Publications (FIS)

Potential of small-scale and structurally diverse short-rotation coppice as habitat for large and medium-sized mammals

authored by: Felix Zitzmann, Michael Reich, Frank Schaarschmidt
Abstract: We surveyed occurrence and activity of large and medium-sized mammals on three experimental short-rotation coppice (SRC) and three afforestations by camera trapping. Both habitat types were surveyed simultaneously in spring. Additional wintertime surveys were performed on the SRC to consider seasonal aspects of habitat utilisation. In spring, SRC and afforestations were predominantly used by the same species. European hare (Lepus europaeus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) were the most active species across all sites. Additionally, the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) showed intense activity on one SRC site. Activity of carnivorous and omnivorous species was comparatively low in both habitat types, but even lower on the SRC. The only forest-associated species (European badger Meles meles), detected on all afforestations, was absent from the SRC. In winter, the surveyed SRC were used by the same species as in spring. Most species showed similar activity on the SRC in both seasons. We conclude that small-scale and structurally diverse SRC provide suitable habitat, in different seasons, especially for herbivorous mammals associated with farmland and forest-ecotones rather than forest species. The extent to which our results can be generalised to large-scale commercial SRC is unclear. However, the results indicate that SRC can be managed in a manner compatible with wildlife and may then have a habitat function for mammals comparable to that of young afforestations. Creation of within-plantation heterogeneity can be a suitable measure to improve habitat quality and should, therefore, be considered in the design and management of SRC.
Organisation(s): Institute of Environmental Planning
Institute of Cell Biology and Biophysics
Department of Biostatistics
Type: Article
Journal: BIOLOGIA
Volume: 76
Pages: 2195-2206
No. of pages: 12
ISSN: 0006-3088
Publication date: 08.2021
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Biochemistry, Animal Science and Zoology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Plant Science, Cell Biology
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-021-00686-0 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{2b7f9702d1b74fcab4b960a75d8ea2e3,
title = "Potential of small-scale and structurally diverse short-rotation coppice as habitat for large and medium-sized mammals",
abstract = "We surveyed occurrence and activity of large and medium-sized mammals on three experimental short-rotation coppice (SRC) and three afforestations by camera trapping. Both habitat types were surveyed simultaneously in spring. Additional wintertime surveys were performed on the SRC to consider seasonal aspects of habitat utilisation. In spring, SRC and afforestations were predominantly used by the same species. European hare (Lepus europaeus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) were the most active species across all sites. Additionally, the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) showed intense activity on one SRC site. Activity of carnivorous and omnivorous species was comparatively low in both habitat types, but even lower on the SRC. The only forest-associated species (European badger Meles meles), detected on all afforestations, was absent from the SRC. In winter, the surveyed SRC were used by the same species as in spring. Most species showed similar activity on the SRC in both seasons. We conclude that small-scale and structurally diverse SRC provide suitable habitat, in different seasons, especially for herbivorous mammals associated with farmland and forest-ecotones rather than forest species. The extent to which our results can be generalised to large-scale commercial SRC is unclear. However, the results indicate that SRC can be managed in a manner compatible with wildlife and may then have a habitat function for mammals comparable to that of young afforestations. Creation of within-plantation heterogeneity can be a suitable measure to improve habitat quality and should, therefore, be considered in the design and management of SRC.",
keywords = "Biodiversity, Bioenergy, Camera trapping, Game, Perennial woody biomass crops, Wildlife",
author = "Felix Zitzmann and Michael Reich and Frank Schaarschmidt",
note = "Funding Information: Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. This work was supported by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (Nieders{\"a}chsisches Ministerium f{\"u}r Ern{\"a}hrung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz, ML), Grant No. 105.2–3234/1–13-4. Funding Information: We are grateful to the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection for the financial support of this study. We are also grateful to L. von Falkenhayn for proofreading the English manuscript and to M. Rode for his helpful comments on a former version of the manuscript. We thank M. Senne and M. Z?chner for their assistance in field work. The two anonymous reviewers and the Managing Editor M?ria Kazim?rov? made valuable comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. This work was supported by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (Nieders{\"a}chsisches Ministerium f{\"u}r Ern{\"a}hrung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz, ML), Grant No. 105.2?3234/1?13-4. The raw-datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.",
year = "2021",
month = aug,
doi = "10.1007/s11756-021-00686-0",
language = "English",
volume = "76",
pages = "2195--2206",
journal = "BIOLOGIA",
issn = "0006-3088",
publisher = "Walter de Gruyter GmbH",
number = "8",
}