What factor can affect deer population dynamics? Evaluation of bottom-up foctors at multiple temporal scales.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18227
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 64040:Social-ecological systems-related
• Research Institution: Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Osaka Prefecture
• Principal Investigator: Koda Ryosuke 地方独立行政法人大阪府立環境農林水産総合研究所(環境研究部、食と農の研究部及び水産研究部), その他部局等, 主任研究員 (60625953)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 窒素同位体比 / 妊娠率 / RKFI / 生息密度 / GIS / 捕獲圧 / 履歴効果

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Factors which can affect deer population dynamics were evaluated from both top-down and bottom-up perspectives on short-, middle-, and long-term time scales. On the short-term scale, it was clear that not only capture but also crop damage control are important for reducing deer populations. On the mid-term scale, considering the possibility of deer spreading to surrounding farmland during enhanced capture, the necessity was suggested to promote coordinated capture and crop damage control over a wide area. On the long-term scale, it was suggested that it is not easy to achieve long-term low deer density through capture alone, and that it is necessary to incorporate the perspectives of crop damage control and habitat management. As a future measure, it will be important to consider a shift to comprehensive measures that include habitat management in the long term, while promoting coordination between appropriate capture and crop damage control in the short- and medium-term.

Free Research Field

森林生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、これまで定性的な評価に留まっていたシカの増加や分布拡大要因を、複数の時間スケールに分けた解析を併用するという独創的なアプローチによって、農作物利用等のボトムアップ効果を含めて定量的に評価したものであり、学術的に重要な位置づけを持つものである。また得られた成果は、捕獲、被害防除、生息環境管理の各被害対策を一体的に進める重要性を明示するものであり、閉塞感のある現状を打破し、獣害問題を解決に導いていく礎となる社会的意義の大きなものである。