Experimental evidence for densitydependence of ho

Authors: P Kjellander A J M Hewison O Liberg JM Angibault E Bideau B Cargnelutti

Publish Date: 2004/03/09

Volume: 139, Issue: 3, Pages: 478-485

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Abstract

The effect of experimental manipulation of population density on homerange size was investigated in two freeranging roe deer Capreolus capreolus populations under contrasting environmental conditions In these two longterm monitoring studies one in Bogesund Sweden 12 years and one in Dourdan France 10 years deer density varied fourfold through varying culling pressure Homerange data were collected by radiotracking across the periods of contrasting density of the studies We predicted that homerange size for females should vary in relation to the level of feeding competition while for males competition for mating opportunities should also influence range size at least in summer when roe bucks are territorial We found a highly consistent pattern over the two populations with strong effects of deer density on homerange size as well as significant differences between winter and summer ranges and between the sexes Home ranges were consistently smaller at high density compared to low density Males had larger ranges than females and this was particularly so during summer Lastly winter ranges were generally larger than summer ranges particularly among females although males at Dourdan had larger summer ranges compared to winter ranges We suggest that the reduction of range size at high deer density during winter as well as summer is linked to the solitary behaviour and territorial social system of roe deer with possible effects of dominance rank even outside the mating seasonWe are grateful to Lars Gustavsson Angelica Hammarström Gunnar Jansson Lennart Pettersson Leif Rooth Gunnar Schön and PiaLena Widén for help with fieldwork at Bogesund over the years Roger Bergström Christel Guillet Agneta Johansson Olsson and Kjell Wahlström for sharing their data William “Bill” Faber and Rory Putman for comments suggestions and ideas on earlier drafts of the manuscript Henrik Andrén for statistical advice and Assi Domän AB for allowing us to work on their land We thank B Boisaubert and D Delorme of the Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage This study was supported by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management and by the private foundations of “Oscar och Lili Lamms Minne” and “Olle och Signhild Engkvists stiftelser” Sweden and the Office National des Forêts France

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