Friedrich Reimoser

Impact of ungulates on forest vegetation and its dependence on the silvicultural system

Abstract In order to obtain an understanding of the forest-ungulate compartment in the ecosystem with the aim of better management, the impact of ungulates on forest vegetation, as well as the impact of habitat structure and dynamics on ungulates (density, distribution etc.) and on the forests predisposition to game damage were investigated. It is shown that browsing and peeling impact depends markedly on silvicultural techniques. The attractiveness of habitats for game depends not only on food supply, but also, to a high degree, on food-independent habitat factors such as terrain conditions, climate, edge effect, disturbance and competition impact, and thermal and hiding cover availability. Forests with a badly managed ratio of settling stimulus to available food act as ‘ecological traps’, where the food needed for the over-abundant game ungulates is taken increasingly by the twig browsing and bark peeling of timber species. In general, one can say that a clear-cut system is attractive to deer and chamois. It is easy to hunt in, but it is susceptible to game damage. In particular, clear cutting in narrow strips and reafforestation have a high predisposition to game damage. In contrast, selective silviculture results in a more balanced system with less impact by ungulate game on forest vegetation, though hunting might be more difficult. Higher deer densities need not be associated with greater browsing damage; such damage also depends strongly on the growing-stock target and the silvicultural system. If forestry practices are ‘close to nature’, an abundance of ungulates may also result in a greater density of forest regeneration and a better mixture of tree species. The potential impact of ungulates on forest regeneration, man-made disturbances of the ungulate-vegetation system, and silvicultural measures to avoid game damage are discussed.

Forest restoration and browsing impact by roe deer

Abstract This paper presents the results of a long-term study carried out in the Hiesberg area of lower Austria. The results deal with the interaction between roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) and forest restoration focusing on the effects on habitat attraction, population performance, browsing impact and on the visibility of roe deer. Over the study period, habitat types providing good food (quantity) and cover increased the most altering habitat attraction in a positive way. Population performance, measured indirectly by observed sex ratio and fawn rate, shows a distinct delay to these habitat changes by a significant shift in sex ratio to the females. Browsing impact on forest regeneration increased significantly in the second half of the study period. The ecologically important deciduous tree species especially oak are affected. Logistic regression analysis, applied for deriving steering factors of a forest’s predisposition to browsing impact suggests five parameters out of which three determine food and the other two determine food independent settling attraction. They are ground vegetation coverage, regeneration density, raspberry browsing, visual range and thermal cover index. Results on the visibility of roe deer reveal a considerable impact of forest restoration measures and their implications on hunting. Finally, some conclusions for management are highlighted.

Biochemical variation in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.): are r-strategists among deer genetically less variable than K-strategists?

Tissue samples from 161 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) from 5 populations in Austria were screened for allelic variation at 41 presumptive genetic loci by means of horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. The proportion of polymorphic loci ranged from 14·6 per cent to 19·5 per cent, the values for expected average heterozygosity from 3·5 per cent to 7·9 per cent. These values are among the highest ones yet found among deer species. The relationship between biochemical genetic variation, body size and ecological strategy of adaptation is discussed.

3 Die Jagd als wirtschaftlicher Faktor

Jager und Jagerinnen tragen in ihrer Freizeit zur Erhaltung von Wildlebensraumen bei, insbesondere fur das Niederwild, und sie haben bei Schalenwildarten behordlich vorgegebene Abschussplane zu erfullen, um einen Beitrag zum sogenannten „Wald-Wild-Gleichgewicht“ zu leisten. Welchen Wert hat die Jagd? Welche Leistungen erbringen Jager fur Grundbesitzer und fur das Gemeinwohl der Gesellschaft? Was wurde es Steuerzahlern oder (und) Grundbesitzern kosten, wenn es die Jagd mit zahlenden „Freizeitjagern“ nicht gabe und wenn sie fur das Wildtiermanagement bezahlen mussten? Im Zusammenhang mit dem Wert der Jagd interessiert auch das Ausmas der Wildschaden in der Land- und Forstwirtschaft. Im vorliegenden Beitrag sind einige Ansatze fur Kostenkalkulationen zusammengestellt, gedacht als Anreiz fur ein vertiefendes Befassen mit den sozio-okonomischen Aspekten der Jagd.

Casting of a pair of antlers above the burr

The casting of a pair of roe deer antlers in velvet in a district in Austria in late February, 1986 is described (Figs. 1–3). Possible causes are discussed.