Activity Rhythms Of Red Deer And Roe Deer And Group Patterns Of Red Deer Based On Camera Trapping

From September2011to December2012, I conducted the study on daily activity pattern of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), the group behavior of red deer and population dynamics of mammals by use of infrared camera technology at Saihanwula Nature Reserve, Inner Mongolian. The study explored daily and seasonal activity rhythm, habitat selection variation between the two species. Simultaneously, I also studied the group types and group size of red deer. In addition, the study also surveyed the population dynamics of mammals using camera trapping. Following are the main results.1. The daily activity rhythm of red deer exists significant seasonal difference (χ2=7.905, df=3, P=0.048). The activities intensity in Autumn and winter are the strongest, and spring and summer is quite.There is no difference between open habitats and forest-edge habitats in the aspect of intensity of daily activities (Z=-0.210, P=0.834)2. The activity pattern of roe deer has no significant seasonal variations in the spring and summer (Z=-1.074, P=0.283), and the deers’activity focus on dawn and dusk. There is no difference between open habitats and forest-edge habitats in the aspect of intensity of daily activities in the spring and summer.3. Red deer and roe deer appeared two peak periods of activities in the dawn and dusk, the daytime of activities of roe deer was greater than red deer, but it was versed at night. The activities red deer and roe deer has no significant difference in open habitats and forest-edge habitats.4. The average number of red deer group size was1.8±1.22, and the largest group size was11. There has significant differences of occurrence frequency between the six group types (χ2=114.976, df=5, P=0.000), and the single female group appeared at a highest frequency. The frequency of different group types has significant seasonal differences (χ2=154.328, df=15, P=0.000). The frequency of occurrence of different group types has on difference between open habitats and forest-edge habitats (χ2=1.401, df=5, P=0.924). The frequency of occurrence of the group size existed significant differences (χ2=98.632, df=10,P=0.000).5. This study recorded a total of11species of mammals, belonging to4orders and8families. There were3species are listed as Class two National Key Protected Species, and they were lynx{Lynx lynx), red deer, and the goral (Nemorhaedus goral)...