Red deer (Cervus elaphus) bark stripping on spruce with regard to spatial distribution of supplemental feeding places

Jerina, Klemen (author), Dajčman, Mihec (author), Adamič, Miha (author)

Forest damages caused by red deer and some other large herbivore species occasionally feeding on tree bark, are a grave ecological and economic problem in many parts of the world. Winter supplemental feeding is commonly used to mitigate the problem, but its effects are poorly known. This study, carried out at Pohorje (Slovenia) and including over 2,300 trees, used binary logistic regression to analyse the effects of supplemental feeding and many other factors on the probability of bark stripping on spruce. The probability of bark stripping depends on distance from the forest edge, density, age and tree species diversity of stands, slope and aspect of terrain, and red deer density; contrary to expectations, it is not related to distance from feeding places. As much as 35% of spruce trees were damaged. The damage was the highest in younger, denser pure spruce stands, whose favourable protective and microclimatic conditions (thinner snow cover, higher effective temperatures) make them a preferred winter habitat for red deer. They contain,however, little other food but bark. To prevent / diminish bark stripping we propose a stronger thinning of such stands. Supplemental feeding may reduce damage only in exceptional cases, when animals are lured and concentrated in less sensitive areas, but in general we advise against the use of this measure due to its other negative effects.

• Language: English
• Keywords: red deer, Cervus elaphus, bark stripping, Norway spruce, Picea abies, forest damages, supplemental feeding, Slovenia, environmental factors
• Work type: Scientific work
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Year: 2008
• Number of pages: Str. 33-43
• Numbering: Št. 86
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-28798
• UDC: 630*41+630*45:630*14(045)=111
• ISSN on article: 0351-3114
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2310566
• Publication date in RUL: 11.07.2014

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Zbornik gozdarstva in lesarstva. forest and wood science & technology
• Shortened title: Zb. gozd. lesar.
• Publisher: Gozdarski inštitut Slovenije, Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za gozdarstvo in obnovljive gozdne vire, Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za lesarstvo
• ISSN: 0351-3114
• COBISS.SI-ID: 6206978

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Poškodovanost smreke zaradi grizenja in lupljenja skorje po jelenjadi (Cervus elaphus) glede na prostorsko razporeditev krmišč

Abstract

Poškodbe gozdov, ki jih zaradi hranjenja z drevesno skorjo povzročajo jelenjad in nekatere druge vrste velikih rastlinojedov, so v mnogih delih sveta resen ekološki in ekonomski problem. Pogosto se ga skuša reševati z zimskim dopolnilnim krmljenjem, katerega učinki pa niso preučeni. V raziskavi,ki je potekala na Pohorju in je zajemala prek 2.300 dreves, smo z logistično regresijo analizirali vplive krmljenja in številnih drugih dejavnikov na pojavljanje poškodb smreke zaradi lupljenja. Pojavljanje poškodb je odvisno od oddaljenosti od gozdnega roba, gostote, starosti in vrstne pestrosti sestojev, nagiba in ekspozicije terena in gostote jelenjadi, proti pričakovanjem pa ne od oddaljenosti od krmišč; poškodovanih je bilo kar 35 % smrek. Zlasti so poškodovani mlajši, čisti, gosti smrekovi sestoji, saj so zaradi ugodnih varovalnih in mikro-klimatskih razmer (plitvejša snežna odeja, višje efektivne temperature) priljubljen zimski habitat jelenjadi, v katerem pa razen skorje skoraj ni hrane. Za preprečevanje poškodb zato svetujemo močnejša redčenja takih sestojev. S krmljenjem je verjetno škode mogoče zmanjšati le izjemoma, kadar z njim živali odtegnemo na manj občutljiva območja, sicer pa rabo tega ukrepa zaradi drugih negativnih učinkov v splošnem odsvetujemo.

• Keywords: jelenjad, Cervus elaphus, lupljenje, smreka, Picea abies, poškodbe sestojev, dopolnilno krmljenje, Slovenija, okoljski dejavniki