Flooding as a cause of ungulate mortality in floodplain forests in Croatia

作     者：Damir Ugarkovic Nikica Sprem Nikolina Kelava Ugarkovic Milan Orsanic Damir Ugarkovi?;Nikica ?prem;Nikolina Kelava Ugarkovi?;Milan Or?ani?

作者机构：Department of Ecology and SilvicultureFaculty of ForestryUniversity of ZagrebSvetosimunska 2510002 ZagrebCroatia Department of FisheriesBeekeepingGame Management and Special ZoologyFaculty of AgricultureUniversity of ZagrebSvetosimunska cesta 2510002 ZagrebCroatia Department of Animal Science and TechnologyFaculty of AgricultureUniversity of ZagrebSvetosimunska cesta 2510002 ZagrebCroatia 

出 版 物：《Journal of Forestry Research》 (林业研究（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2020年第31卷第3期

页      面：1045-1052页

核心收录：

学科分类：0830[工学-环境科学与工程（可授工学、理学、农学学位）] 0907[农学-林学] 07[理学] 0829[工学-林业工程] 0901[农学-作物学] 0713[理学-生态学] 

基　　金：supported by the Croatian Hunting Federation(project name:Influence of climate change and extreme weather events on game mortality No.U-47-15)。 

主　　题：Floods Floodplain forests Mortality Red deer Roe deer Wild boar 

摘      要：Floodplain forests with regular flooding regimes are the largest natural retentions areas in Croatia and are important as natural habitats for ungulates.The aim of this study was to determine the scale of mortality caused by flooding within these forests.Over a 10-year period,data on ungulate mortality(red deer,roe deer and wild boar),flood duration and flooded surface area were recorded.The study was conducted in primary(Posavske Sume—RET I)and secondary(Opeke II—RET II)retention areas within Lonjsko Polje Nature Park(Sava River region,Croatia).The longest flood period and the largest flooded surface area were recorded in RET I.Total ungulate mortality was749 individuals,with 482 individuals in RET I and 267 individuals in RET II,predominantly wild boar.Flood mortality did not differ by gender.The highest mortality of wild boar was recorded for the juvenile and yearling ageclasses.Low mortality of red and roe deer can be attributed to their body size and ecological niches.Differences in mortality between the primary and secondary retention areas corresponded to differences in flood regimes,flood column heights and micro relief structures.In both retention areas,wild boar mortality and flood duration,i.***.flooded surface area,were positively correlated.Because the growth rate of the analysed ungulate populations was higher than the recorded mortality,no long-term effect of floods is expected on species abundance in these areas.