Graf Roland
Habitat selection of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in a landscape of fear shaped
by human recreation
Wildtiere und Mensch im Naherholungsraum,
Project Number: CH-5660
| Project Type: |
Master |
| Project Duration: |
03/01/2014 - 02/28/2015 project completed |
| Funding Source: |
other , |
| Leading Institution: |
Züricher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften ZHAW, Wädenswil |
| Project Leader: |
Dr. Roland Graf
Institut Umwelt & Natürliche Ressourcen (IUNR)
ZHAW
Grüntal
8820 Wädenswil
Phone: ; +41 (0) 58 934 55 78
FAX: +41 (0) 58 934 59 11
e-Mail: roland.graf(at)zhaw.ch
http://www.unr.ch/ |
Research Areas:
Disciplines:
Abstract:
Predation risk varies in space and time across the landscape and thus, causes a heterogeneous “landscape of fear”. Within this landscape, roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) adapt their habitat selection to minimize the current risk and to maximize energy gain as well as energy saving. As roe deer perceive human disturbance as predation risk, human activities affect habitat selection of roe deer. This may lead to the avoidance of high quality habitats and therefore to a reduction in individual and population fitness. Nevertheless, the role of recreational activity as a human disturbance for roe deer is rarely investigated. We analysed how non-motorized recreational activity affects habitat selection of twelve GPS-collared roe deer in a peri-urban landscape of Switzerland. Recreational activity differs between weekend and workdays as well as between daytime, nighttime and twilight periods. Thus, we predicted that habitat selection of the roe deer varies among these time periods. We estimated individual home ranges (HR) and core areas (CA) by using kernel density estimation with the smoothing parameter had hoc. We calculated HR and CA sizes for the different time periods as well as percent overlaps of these measures between weekend and workday, day and night, day and twilight as well as night and twilight. Further, we modelled habitat selection of each roe deer within their HR by using the negative binomial resource selection function (NB RSF). Home range and CA sizes as well as habitat selection did not differ between weekend and workday. In contrast, diurnal HR and CA were smaller than both nocturnal and twilight HR and CA, respectively. Roe deer generally avoided roads and used flat areas as well as open areas more frequently during the night than during the day, likely as a result of human disturbance. Further, roe deer selected habitats with high canopy cover during the night and forest stands with high conifer proportion in general. Additionally, habitat selection of roe deer exposed to intense recreational activity was similar to that of roe deer exposed to low recreational activity. Our findings indicate that roe deer adapt habitat selection over the course of a day as a result of recreational activity. However, weekly variation in recreational activity did not affect habitat selection of roe deer. Roe deer usually exhibit behavioural plasticity and adapt well to human disturbance. The studied roe deer also adapted to but did not tolerate recreational activity. Thus, human disturbance still influenced the behaviour of the roe deer and future studies should discuss the effect on individual and population fitness.
Publications:
Ineichen, P. (2015). Habitat selection of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in a landscape of fear shaped by human recreation. Department of Environmental Systems Science (D-USYS), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich. Master thesis.
pdf Masterarbeit
Last update: 7/18/17
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Update the data of project: CH-5660
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