Density-habitat relationships of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Finland

In heterogeneous landscapes, resource selection constitutes a crucial link between landscape and population-level processes such as density. We conducted a non-invasive genetic study of white-tailed deer in southern Finland in 2016 and 2017 using fecal DNA samples to understand factors influencing white-tailed deer density and space use in late summer prior to the hunting season. We estimated deer density as a function of landcover types using a spatial capture-recapture (SCR) model with individual identities established using microsatellite markers. The study revealed second-order habitat selection with highest deer densities in fields and mixed forest, and third-order habitat selection (detection probability) for transitional woodlands (clear-cuts) and closeness to fields. Including landscape heterogeneity improved model fit and increased inferred total density compared with models assuming a homogenous landscape. Our findings underline the importance of including habitat covariates w..., ,在异质景观中，资源选择是联结景观与种群水平过程（如种群密度）的核心纽带。我们于2016年与2017年在芬兰南部针对白尾鹿（white-tailed deer）开展了非侵入式遗传学研究，通过粪便DNA样本，旨在阐明狩猎季前夏末时节影响白尾鹿种群密度与空间利用的相关因素。本研究借助微卫星标记（microsatellite markers）确立个体身份，结合空间捕获-重捕模型（spatial capture-recapture, SCR），以土地覆被类型为自变量估算鹿群密度。研究结果显示存在二阶生境选择：鹿群密度在农田与混交林中最高；同时存在三阶生境选择（检测概率维度），鹿群偏好过渡性林地（皆伐迹地）且临近农田。相较于假设景观均质的模型，纳入景观异质性的模型提升了拟合优度，并提高了推断得到的总种群密度。本研究结果凸显了纳入生境协变量的重要性，……