Impacts of an excessive sika deer population on vascular flora on Nakanoshima Islands, Toya Lake, Hokkaido, Japan

DOI Web Site 5 Citations 36 References
  • Sukeno Mikio
    Hokkaido Institute of Environmental Sciences Present address: Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University
  • Miyaki Masami
    Hokkaido Institute of Environmental Sciences

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • エゾシカの増加が洞爺湖中島の維管束植物相に与えた影響
  • エゾシカ ノ ゾウカ ガ トウヤコ ナカノシマ ノ イカンソク ショクブツソウ ニ アタエタ エイキョウ

Search this article

Description

We surveyed the vascular flora on the Nakanoshima Islands in Toya Lake, Hokkaido, Japan, during the years 2002-2004. Here, the impacts of an excessive population of sika deer (Cervus nippon Temminck) have lasted for more than 20 years. The present survey found 150 plant species in 68 families on the islands (excluding the species recorded only in the areas impossible for the deer to enter), a decrease to 32.6% of the 460 species surveyed in 1977. The survival ratios of herbaceous, shrub and tree species were 18.8% (n = 67), 35.0% (n = 14), and 62.5% (n = 40), respectively. The survival ratios of herbaceous and shrub species were lower than for tree species. These results suggest that shrub and herbaceous species, which utilize the same space as deer, were more affected by the deer compared to the tree species. Numbers of alien plants did not change since the first survey, and the failure to increase was probably because of heavy foraging pressure. In recent years, deer have started foraging on unpalatable plants such as Cephalotaxus harringtonia var. nana and Senecio cannabifolius. The current findings suggest that the flora on the island change rapidly in response to pressure from browsing deer.

Journal

Citations (5)*help

See more

References(36)*help

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top