Most studies on the relationship between home-range size and composition focus on natural factors, whereas effects of anthropogenic factors are poorly understood. Manuscript evaluates effects of multiple natural and anthropogenic habitat factors, population density, and sex on the annual home-range size of red deer in well-preserved forests in the Dinaric Mountains of Slovenia. The home-range size decreased with increasing: red deer density, supplemental feeding intensity, and average annual temperature; home-range size increased as the distance of main roads from the edge of the home range increased; and males had a larger home range than females. These results were explained by effects of food availability, energy expenditure of an individual, intraspecific interactions, and size of unfragmented habitat patches on home-range size. To our knowledge, this is the 1st large mammal study to explicitly show that the density and spatial distribution of roads and supplemental feeding affect home-range size of red deer and that humans can have a greater impact on home-range size and shape than natural factors. Ungulates are often supplementally fed to increase their value to hunters and to reduce forest damage; however, this practice can greatly reduce the home-range size, potentially leading to increased disease transmission and competition associated with the higher deer densities around feeding sites, which can result in just the opposite of what was intended.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3427238
In the study, data from a Slovenian forest inventory (67,563 plots, 200 m2 each) were used to develop a two-stage beech recruitment model. In the first stage a probability model of beech recruitment was estimated with binary logistic regression, while in the second stage a conditional model for beech recruitment rate was derived. A tree was classified as recruited if it had crossed a threshold of 10 cm in its dbh. On average, 2.5 beech ha-1 y-1 overgrew the measurement threshold, representing 38% of the total recruitment. High variability in beech recruitment was observed (CV=274%). Among 21 independent variables, three stand, one site, two climate, two forest management, and one wildlife variable were included into the models – eight in the probability model, seven in the conditional model, six of which were included in both models. Beech recruitment was negatively related to stand basal area and mean diameter and positively related to the proportion of beech in the stand basal area. Beech recruitment was most successful in young even-aged and uneven-aged stands and on sites of medium productivity. Tree mortality in a stand, resulting mainly from harvesting, was positively related to beech recruitment, while the opposite was true for large ungulate density index. Among climate variables, mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation influenced the probability of beech recruitment, a result that could be useful for exploring the future potential of beech in a changing environment.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3427494
The main problem in group AHP is to aggregate the individual judgements, i.e., the individual comparison matrices, into a group matrix, respectively into a group priority vector. The paper is focused on the acceptable consistency of such aggregation, that is also very important when dealing with participatory decision making in forestry. We were interested in the question: is the group matrix of acceptable consistency if all individual matrices are of accceptable consistency, or if some of them are not of acceptable consistency. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the aggregated group matrix to be of acceptable consistency were set up. We studied the theorem: if all individual pariwise comparison matrices of m decision makers for n alternatives are acceptably consistent, then the group matrix aggregated by the use of WGMM (weighted geometric mean method) is of acceptable consistency. This theorem was presented and first proved by Xu (2000, EJOR), and Lin et al. (2008, EJOR) rejected the proof. As we find the theorem important since it has been used in many applications, in this paper we provided a new proof. Further, we derived the upper bound for the consistency ratio which depends only on determinants of individual comparison matrices and the importance of decision makers' opinions. For two decision makers the interval for , i.e., the importance of first decision maker's opinion, is given for aggregated matrix to be of acceptable consistency.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2033801
To our knowledge, our study is the first detailed study of the infection and spreading patterns of parasitic woody species Arceuthobium oxycedri (DC.) M. Bieb. in Europe. Eleven mixed populations of Juniperus oxycedrus L. and Juniperus communis L. were inventoried for the presence of A. oxycedri infections. Both J. oxycedrus and A. oxycedri are rare and distributed in marginal populations in Slovenia. The dimensions of A. oxycedri specimens were surprisingly large and often exceeded 25 cm in diameter, the largest even measuring up to 40 cm. Six juniper populations out of eleven were infected, and the proportion of infected host individuals in these ranged from 29.17 up to 82.93 %. The proportion of infected J. communis specimens was 54.90 %, which is surprisingly high for this species. We identified a different, more localized pattern of infection for J. communis. Usually, only a single infection was present and was most common on the trunk in the middle third of the crown and much less common on the branches. As some of our findings are new, they are likely to contribute to future research of A. oxycedri, in particular in Europe. We assume that A. oxycedri will continue to slowly spread in Slovenia, primarily in areas where it is already present, however its control in our country is probably not yet necessary.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3490726
Canopy gap recruitment in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) old-growth forests is influenced by the interplay of the canopy gap disturbance regime, site factors, and stand history. Persistent seedling and sapling banks of beech and other shade tolerant species often play a major role in canopy gap closure. To gain more insight into interactions between medium-sized gaps and pre-gap ground vegetation patterns, we studied beech regeneration over a 10-year period on a site rich in wild garlic (Allium ursinum L.) in a Dinaric beech old-growth forest. In 1999 we selected the five largest newly created gaps (200 m2) and systematically established 13 permanent plots (1 by 2 m) in each gap. In 1999, 2004, and 2009, we sampled tree species regeneration (density, cover, and growth), ground vegetation (composition and cover), and light climate. Beech regeneration slowly increased in density and cover despite an overall decrease in light (11.0–5.7%). The same was not true for maple. While beech was present in all regeneration classes, dominant maple seedlings rarely reached 50 cm. Beech also had a significantly greater height increment. Regeneration of both species was negatively affected by Allium cover, low light levels, and ungulate browsing. Gap partitioning was observed among shade tolerant Allium, which preferred microsites under closed canopy and low light levels, beech regeneration, which preferred gap periphery, and other less shade tolerant herbs, which favoured gap centres. The slow development of the regeneration indicated the importance of several gap releases. The high maple seedling density and less abundant beech advance regeneration in this study site compared to other beech sites suggests that Allium dominated managed forests might present an opportunity for growing less shade-tolerant species, if managed with a gap-oriented silvicultural system (e.g. irregular shelterwood).
COBISS.SI-ID: 3432358