Habitat Use and Separation between Red Deer Cervus elaphus xanthopygus and Roe Deer Capreolus pygargus bedfordi in Relation to Human Disturbance in the Wandashan Mountains, Northeastern China

Guangshun Jiang ； Minghai Zhang ； Jianzhang Ma

《Wildlife Biology》 14卷1期 (2008/03) Pp. 92-100

並列摘要

Habitat use and separation in relation to human disturbance of two sympatric species, red deer Cervus elaphus xanthopygus and roe deer Capreolus pygargus bedfordi, were studied in the Wandashan Mountains, Heilongjiang Province, China. We measured 19 variables describing macrohabitat (e.g. distance to roads or forest type) and microhabitat (e.g. escape cover or snow depth) characteristics at each plot where red or roe deer occurred. Statistical analysis of macrohabitat characteristics for the two deer species identified a statistically significant difference in the distance to human disturbances, especially settlements, for sites utilised by red deer and roe deer. Despite range overlaps between red deer and roe deer in the study area, each species exhibited different patterns in microhabitat use. The two deer species do not seem to be impacted to the same degree by human disturbance. Red deer occurred at sites characterised by mature mixed coniferous and broadleaf stands, at higher elevations, and deeper snow cover. Additionally, red deer occurred at sites further from human settlement, cropland or logged areas than did roe deer. Conversely, roe deer occurred at sites with sparse forest cover and denser shrub cover, at lower altitudes, with less snow, and more abundant food of common plant species eaten by both deer. Overall, roe deer seemed to cope with human disturbance near settlements better than red deer. We suggest that human disturbance may be important in determining both species' utilisation of resources and thus may contribute to the observed patterns of red and roe deer habitat separation. Moreover, understanding any differential effects of human disturbance on the two species may contribute to understanding the population dynamics of these two species as human disturbance in China is expected to continue increasing.

並列關鍵字

Capreolus pygargus bedfordi ； Cervus elaphus xanthopygus ； coexistence ； habitat selection ； human disturbance ； red deer ； roe deer ； spatial resource partitioning