Landscape structure affects food quality of sika deer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cervus nippon</Emphasis>) evidenced by fecal nitrogen levels |
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Authors: | Tadashi Miyashita Maki Suzuki Mayura Takada Go Fujita Keiji Ochiai Masahiko Asada |
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Institution: | (1) Laboratory of Biodiversity Science, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan;(2) Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba, Chiba, Japan |
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Abstract: | Evaluating the quality of wildlife habitat is essential for understanding and predicting population dynamics in heterogeneous
environments. We used fecal nitrogen levels as an indicator of habitat quality of sika deer (Cervus nippon) and explored important landscape elements influencing nitrogen levels, taking deer density into account. We established
92 plots differing in deer density and landscape structure on the Boso Peninsula, central Japan, and collected fecal samples
along a 1-km transect at each plot. The regression models involving two independent variables, i.e., deer density and the
length of forest edge within an area of 100 or 200 m from the transect, were selected based on the Akaike’s Information Criterion
(AIC). Levels of fecal nitrogen were positively correlated with the length of the forest edge and negatively correlated with
population density of deer. The area of 100 or 200 m from the transect most likely reflected the behavioral scale of the deer.
Coverage of palatable understory vegetation increased with proximity to forest edge and decreased with deer density. Variability
in the level of fecal nitrogen could thus be explained by food availability in the landscape. These results suggest that landscape
alterations increase the carrying capacity of sika deer and thereby increase impacts upon the ecosystem. |
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Keywords: | Forest edge Habitat heterogeneity Population density Habitat quality Ideal free distribution Ungulate |
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