Age and density modify the effects of habitat quality on survival and movements of roe deer

Abstract

We analyzed spatial variations in movements and survival in a roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) population (Chizé, western France) by using recent developments of multistate capture-mark-recapture modeling in order to estimate transition and survival probabilities of individuals living in three habitats of contrasting quality. Irrespective of both population density and sex, habitat quality did not influence survivorship of prime-age or senescent roe deer. Likewise, habitat quality did not influence fawn survival at low density. On the other hand, fawn survival at high density was 20% higher in the resource-rich hornbeam-dominant coppices than in the other poorer habitats. We found, as expected, that fawns were mobile, whereas adults of both sexes were highly sedentary. Movements of roe deer among habitats were markedly influenced by habitat quality. Transition probabilities of individuals from the rich hornbeam coppices toward other habitats were lower than transition probabilities of individuals from the poor beech stand or from the medium-quality maple dominant coppices toward the rich hornbeam coppices.