Differences in feeding strategy of large herbivores and their impact to vegetation
2012
Kamler, J., Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno (Czech Republic). Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology | Homolka, M., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Czech Republic). Institute of Vertebrate Biology | Heroldová, M., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Czech Republic). Institute of Vertebrate Biology | Literáková, P., Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno (Czech Republic)
We studied the distribution, impact on vegetation and composition and quality of diets of red deer and roe deer. The aim of the study was to analyze the feeding strategies of the ungulate species in mountain habitats with limited food supply and to deduce implications for their management. (1) Botanic composition of the diets was influenced by the animals foraging specialization and by food availability. Red deer ate grasses on the ridges in the growing season while forbs and browse were present in substantial amount in their diet at lower altitudes. (2) The diet quality was higher in general in roe deer than in red deer but during late winter the roe deer consumed the diet based on spruce needles of very low quality. The quality of red deer diet was lower in the ridge site than at valley where the food supply was more diverse. Browsing of ungulates strongly influenced the rowan.
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