Wolf predation and snow cover as mortality factors in the ungulate community of the Bialowieża National Park, Poland.

摘要: Wolf-ungulate interactions were studied in the pristine deciduous and mixed forests of Bialowieza National Park 1985–1989. The study period included two severe mild winters. community ungulates inhabiting consisted red deer Cervus elaphus, 55% all ungulates; wild boar Sus scrofa, 42%; roe Capreolus capreolus, moose Alces alces, European bison Bison bonasus, about 1% each. average size groups increased from 2.7 (SD 2.35) spring summer to 6.9 6.84) autumn winter. In winter group was positively correlated with depth snow cover negatively mean daily temperature. Average did not change significantly between seasons; it 6.8 5.16) 5.7 4.67) Analysis 144 wolf scats showed that wolves preyed selectively on deer. October–April, Cervidae (mostly deer) constituted 91% biomass consumed by wolves, while made up only 8%. May–September formed 77% prey biomass, share 22%. seasons year selected juveniles populations: 61% 94% determined age recovered wolves' young <1 old. 117 carcasses found predation predominant mortality factor for (40 killed, 10 dead causes other than predation) (4 none dead). Wild suffered most conditions (8 56 percentage had died undernutrition starvation total proportional severity