Wild boar and red deer affect soil nutrients and soil biota in steep oak stands of the Eifel

Mohr, D.; Cohnstaedt, L.W.; Topp, W.

Wild boar and red deer affect soil nutrients and soil biota in steep oak stands of the Eifel

2005

Mohr, D. | Cohnstaedt, L.W. | Topp, W.

In sloping oak forests of the German low mountain range high wild boar (Sus scrofa) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) population densities may affect soil ecological processes by grubbing, grazing, trampling and dunging. We simulated wild boar grubbing in a fenced exclosure and an unfenced replicate and established two adjacent control plots, one fenced, the other unfenced. We evaluated if repeated soil bioturbation and game exclusion by fencing influence soil texture, soil chemical and soil biotic properties in the upper soil over a time period of 2 years. Soil bioturbation was conducted in November 2000 and 2001 creating a grubbing pattern similar to that found in naturally grubbed areas. Soil and fauna sampling was performed in spring and fall of the years 2001 and 2002. Soil bioturbation did not affect soil texture, pH and the contents of organic carbon and nitrogen. In contrast, the contents of potassium and magnesium, the microbial activity and the abundance of saprophageous and predatory soil arthropods were generally lower in grubbed plots compared to ungrubbed control plots (p less than or equal to 0.05). The exclusion of game did not improve soil quality. On the contrary, microbial activity and the contents of organic carbon and total nitrogen were elevated outside the fenced exclosure (p less than or equal to 0.05) which may be related to the deposition of urine and dung. Our study found that large mammals affect soil nutrient cycling in sloping oak forests either directly by the deposition of urine and dung or indirectly by accelerating nutrient leaching and disturbing the decomposer system in the soils.

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