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.
Deer are an important limiting factor for the growth of broadleaved trees in the forests of temperate zones. Their influence on vegetation was extensively studied in various forest types; however, data from floodplain forest is missing. The aim of this study was to confirm following hypothesis: The regeneration of the young tree stands in floodplain forest under high deer density is impossible without intensive protection by forestry management. Our hypothesis was confirmed only partially. Thanks to high production, the floodplain forest ecosystem is able to compensate for the lost biomass, so the browsing does not prevent the growth of natural tree regeneration. On the other hand, trees from artificial plantations are much more attractive for deer, their browsing is much more intensive, mainly during winter and regeneration is not possible without fencing.
The leg bone marrow fat of 11 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) killed by wolves (Canis lupus) was examined and compared with that of 15 roe deer killed in traffic accidents. Moreover, a sample of 14 red deer (Cervus elaphus) kills was examined. High levels of femur marrow fat (75–100 %) were detected in 45% of the roe deer killed by wolves. The amount of leg bone marrow fat showed a decrease through the winter season, roe deer killed by wolves did not show a significantly lower marrow fat level than those killed in traffic accidents. According to our analyses red deer were in generally poor conditions, and yet such a result cannot be regarded as representative of the average condition of the population.
Roe deer diet was studied in the floodplain forest of South Moravia, Czech Republic, by analysis of faecal samples collected in six different parts of the study area. Woody plants were the main component of roe deer diet, and they were supplemented with bramble, forbs and grasses through the year. The composition of roe deer diet agreed with its foraging strategy and consisted mainly of browse. Floodplain forest is optimal for roe deer and offers sufficient food sources. Food sources from nearby fields have no influence on the diet of roe deer. The great potential of roe deer to influence the shrub layer is evident. The intensity of impact of roe deer was not affected by availability of other food sources in the floodplain forest. The impact of roe deer on woody plants in this habitat depended mainly on its population density. Therefore, protection and management of floodplain forest is related to the regulation of densities of ungulate species, and not on additional feeding.
White-tailed deer were introduced into the Czech Republic about one hundred years ago. Population numbers have remained stable at low density despite almost no harvesting. This differs from other introductions of this species in Europe. We presumed that one of the possible factors preventing expansion of the white-tailed deer population is lack of high-quality food components in an area overpopulated by sympatric roe, fallow and red deer. We analyzed the WTD winter diet and diets of the other deer species to get information on their feeding strategy during a critical period of a year. We focused primarily on conifer needle consumption, a generally accepted indicator of starvation and on bramble leaves as an indicator of high-quality items. We tested the following hypotheses: (1) If the environment has a limited food supply, the poorest competitors of the four deer species will have the highest proportion of conifer needles in the diet ; (2) the deer will overlap in trophic niches and will share limited nutritious resource (bramble). White-tailed, roe, fallow, and red deer diets were investigated by microscopic analysis of plant remains in their faeces. The volume of bramble decreased in the diet of all four deer species from November to March. The content of conifer needles in the diet of white-tailed and roe deer was negatively correlated with bramble and in spring made up 90 % of their diet volume. On the other hand conifer needles in the diet of red and fallow deer occurred only in January with snow cover. Fallow and red deer started the compensation of winter starvation at least one monthearlier than both roe and white-tailed deer. a high content of conifers in white-tailed deer diet in the second half of the winter fully support the presumption about low nutritional food supply and its diet. It can lead to a markedly impaired condition for white-tailed and roe deer and negatively affect their condition. The dietary overlap of four sympatric deer species was extensive in winter. All species share a limited good quality food supply (bramble) when food is scarce, suggesting that interspecific competition may occur.