Use of forest habitat by deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Is-sur-Tille massif (Côte-d'Or)

Abstract

The influence of habitat on a locality's frequentation rate and the consumption of woody plants by red deer (Cervus elaphus) has been studied in the Is-sur-Tille forest (Côte d'Or), using PLS (partial least squares) regression; the independent variables are the abundance of pellets (an index of the rate at which a locality is frequented) and the browsed mass of woody plants (an index of the consumption of woody plant material), and the causal variables are 62 and 36 variables (respectively) describing the habitat. The abundance of pellets and the browsed mass of woody plant material were measured from the 2nd of February to the 25th of March 1993 on 193 circular experimental plots, radius 10 metres, distributed over six types of forest plantations. The results seem to indicate that the deer are sensitive to the overall structure of the countryside and particularly to anthropic factors. They tend to occupy only certain parts of the forest sufficiently remote from villages and roads. Within the space used, the deer are likely to be selective to a certain degree with regard to different components of the environment. Their choice is in part based on food-related criteria: they prefer to occupy areas rich in lower layers (below 1 metre) and tend to avoid areas with many types of forest plantations. We have found a positive link between the abundance of pellets on the experimental plot and the presence of forestry tracks at a distance of 200 to 400 metres around the experimental plot. We assume that this relationship reflects the appeal of the deer for peaks which represent good vantage points. The forestry tracks are often at the bottom of the valley and the distance of 200 to 400 metres often corresponds to the summit of adjacent slopes.