Modern Dynamics of the Red Deer (Сervus elaphus maral) Population in the Caucasian State Nature Reserve

Abstract

The dynamics of 19 local red deer (Сervus elaphus maral Ogilbi 1840) groupings in the Caucasian State Nature Biosphere Reserve in the period of 1996‒2015 has been researched; the groupings were divided into three groups by their size: large, average, and small ones. It was found that the population decline at the end of 20th century has resulted in levelling of local deer groupings: all of them became small but none disappeared completely. Further population growth has resulted in the formation of large and average local groupings in central parts of the nature reserve; a gradual restoration of optimal ratios between those can be observed. In some peripheral areas of the biosphere reserve, the red deer population is not recovering, while the average size of the small groupings is decreasing. At least four local deer groupings have lost their independent status in the metapopulation structure of the species due to anthropogenic factors and continue their existence owing to neighboring local groupings on the basis of the “source‒sink” system operation principle.