Investigating population dynamics in ungulates: Do hunting statistics make up a good index of population abundance?

• DOI: 10.2981/08-051
• Publication Date: 2010-07-29T01:33:38Z
• Authors: Simona Imperio; Massimiliano Ferr...; Alessandra Grignetti; Giacomo Santini; Stefano Focardi
• Keywords: Ungulate; Population density; Density dependence

Abstract Time series analysis plays an important role in the detection of mechanisms that drive population fluctuations. However, long time are rare, with ungulate data sets usually not exceeding 50 years. In this article, we describe a long‐term set density indices five species obtained from bag records collected Castelporziano Preserve, Rome, Italy. Hunting statistics often used as proxies for density; however, case large mammals, there no comparative studies to assess validity such data. We evaluated series, using two different approaches: 1) compared hunting independent animal counts, and 2) assessed whether or habitat composition areas was representative availability whole estate. Regressions between counts gave significant results only three species, whereas corrected hunted area were significantly correlated all species. The suggest use effort without any previous validation could lead misleading estimates abundance indices. Finally, our showed affected by selection habitats where drives organised. Our may contribute understanding ecology Mediterranean environment.