The pellet-decay rate of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Lesser Xing’an Mountains
Received date: 2022-04-25
Accepted date: 2022-11-28
Online published: 2023-03-23
The pellet-decay rate is the time period during which pellet piles disappeared under natural conditions. Pellet-decay rate is a significant parameter for estimating the population size of deer by using the method of pellet distance sampling, providing the foundation for research on population size. In this study, we aim to answer the question of what is the pellet-decay rate of deer under continental climates in high-latitude temperate zones and solve the time-consuming and labor-consuming problem of revisiting each pellet group at their original positions when pellet piles are scattered due to low density and hidden behavior of those species in China. Within the Lesser Xing’an Mountains (46°28′ - 49°21′N)located in the temperate continental climate zone, we selected the Jianshe forest farm in Tieli Forestry Bureau as study area. In January 2015, we collected 38 groups of fresh pellets from red deer (Cervus elaphus) and moved them to a typical conveniently-revisited red deer habitat characterized by coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest and sunny slope, and recorded the original number of pellets in each pile. After that, we made eight visits at certain intervals to record the remaining pellets in each pile and whether each pile was completely decayed. Then, we used logistic binary regression using the R 4.1.2 software to calculate the intercept b0and slope b1 of the model and the MATLAB R2020b software to calculate the pellet-decay rate. The result showed that the average pellet-decay rate of red deer was 646 ± 53 days. In this study, pellet piles were manually moved and set in one place for observation, which provided a feasible way to study the pellet-decay rate in areas with low density of the target population. This study enriched the research on the pellet-decay rate of deer in China, thus alleviating the obstacle of using the pellet-based distance sampling method to estimate the population size.
Xuefeng SHAO , Xiaoying PING , Yueyuan LI , Long CHEN , Zhiwen NIE , Yuanman HU , Yuehui LI . The pellet-decay rate of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Lesser Xing’an Mountains[J]. ACTA THERIOLOGICA SINICA, 2023 , 43(2) : 157 -163 . DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.150682
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