Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
RESEARCH ARTICLE

An optimal habitat model for the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in central Veracruz, Mexico

B. Bolívar-Cimé A C and S. Gallina B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Red de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, A. C. Carretera Antigua a Coatepec No. 351, El Haya, Xalapa C. P. 91070, Veracruz, México.

B Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología, A. C. Carretera Antigua a Coatepec No. 351, El Haya, Xalapa C. P. 91070, Veracruz, México.

C Corresponding author. Email: beatriz.bolivar@posgrado.inecol.edu.mx

Animal Production Science 52(8) 707-713 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN12013
Submitted: 13 January 2012  Accepted: 5 June 2012   Published: 3 July 2012

Abstract

Modelling wildlife habitat availability for animal species has important implications for explaining the distribution of the animals in the wild, their effective management and conservation. In this study we evaluated an Optimal Habitat Model based on the Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) for the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in central Veracruz, Mexico. We generated a GIS-based model from the main habitat requirements that influence the presence of white-tailed deer. Six variables were used for modelling the optimal habitat. With these data layers we calculated the HSI for deer in the study area. Two strip transects (500 by 2 m) were set up at 18 sites where all signs of white-tailed deer were recorded. The HSI for the study area ranged from –0.667 to 0.905, with the lowest values associated with poor habitat quality. Eighty-six percent of the study area’s surface was habitat of intermediate and low quality. Seventy percent of the deer signs were found in intermediate habitat quality. White-tailed deer frequently used oak forest, tropical deciduous forest and pastures. A Classification Tree Analysis indicated that temperature and aspect were the main habitat features influencing white-tailed deer presence. Although anthropogenic pressure in the region is high, forest patches help maintain some suitable habitat for small populations of this species. Conservation and restoration of the vegetation cover is recommended to promote the recovery of deer populations in central Veracruz, Mexico.


References

Andersen MC, Watts JW, Freilich JE, Yool SR, Wakefield GI, McCauley JF, Fahnestock PB (2000) Regression-tree modeling of desert tortoise habitat in the central Mojave desert. Ecological Applications 10, 890–900.
Regression-tree modeling of desert tortoise habitat in the central Mojave desert.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

CONABIO (1998) ‘La diversidad biológica de México: Estudio de país, 1998.’ (Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad: México, D.F.)

CONABIO (2006) ‘Capital natural y bienestar social.’ (Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad: México, D.F.)

CONAFOR (2002) ‘Inventario Nacional Forestal, Serie II.’ (Modified) (Comisión Nacional Forestal, D.F.)

Crawley MJ (2007) ‘The R book.’ (John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester, England)

Delfin-Alfonso C (2002) Clasificación y evaluación del hábitat como primera fase para el establecimiento y operación de una UMA con fines de aprovechamiento de venado cola blanca mexicano en la mixteca poblana. MSc Thesis, Instituto de Ecología A.C. México.

Delfín-Alfonso CA, Gallina S, López-González CA (2009) Evaluación del hábitat del venado cola blanca utilizando modelos espaciales y sus implicaciones para el manejo en el centro de Veracruz, México. Tropical Conservation Science 2, 215–228.

Ellis EA, Martínez-Bello M, Monroy-Ibarra R (2011) Focos rojos para la conservación de la biodiversidad. In ‘La biodiversidad en Veracruz estudio de estado, Vol. I’. (Ed A Cruz Angón) pp. 351–367. (Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, Gobierno del Estado de Veracruz, Universidad Veracruzana, Instituto de Ecología A.C.: México, D.F.)

Felix AB, Campa H, Millenbah KF, Winterstein SR, Moritz WE (2004) Development of landscape-scale habitat-potential models for forest wildlife planning and management. Wildlife Society Bulletin 32, 795–806.
Development of landscape-scale habitat-potential models for forest wildlife planning and management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gallina S (1994) Uso del hábitat por el venado cola blanca en la Reserva de la Biosfera La Michilía, México. In ‘Ecología y Manejo del venado cola blanca en México y Costa Rica’. (Eds Ch Vaughan, M Rodríguez) pp. 299–314. (EUNA, Universidad Nacional: Costa Rica)

Gutiérrez MT (2003) Desarrollo y distribución de la población urbana en México. Boletín del Instituto de Geografía, UNAM 50, 77–91.

Hall ER (1981) ‘Mammals of North America.’ 2nd edn. (John Wiley & Sons: New York)

Halls LK (1984) ‘White-tailed deer ecology and management.’ (Stackpole Books: Harrisburg, PA)

INEGI (1991) ‘Anuario estadístico de Veracruz.’ (Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática: Gobierno del Estado de Veracruz, Mexico)

INEGI (1994) ‘Conjunto de Datos Vectoriales 1 : 250 000.’ (Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática: Gobierno del Estado de Veracruz, Mexico)

INEGI (1999) ‘Modelo Digital de Elevaciones 1 : 50 000.’ (Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática: Gobierno del Estado de Veracruz, Mexico)

Kilgo JC, Labisky RF, Fritzen DE (1998) Influences of hunting on the behavior of white-tailed deer: implications for conservation of the Florida panther. Conservation Biology 12, 1359–1364.
Influences of hunting on the behavior of white-tailed deer: implications for conservation of the Florida panther.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

López-Téllez MC, Mandujano S, Yánes G (2007) Evaluación poblacional del venado cola blanca en un bosque tropical seco de la mixteca poblana. Acta Zoologica Mexicana 23, 1–16.

LWP-1 (2002) Last of the Wild Data Version 1. Global Human Footprint Dataset (Geographic). Wildlife Conservation (WCS) and Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN). Available at: http//www.ciesin.columbia.edu [Verified 12 June 2012]

Mandujano S (1994) Método para evaluar el hábitat del venado cola blanca en un bosque de coníferas. In ‘Ecología y Manejo del venado cola blanca en México y Costa Rica’. (Eds Ch Vaughan, M Rodríguez) pp. 283–297. (EUNA, Universidad Nacional: Costa Rica)

Mandujano S, Gallina S (1994) Comparación de métodos para estimar la densidad poblacional del venado cola blanca en un bosque tropical caducifolio de México. In ‘Ecología y Manejo del venado cola blanca en México y Costa Rica’. (Eds Ch Vaughan, M Rodríguez) pp. 263–280. (EUNA, Universidad Nacional: Costa Rica)

Mandujano S, Rico-Gray V (1991) Hunting, use and knowledge of the biology of the White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus (Hays), by the Maya of central Yucatan, Mexico. Journal of Ethnobiology 11, 175–183.

Mandujano S, Gallina S, Arceo G, Pérez-Jiménez RA (2004) Variación estacional del uso y preferencia de los tipos vegetacionales por el venado cola blanca en un bosque tropical de Jalisco. Acta Zoologica Mexicana 20, 45–67.

Manor R, Saltz D (2005) Effects of human disturbance on use of space and flight distance of mountain gazelles. The Journal of Wildlife Management 69, 1683–1690.
Effects of human disturbance on use of space and flight distance of mountain gazelles.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Mas JF, Velázquez A, Díaz-Gallegos JR, Mayorga-Saucedo R, Alcántara C, Bocco G, Castro R, Fernández T, Pérez-Vega A (2004) Assessing land use/cover changes: a nationwide multidate spatial database for Mexico. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 5, 249–261.
Assessing land use/cover changes: a nationwide multidate spatial database for Mexico.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

McShea WJ, Underwood HB, Rappole JH (1997) ‘Science of overabundance.’ (Smithsonian Institute Press: Washington, DC)

Moen AN (1973) ‘Wildlife ecology.’ (Freeman and Company. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data: San Francisco, CA)

Neu CW, Byers CR, Peek JM (1974) A technique for analysis of utilization-availability data. The Journal of Wildlife Management 38, 541–545.
A technique for analysis of utilization-availability data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

O’Brien DJ, Schmitt SM, Fierke JS, Hogle SA, Winterstein SA, Cooley TM, Moritz WE, Diegel KL, Fitzgerald SD, Berry DE, Kaneene JB (2002) Epidemiology of Mycobacterium bovis in free-ranging white-tailed deer, Michigan, USA, 1995–2000. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 54, 47–63.
Epidemiology of Mycobacterium bovis in free-ranging white-tailed deer, Michigan, USA, 1995–2000.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rost GR, Bailey JA (1979) Distribution of mule deer and elk in relation to roads. The Journal of Wildlife Management 43, 634–641.
Distribution of mule deer and elk in relation to roads.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Rothley KD (2001) Manipulative, multi-standard test of a White-tailed deer habitat suitability model. The Journal of Wildlife Management 65, 953–963.
Manipulative, multi-standard test of a White-tailed deer habitat suitability model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Sánchez-Rojas G, Gallina S, Mandujano S (1997) Area de actividad y uso del hábitat de dos venados cola blanca (Odocoileus virginianus) en un bosque tropical de la costa de Jalisco, México. Acta Zoologica Mexicana 72, 39–54.

Segura W (1998) Application of the HEP methodologies and use of GIS to identify priority sites for management of white-tailed deer. In ‘GIS methodologies for developing conservation strategies: tropical forest recovery and wildlife management in Costa Rica’. (Eds B Savitsky, T Lacher) pp. 127–137. (Columbia University Press: New York)

SEMARNAT (2007) ‘Plan de manejo tipo de venado cola blanca en zonas templadas y tropicales de México.’ (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Dirección General de Vida Silvestre: México, D.F.)

SEMARNAT, PNUD (2005) ‘Informe de la situación del medio ambiente en México; compendio de estadísticas ambientales.’ (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales and Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo: México, D.F.)

Sisk TD, Castellanos AE, Koch GW (2007) Ecological impacts of wildlife conservation unit policy in Mexico. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 5, 209–212.
Ecological impacts of wildlife conservation unit policy in Mexico.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

US Fish and Wildlife Service (1991) ‘Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP).’ (Division of Ecological Services, Department of the Interior: Washington, DC)

Vaughan C (1994) El futuro del manejo del venado cola blanca en América Latina. In ‘Ecología y Manejo del venado cola blanca en México y Costa Rica’. (Eds C Vaughan, M Rodríguez) pp. 445–447. (EUNA, Universidad Nacional: Costa Rica)

Villarreal J (1999) ‘Venado cola blanca: manejo y aprovechamiento cinegético.’ (Unión Ganagera Regional de Nuevo León: Monterrey)

Vogel WO (1989) Response of deer to density and distribution of housing in Montana. Wildlife Society Bulletin 17, 406–413.

Williams ES, Miller MW, Kreeger TJ, Kahn RH, Thorne ET (2002) Chronic wasting disease of deer and elk: a review with recommendations for management. The Journal of Wildlife Management 66, 551–563.
Chronic wasting disease of deer and elk: a review with recommendations for management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |