Individual variation in migratory and exploratory movements and habitat use by adult red deer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cervus elaphus</Emphasis> L.) in a mountainous temperate forest |
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Authors: | Dominique Pépin Christophe Adrados Georges Janeau Jean Joachim Carole Mann |
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Institution: | 1.Comportement et Ecologie de la Faune Sauvage,Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique,Castanet-Tolosan cedex,France;2.Cemagref Unité de Recherche Ecosystèmes Forestiers et Paysages,Nogent-sur-Vernisson,France |
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Abstract: | Using data from a global positioning system (GPS), seven adult red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) were tracked in the Parc National des Cévennes, southern France, between November 1998 and December 2000 to assess the
factors affecting large-range movement patterns and habitat use. The home range varied from a single compact area for females
to three distinct seasonal ranges for males, which used alternative migratory strategies (i.e. non-, downward- and upward-migrants).
The migrants used mainly southerly and easterly aspects, and wintered in areas having steeper slopes than were used during
summer or the rut season. For males, the time of rut migration was mid-September and they finally entered wintering ranges
from mid-December to the beginning of January. Exploratory behaviour (i.e. individuals found outside the limits of their familiar
area but returning to it a few days later) occurred in both sexes and for all individuals monitored during at least a 6-month
period. Velocity and efficiency of exploratory movements were higher than usual movements. During these exploratory movements,
hinds may have used different landscape attributes (elevation, slope, canopy cover) while stags did not. These results provide
new empirical information that could be used for building and applying broad-scale spatial and landscape use models in ecological
research. |
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Keywords: | Cervus elaphus Exploratory behaviour Large-range movement Habitat use Red deer Seasonal migration |
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