A comparative study on four survey methods used in ungulate population size in winter in north China

Hui, 刘辉 Liu; Jiang, Guangshun; Li, Hui

doi:10.5846/stxb201308172102

Cited by 2 publications

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“…To mitigate these risks as much as possible, our field personnel were trained and experienced in distinguishing species based on track morphometry (Pikunov et al, 2004), we analyzed only fresh tracks, and surveying in winter favored track detection and identification in snow as well as greater identification accuracy of pellets (for our occurrence models only) than can be expected in summer (Spitzer et al, 2019); remaining human error is assumed to be even across our dataset. Whether our results are overestimates, underestimates or near true could be a matter for debate, but evidence suggests that Formozov-Malyshev-Pereleshin (FMP) analysis (i.e., our chosen method) may provide higher abundance estimates than those derived from non-invasive genetic capture-mark-recapture analyses (Liu et al, 2015). FMP has however, already been used to estimate ungulate abundance across much of the Amur tiger range (Stephens et al, 2006a;Qi et al, 2021), offering us some reference for comparison.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Cattle Grazing Effects on Vegetation and Wild Ungulates in the Forest Ecosystem of a National Park in Northeastern China

et al. 2021

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There is evidence that cattle grazing in forests limits big cat abundance. There is concern, too, about competition with wild ungulate prey through bottom-up effects on vegetation. Hence, there have been calls to remove or control forest livestock grazing in aid of restoring endangered large carnivores and their prey. To help inform scientific debate and decision making, we explored cattle-vegetation-prey dynamics in Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park, northeast China and present a reappraisal of livestock grazing in the context of coexistence and an integrated approach to land use in China. Inside long-term forest grazing enclosures, wild boar (Sus scrofa) density increased with cattle density. Roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) density and occurrence probability of wild boar and roe deer were not influenced by cattle density. Wild ungulate densities were not related with the number of annual shoots, i.e., forage plant abundance. The presence/absence and abundance of annual shoots was not related with cattle density. Wild ungulate density had mixed associations with vegetation structure; arbor tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and habitat “openness” increased with cattle density. Finally, inside and outside enclosures had different vegetation characteristics and wild boar densities, while roe deer densities were equal. We conclude that cattle density and associated changes to vegetation have positive, negative, and neutral effects on two wild ungulate prey species. Each of these factors warrant consideration in evidence-based management decisions in regard to regulating ungulate community composition to support different large predators as preferred prey in core areas and corridors of habitats.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%