Influence of roe deer on the state of undergrowth in oak groves at the Karadag Nature Reserve
V. L. YARYSH1, S. P. IVANOV2
1T. I. Vyasemsky Karadag Scientific Station - Nature Reserve of the RAS, Feodosia, Russia
2V. I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol, Russia
Keywords: downy oak, sessile oak, Crimea, reforestation, Protected Area, density of ungulates
Abstract
Data on the state of stands and undergrowth of the main forest-forming species at the Karadag Nature Reserve in oak forests of downy oak (Quercus pubescens) and sessile oak (Q. petraea) under conditions of super-high density of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are presented. The exponential growth in number of roe deer in the reserve, which has been observed since its creation (1979), led to an increase in its number by 2016 to 750 individuals and a density of up to 437 individuals per 1000 ha, which is 10 times higher than the norm. At the same time the level of damaged sessile oak undergrowth increased from 7.6 to 88.9 %, and downy oak - from 8.4 to 83.7 %. A decrease to an absolute minimum in number of mid and complete absence of big undergrowth of both sessile oak and pubescent oak took place. Alignment of tree species in abundance (estimated by the Berger-Parker index) is 1.20 for sessile oak stands and 1.18 for downy oak stands, and undergrowth in these stands is 3.0 and 1.6 respectively. At the Primorskoye Forestry located next to the reserve, relatively favorable in terms of the density of roe deer (37 individuals per 1 thousand ha), damage to the undergrowth of the main species was 5.5 % in sessile oak groves and 7.2 % in downy oak groves. Alignment of tree species in oak forests at the Primorskoye Forestry in abundance is 1.25 for sessile oak and 1.54 for downy oak, and for undergrowth - 2.15 and 2.11 respectively. Being based on the totality of the obtained data it was concluded that even under conditions of a super-high density of ungulates oak forests of the Karadag Reserve retain the possibility of renewal due to an increase in the density of small undergrowth (sessile oak groves) and alignment of undergrowth (downy oak groves). Regarding to the renewal of the main species the excessive number of roe deer in the reserve plays a negative role, and respectively biodiversity in terms of the alignment of tree species undergrowth in terms of abundance it plays a positive role.
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