Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The succession processes of a forest, their speed and direction depend on various
disturbance factors among which are: storms, wildfires, wildlife grazing/browsing, and in
case of heathlands – also human management. The study of this Master thesis, however,
was carried out in an area, where human management had been restricted since 1913.
The site of Nørholm heathland has been studied since 1921, with 9 vegetation surveys
and vast amounts of data available. With ever since increasing deer population in the area
(up to 130 roe deer individuals in 2005), the necessity of a new study appeared where the
accent would be put on the influence of deer population on the forest succession on
heathland. The specific aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the
amount of deer and young tree saplings, especially in the height class up to 0.5m.
The amount of deer per square kilometer was calculated using several techniques
discovered during literature review. Dependences between presence of deer tracks and
deer pellets on plots, deer presence and main tree species in height classes 0.5m, 1m and
2m were analyzed, but no statistical significance was discovered. The reasons for that
will be discussed in this master thesis with suggestions for further steps and research.