Long-term effects of red deer (Cervus elaphus) grazing on soil in a breeding area.

This paper examines the effects of red deer grazing on some properties of soil (sand, silt, clay pH, electrical conductivity organic carbon, bulk density, fine soil weight, compaction and saturation capacity), and litter (unit weight-mass, organic matter content (%) and organic matter mass) properties on a red deer breeding area by comparing an undisturbed area in Istanbul Belgrad Forest-Turkey. According to the results obtained in this study the litter mass in the breeding area has been found considerably lower. There were some crucial changes in the characteristics of the soil which has been investigated in 0-5 cm depth. No important difference had been detected between the breeding area and the undisturbed area in terms of electrical conductivity. However, other investigated soil properties in 0-5 cm depth showed significant differences between the undisturbed area and the breeding area. Soil was significantly compacted by red deer grazing. The soil pH was 2.18 unit higher in undisturbed area. Moreover, organic carbon content (1.395%) in the breeding area was found quite lower. Depending on the compaction of the soil and lessen quantity of soil organic matter the value of saturation capacity (28.83%) on the breeding area is considerably lower, bulk density and fine soil weights were significantly higher. Mean silt and clay proportions (25.4 and 33.7%, respectively) are quite higher and the mean sand proportion (40.9%) was lower in the breeding area than in the undisturbed area. Results indicated that long-term red deer grazing in the breeding area adversely affected litter and soil properties.