The influence of human disturbances on the spatio-temporal habitat selection patterns of roe deer near Trento (Italy)

This is the dataset used for the MSc. thesis of Matthijs Hinkamp for the master Earth Sciences (Environmental Management track) at the University of Amsterdam.

In this thesis the Individual Movement Sequence Analysis Method (IM-SAM) was applied to analyse the influence of human disturbances on the sequential habitat use of roe deer in northern Italy. While it is known that in this area the roe deer populations are affected by anthropogenic pressures, the actual spatial and temporal implications of such pressures are unknown.

The input for IM-SAM consisted of habitat sequences, which were obtained through tracking data from the Fondazione Edmund Mach, land use and land cover maps and temporal information. Based on exploratory dissimilarity trees for the real behavioural sequences, several simulation profiles were established, each with a different habitat use pattern.

The results show that most roe deer prefer isolated forest areas, but alternating patterns are definitely present. Several co variables were assessed: the influence of the hunting season, increased pressure during weekends, differences between protected and unprotected areas and changes in the average NDVI. It seems that roe deer are affected by the hunting pressure in September. This month shows an increase in the prevalence of alternating profiles, which indicates that roe deer tend to change their habitat use during periods of the day when hunting takes place. It cannot be concluded that habitat use patterns are altered during the weekends and the differences between sequences in protected and unprotected areas seem to be relatively small. However, some results indicate that alternating habitat use is a strategy for some roe deer in protected areas. When looking at the NDVI values, it becomes clear that the average NDVI is higher overall for the alternating profiles, but this just underlines the general conclusions drawn about the habitat use strategies in September.