Soil nutrients and deer density affect antler size of the Carpathian red deer

Smolko, Peter; Garaj, Peter; Lebocký, Tibor; Bútora, Ľubomír; Pataky, Tibor; Jaňáková, Zuzana; Babic, Martin; Veselovská, Alexandra; Kubala, Jakub; Kropil, Rudolf

doi:10.1007/s42991-021-00203-5

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…We used the estimates of wild prey (males + females + offspring) between 2015 and 2017 from 22 hunting grounds (20–75 km 2 ) within our study areas to spatially map the average annual red deer, wild boar and roe deer population density ( Fig 2A and S1 Table ). Data on the abundance of wild ungulates in Slovakia was probably not as reliable as scientific surveys of wild ungulates, but since relative differences were important for this analysis, like in Smolko et al [ 69 , 70 ], we were confident in rough estimates of wild ungulate abundance. Densities of wild ungulates in our study areas ranged between 1.3–1.9 ind./km 2 for red deer, 1.1–2.0 ind./km 2 for roe deer and 0.4–0.7 ind./km 2 for wild boar ( Fig 2A ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 92%

What drives wolf preference towards wild ungulates? Insights from a multi-prey system in the Slovak Carpathians

et al. 2022

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The wolf is a generalist-opportunistic predator that displays diverse and remarkably adaptable feeding strategies across its range with local adaptations to certain prey species depending on their availability and vulnerability. The multi-prey system of the Slovak Carpathians supports important portion of the European wolf population; however, it has been markedly understudied. We evaluated winter diet composition and prey selection of Slovak wolves based on 321 scat samples collected between September–April within four different study areas during 2015–2017. The winter diet of wolves in the Slovak Carpathians was characterized by a 98% occurrence of wild large-sized and medium-sized ungulates with red deer occurring in wolf scats most often, consistent with their highest density among other wild ungulates. However, by comparing the consumption with availability of wild prey, we found that wolves in fact selected for wild boar especially in areas with higher altitudinal range, while selected for red deer in areas with low altitudinal range where this prey species was more spatially predictable. Although wolves showed the potential to switch between red deer and wild boar when their density increases, we found that this variation can be rather linked to changing prey vulnerability, which is dependent on particular environmental conditions at local scale such as topography and snow accumulation. The present study provides valuable insights into the winter foraging ecology of Slovak wolves in a multi-prey system of the Carpathians and allows for practical implications in the management of the rapidly increasing populations of wild ungulates across Europe.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 92%

What drives wolf preference towards wild ungulates? Insights from a multi-prey system in the Slovak Carpathians

et al. 2022

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“…We used the estimates of wild prey (males + females + offspring) between 2015 and 2017 from 22 hunting grounds (20 – 75 km2) within our study areas to spatially map the average annual red deer, wild boar and roe deer population density (Fig 2a; S1 Table). Data on the abundance of wild ungulates in Slovakia was probably not as reliable as scientific surveys of wild ungulates, but since relative differences were important for this analysis, like in Smolko et al [69,70], we were confident in rough estimates of wild ungulate abundance. Densities of wild ungulates in our study areas ranged between 1.3 – 1.9 ind./km 2 for red deer, 1.1 – 2.0 ind./km 2 for roe deer and 0.4 – 0.7 ind./km 2 for wild boar (Fig 2a).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…hunting grounds (20 -75 km 2 ) within our study areas to spatially map the average annual red deer, wild boar and roe deer population density (Fig 2a; S1 Table). Data on the abundance of wild ungulates in Slovakia was probably not as reliable as scientific surveys of wild ungulates, but since relative differences were important for this analysis, like in Smolko et al[69,70], we were confident in rough estimates of wild ungulate abundance. Densities of wild ungulates in our pastures from April to November[48], being usually under the constant supervision of shepherds with guarding dogs during the day and kept inside enclosures at night.…”

mentioning

confidence: 86%

What drives wolf preference towards wild ungulates? Insights from a multi-prey system in the Slovak Carpathians

Guimarães

Álvares²,

Ďurová

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The wolf is a generalist-opportunistic predator that displays diverse and remarkably adaptable feeding strategies across its range with local adaptations to certain prey species depending on their availability and vulnerability. The multi-prey system of the Slovak Carpathians supports important portion of the European wolf population; however, it has been markedly understudied. We evaluated winter diet composition and prey selection of Slovak wolves based on 321 scat samples collected between September – February within four different study areas during 2015 – 2017. The winter diet of wolves in the Slovak Carpathians was characterized by a 98% occurrence of wild large-sized and medium-sized ungulates with red deer occurring in wolf scats most often, consistent with their highest density among other wild ungulates. However, by comparing the consumption with availability of wild prey, we found that wolves in fact selected for wild boar especially in areas with higher altitudinal range, while selected for red deer in areas with low altitudinal range where this prey species was more spatially predictable. Although wolves showed the potential to switch between red deer and wild boar when their density increases, we found that this variation can be rather linked to changing prey vulnerability, which is dependent on particular environmental conditions at local scale such as topography and snow accumulation. The present study provides valuable insights into the winter foraging ecology of Slovak wolves in a multi-prey system of the Carpathians and allows for practical implications in the management of the rapidly increasing populations of wild ungulates across Europe.

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Using public-sourced photos to track changes in moose antler size during a 20-year hunting ban

Kowalczyk,

Dombrowski

et al. 2024

Eur J Wildl Res

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Hunting directly impacts the population dynamics of ungulates and can have a significant effect on the quality of phenotypic traits such as horns or antlers. In Poland, following a demographic collapse in the 1990s and the introduction of a hunting ban in 2001, the population of moose (Alces alces) has increased from 1,800 to over 20,000 individuals, recolonising its former range. As the moose is a charismatic species and a popular subject for nature photography, we analysed changes in antler size and shape in this cervid between 2005 and 2021 based on photos of male moose and antler casts provided by photographers or available in social media. Our findings indicate that during the hunting ban, the probability of observing the cervina antler type significantly decreased over time, from 47% in 2012 to 28% in 2021. Meanwhile, the probability of observing the intermediate and palmate antler types significantly increased from 44 to 53% and from 9 to 19%, respectively. The mean number of tines significantly increased from 3.2 in 2005 to 4.7 in 2021, and the antler size index significantly increased from 3.4 to 3.9. The most likely mechanism behind the observed changes could be the ageing of a population released from hunting pressure. We also observed regional variation in antler size, which is likely related to differences in environmental conditions. Our study serves as an example of how passive citizen science can contribute to our understanding of ecological trends and the quantification of population patterns. It also has important implications for management of species affected by trophy hunting.

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Soil nutrients and deer density affect antler size of the Carpathian red deer

Cited by 4 publications

References 53 publications

What drives wolf preference towards wild ungulates? Insights from a multi-prey system in the Slovak Carpathians

What drives wolf preference towards wild ungulates? Insights from a multi-prey system in the Slovak Carpathians

What drives wolf preference towards wild ungulates? Insights from a multi-prey system in the Slovak Carpathians

Using public-sourced photos to track changes in moose antler size during a 20-year hunting ban

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