Density and distribution of red deer (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L., 1758) in relation to habitat structure and distribution of food sources was studied using simple faeces transects and monitoring plots during winter in a floodplain forest along the Morava River. Deer densities detected on monitoring plots and parallel simple faeces transects were comparable, so we used the faeces transects, thus enabling us to gather data from a larger part of study area. Densities of both species were relatively high (red and roe deer; 9.6 and 7.0 ind./km2 respectively). Red deer preferred forest stands with dense (60–80 %) cover and a diversified shrub layer (more than three tree species). Roe deer mainly used old stands of age 50–99 years with a high cover of canopy layer and conversely low cover of herb layer, dominated by bramble. A positive relationship between the distributions of both species was detected. Inter-specific spatial interference was not observed, despite their high densities in the study area.
Differences in weight, nitrogen content and diaminopimelic acid (DAPA) content between individual pellets within pellet groups were assessed in red-deer (Cervus elaphus) faeces. Mean pellet weight in winter varied between pellet groups in 82% of cases. A 10 pellet subsample movided a 100% likelihood of getting a representative sample whereas 5 pellet subsample a 99.75% likelihood. Between pellet variations in nitrogen content, within a pellet group were smaller and not greater than experimental error. However, DAPA content varied greatly within pellet groups.
The diet composition of red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) was studied from October 2001 to November 2002 in the floodplain forest along the Morava River by the microscopic analysis of 310 red deer pellets. The shoots of broadleaved trees formed the main component of red deer diet throughout the year, 71 % of volume on the average. The trophic diversity was the highest at the end of summer and in autumn, when red deer consumed in more fruits, forbs, grasses and also the crops on fields near the forest, e.g. maize. The majority of the diet originated from the forest, whereas fields were visited only at the end of summer and in autumn. Additional feeding during winter does not play an important role in the diet of red deer. The analysis of feeding behaviour showed that in the floodplain forest red deer were browse specialists in all seasons of the year. Other food sources were less important.