Sage, R.B., Hollins, K., Gregory, C.L., Woodburn, M.I.A. & Carroll, J.P. 2004: Impact of roe deer Capreolus capreolus browsing on understorey vegetation in small farm woodlands. - Wildl. Biol. 10: 115-120.
The impact of around nine roe deer Capreolus capreolus/km2 on ground and shrub vegetation was assessed in a sample of six small woodlands on a largely arable estate in Dorset, southern England. In January 1996, 30 exclosures of 2 × 2 × 1.5 m and 30 paired controls were set up. Measurements of vegetation density at six height categories using a cover board were taken in late winter and mid-summer in each of the four years 1996-1999. Mean cover values were calculated for each woodland, and they indicated that the density of vegetative cover was reduced by deer browsing in winter and in summer. The effect of the browsing increased significantly within the four-year study period, and plant species composition had changed by the end of the study period. Our results suggest that roe deer may be having a substantial and potentially widespread effect on vegetative structure and composition in small farm woodlands in arable ecosystems in central southern England. The implications of this, for the characteristic wildlife and game species found in this common woodland habitat, are discussed.
Key words: browsing, roe deer, understorey vegetation, woodland
Rufus B. Sage, Kate Hollins*, Catherine L. Gregory**, Maureen I.A. Woodburn & John P. Carroll***, The Game Conservancy Trust, Burgate Manor, Fordingbridge, Hampshire SP6 1EF, UK - e-mail addresses: rsage@gct.org.uk (Rufus B. Sage); kate.hollins@fpcr.co.uk (Kate Hollins); comphelp@harperadams.ac.uk (Catherine L. Gregory); mwoodburn@gct.org.uk (Maureen I.A. Woodburn); jcarroll@smokey.forestry.uga.edu (John P. Carroll)
Present addresses:
*Faulks Perry Cully and Rech, Environmental Consultants, Lockington, Hall, Lockington, Derby, DE74 2RH, UK
**Harper Adams University College, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, UK
***DB Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2152, USA
Corresponding author: Rufus B. Sage
Received 15 November 2002, accepted 12 June 2003
Associate Editor: Nigel G. Yoccoz