Landscape effect for the Cervidaes Cervidae in human-dominated fragmented forests

• Published in: European Journal of Forest Research
• Main Authors: Brazaitis, Gediminas, Pėtelis, Kęstutis, Žalkauskas, Remigijus, Belova, Olgirda, Danusevičius, Darius, Marozas, Vitas, Narauskaitė, Gintarė
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Moose; Red deer; Roe deer; Landscape; Forest; Human disturbance; Alces alces
• Online Access: http://asu.lvb.lt/ASU:ELABAPDB2917360&prefLang=en_US

We analyse the relationships between the main Cervidae [moose (Alces alces), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)] species and a complex of environmental factors in an extensive fragmented landscape of Central Lithuania. The highest determining positive influence on moose density was the proportions of wet forest sites. In forest complexes with fewer proportions of wet sites, the most important factor was the total forest area. The proportion of shrub cover, upland and dense undergrowth area, and road density also has significant effect on moose density. The total area of forest complexes has the highest determining positive influence on red deer density. The highest density of red deer was calculated in large forest complexes (>2,745 ha) with a <17.6 % proportion of pine and <36.5 % of deciduous forests. Other significant factors were core area, road density and urbanization level. Forest edge density has the highest influence on the roe deer populations. The highest density of roe deer was recorded on forest areas with >51 m ha−1 of edges in wet forest (>25.4 %) dominating areas. The proportion of deciduous, coniferous mixed and pine forest, also shrub and density of edges also had significant effect.