活动节律是动物应对种间竞争、捕食风险和环境条件变化的重要适应性特征, 探究野生动物的日活动节律特征, 对于深入理解物种的生存策略及其对人类干扰的行为响应至关重要。本研究于2021年4月至2022年3月, 在东北虎豹国家公园利用红外相机陷阱技术沿道路近处和远处获取了41对相机位点的梅花鹿(Cervus nippon)的9,825次活动数据, 采用核密度估计等方法评价了性别、年龄、繁殖状态以及季节变化、道路干扰等因素对梅花鹿日活动节律和活动水平的影响。研究结果表明, 在年尺度上, 6月和10月是梅花鹿种群的活动高峰; 在日尺度上, 梅花鹿的活动节律具有可塑性, 春、夏季以晨昏活动为主, 秋季为夜行型, 冬季转变为昼行型并呈现最低的活动水平。不同性别和不同繁殖状态的梅花鹿日活动节律之间也存在显著差异, 未成年类群活动节律为昼行型, 而成年梅花鹿种群活动呈现晨昏型特征, 所有类群中仅成年雄性夜间活动概率增加。梅花鹿对道路的响应在人类干扰最强的秋季尤为明显, 在道路近处活动水平显著下降, 在清晨活动水平增加, 减少了黄昏和夜间的活动水平。不同类群梅花鹿对道路的响应具有相对一致的模式, 即核心活动集中在一个相对较短的时间窗口, 从而在最大化食物摄入的同时减少暴露在道路附近的风险。我们的结果和方法为野生动物管理提供了新见解, 强调了生活在受干扰环境中的大型有蹄类动物在不同时空尺度上的行为可塑性。我们建议未来在东北虎豹国家公园物种的保护和管理工作中, 应长期监测野生动物种群动态, 并评估不同物种对人类干扰的行为响应。

Aim: Wildlife modify their daily activity to satisfy food demands, to breed, or to avoid mortality risk. Assessing patterns of wildlife activity is crucial for understanding adaptations to inter-species competition, predation risks, and human disturbances. Sika deer (Cervus nippon) is a primary prey species for tigers (Panthera tigris) and leopards (P. pardus) in the Northeast China. However, the sika deer’s habitat is disturbed by roads. This study assessed the influence of road disturbances on the activity patterns of sika deer, considering their gender, age, reproductive status, and seasonal activity. The aim is to deepen our understanding of behavioral changes in animals due to human disturbance, providing a scientific basis for future conservation and management of sika deer, tigers, and leopards in the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park.

Methods: From April 2021 to March 2022, we deployed 41 pairs of camera traps along the road in Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park to collect data of sika deer activity. Based on gender, age, and reproductive status of individuals, we classified sika deer into five sex/age groups. We used the kernel density method to estimate diel activity patterns and activity levels of sika deer, based on 9,825 independent detections of the species. Furthermore, we compared the activity levels and patterns across different seasons, sex/age groups, and levels of road disturbance.

Results: Peak activity of sika deer was observed in June and October. Diel activity patterns varied across seasons, with sika deer being crepuscular during spring and summer, nocturnal in autumn, and diurnal in winter. Diel activity patterns differed between age and sex groups of sika deer; fawns were diurnal, while adults were predominantly crepuscular, with only adult males having an increased probability of nocturnal activity. The negative effects of roads on the activity patterns of sika deer were mainly observed in autumn, which coincided with peak human and vehicular activity. Moreover, sika deer exhibited significantly reduced activity levels near roads during autumn. At sites close to roads, all sex/age groups of sika deer tended to decrease their activity levels.

Conclusion: This study is the first to document seasonal differences in activity patterns and variations among sex/age groups of sika deer in Northeast China. Additionally, it addresses the impact of roads on the diel activity patterns and activity levels of sika deer, revealing that during the high-traffic autumn season, road disturbances significantly affect their activity patterns. Across sex/age groups, sika deer respond similarly to road disturbances, with a shorter period of activity to minimize exposure to road risks while maximizing food intake. Our study emphasizes the negative impact of human activities on the behavioral patterns of this ungulate species. Additionally, it also highlights the behavioral plasticity of sika deer in response to anthropogenic disturbance, suggesting their ability to efficiently utilize alternative food resources. Our methodology provides insights into wildlife management strategies, and we recommend long-term monitoring of wildlife population dynamics and behavioral responses, especially in the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park.