. Our results suggest that nocturnal and circalunar behavior of cheetahs is driven by optimal hunting conditions, outweighing the risks of encountering other predators. Using novel methodology, the results provide new insights into the temporal distribution of behavior, contributing to our understanding of the importance of moonlight and season on the behavior patterns of diurnal species.

Changing Daily Wind Speeds on Alaska’s North Slope: Implications for Rural Hunting Opportunities

Because of their reliance on the harvest of fish and game, Alaskan rural communities have experienced a variety of impacts from climate change, the effects of which are amplified at high latitudes. We collaborated with hunters from the coastal community of Wainwright, Alaska, to document their observations of environmental change (e.g., sea ice, wind, temperature) and the implications of those changes for opportunities to hunt bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) during spring and caribou (Rangifer tarandus) during summer. We integrated hunter observations on wind with statistical analysis of daily wind speed data collected in the nearby community of Barrow, Alaska, between 1971 and 2010 to characterize changes in the number of days with suitable hunting conditions. Hunters in Wainwright currently observe fewer days than in previous decades with wind conditions suitable for safely hunting bowhead whales and caribou. The statistical analysis of wind speed data supported these conclusions and suggested that the annual windows of opportunity for hunting each species have decreased by up to seven days since 1971. This study demonstrates the potential power of collaboration between local communities and researchers to characterize the societal impacts of climate change. Continued collaborative research with residents of rural northern Alaskan communities could produce knowledge and develop tools to help rural Alaskans adapt to novel social-ecological conditions.

Responses of a top and a meso predator and their prey to moon phases

We compared movement patterns and rhythms of activity of a top predator, the Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus, a mesopredator, the red fox Vulpes vulpes, and their shared principal prey, the rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, in relation to moon phases. Because the three species are mostly nocturnal and crepuscular, we hypothesized that the shared prey would reduce its activity at most risky moon phases (i.e. during the brightest nights), but that fox, an intraguild prey of lynx, would avoid lynx activity peaks at the same time. Rabbits generally moved further from their core areas on darkest nights (i.e. new moon), using direct movements which minimize predation risk. Though rabbits responded to the increased predation risk by reducing their activity during the full moon, this response may require several days, and the moon effect we observed on the rabbits had, therefore, a temporal gap. Lynx activity patterns may be at least partially mirroring rabbit activity: around new moons, when rabbits moved furthest and were more active, lynxes reduced their travelling distances and their movements were concentrated in the core areas of their home ranges, which generally correspond to areas of high density of rabbits. Red foxes were more active during the darkest nights, when both the conditions for rabbit hunting were the best and lynxes moved less. On the one hand, foxes increased their activity when rabbits were further from their core areas and moved with more discrete displacements; on the other hand, fox activity in relation to the moon seemed to reduce dangerous encounters with its intraguild predator.

Physical and sociocultural factors affecting walrus subsistence at three villages in the northern Bering Sea: 1952–2004

Changes in sea-ice conditions have direct bearing on ice-associated species such as Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), an important species for coastal Alaska Native subsistence. We explore the dynamic relationships among sea ice, walrus, and subsistence hunting between 1952 and 2004 at three northern Bering Sea villages – Diomede, Gambell, and Savoonga. We integrate changes in timing, size, and gender distribution of walrus catches under four environmental regimes that alter the extent, duration, and persistence of sea ice. Our results suggest that the physical ice conditions proximal to the three villages affect timing and migration of walrus herds and thus hunting, but village-specific factors, such as the number and demographics of hunters, impart strong inter-community variability in the magnitude of catches. Decadal-scale climatic regimes are correlated with consistent patterns of timing and magnitude for the walrus hunts at Gambell and Savoonga, and at Diomede until 1989. However, a marked reduction in walrus catches at Diomede since 1989 is attributable to several social changes that compound more difficult hunting conditions. Our study highlights the important linkages between geographic location and the sociocultural capacity to hunt (e.g. number of hunters and local rules) when considering the resilience or vulnerability of village subsistence activities in a changing climate.

The evolution and the efficiency of the forest cultures installed in the improvement perimter Turda-Luncani (Romania).

The reconstruction of degraded land is a permanent job and their inventory ends only at thecompletion process of improvement. Man by his irrational activity contributes to the development andinitiation processes erosion and subsequently through a rational activity, appropriate measures andworks to prevent and combat this damage. Vegetation is the best choice for soil erosion control, botheconomically and its effectiveness. The research was conducted in the area of improving Luncani-Turda, Turda in Forest, an area of 385 ha, where the progress and effectiveness of forest cropsinstalled was followed. Most of this land is affected by various forms of erosion, landslides mostly.Preliminary work afforestation was made in 1985, following extensive studies. Advantages ofafforestation are observed only after a number of years, initially is observed the protective role offorest vegetation. The economic effects are represented by the production of wood, berries andcreating favorable conditions for hunting.