Univerza na Primorskem
Fakulteta za matematiko, naravoslovje in informacijske tehnologije
Več informacij o projektu / More info about the project
Opis / Description
SLO:
Evropska srna/srnjad (Capreolus capreolus) je ena najpogostejših vrst parkljarjev in pomembna lovna vrsta v Evropi. V svoji vseevropski razširjenosti se sooča z veliko raznolikostjo okoljskih in podnebnih dejavnikov, ki vključno z notranjimi (intrinzičnimi) dejavniki oblikujejo pomembne znake življenjskih strategij, kot so parametri fitnesa in imunski odziv oz. odpornost, vplivajo pa tudi na mikrobno združbo v prebavilih. Zaradi tega je srnjad zelo primerna modelna vrsta za preučevanje dolgoročnega vpliva okoljskih dejavnikov na biološke procese in genetsko variabilnost.
Glede na dosedanje ekološke raziskave srnjadi sta prepoznana dva ekotipa te vrste: poljski ekotip se bistveno razlikuje od srnjadi, ki živi pretežno v gozdovih oz. v gozdni/gozdnati krajini (t. i. gozdni ekotip). Različne krajinske značilnosti, ki vplivajo na drugačno razpoložljivost prehranskih virov med ekotipoma, povzročajo razlike v telesni velikosti in masi, pa tudi v ekologiji in fiziologiji pripadnikov obeh ekotipov. Pri tem je pomembno, da je zaradi teritorialnega vedenja srnjadi in navezanosti na življenjski okoliš prostorsko prehajanje osebkov med ekotipoma izjemno redko.
Osebki srnjadi, ki živijo v odprti krajini s spremenljivimi podnebnimi razmerami ter bolj omejenim dostopom do kritja (skrivališč), vendar z večjo razpoložljivostjo prehranskih virov, bogatih s hranili, so v povprečju večji in težji v primerjavi z osebki, ki živijo pretežno v gozdovih. Na Poljskem prevladuje gozdni ekotip srnjadi (>30 % države prekrivajo gozdovi), prostrana kmetijska območja osrednje Poljske pa naseljuje poljski ekotip. V izbranem območju osrednje Slovenije (Savinjsko-Kozjansko lovskoupravljavsko območje), ki bo v projekt vključeno kot primerjalno območje, prevladuje mozaična, tj. gozdnata in kmetijska krajina (gozdovi z odprtimi kmetijskimi površinami; gozdnatost 50–60 %), v kateri živi predvsem gozdni ekotip srnjadi, na severovzhodnem obrobju pa je prisoten tudi poljski ekotip.
Material za analize v projektu (trajanje: 48 mesecev) bo zbran post mortem v treh območjih (N = 50 na območje), kjer najdemo različna ekotipa srnjadi oz. kombinacije le-teh: gozdna krajina z gozdnim ekotipom ter kmetijska krajina s poljskim ekotipom na Poljskem; mozaična krajina s kombinacijo obeh ekotipov v Sloveniji.
EN:
The European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is one of the most common ungulate species and an important game species in Europe. Throughout its pan-European distribution, it is exposed to a wide diversity of environmental and climatic factors which, together with intrinsic factors, shape important life-history traits, such as fitness parameters and immune response or resistance, and also influence the gut microbial community. For this reason, roe deer represents a highly suitable model species for studying the long-term effects of environmental factors on biological processes and genetic variability.
Based on previous ecological studies of roe deer, two ecotypes of this species have been identified: the field ecotype differs substantially from roe deer inhabiting predominantly forests or forested landscapes (the so-called forest ecotype). Different landscape characteristics, which affect the availability of food resources between the two ecotypes, result in differences in body size and body mass, as well as in the ecology and physiology of individuals belonging to the two ecotypes. Importantly, due to the territorial behaviour of roe deer and their strong attachment to their home ranges, spatial movement of individuals between the two ecotypes is extremely rare.
Roe deer individuals living in open landscapes with variable climatic conditions and more limited access to cover (shelter), but with greater availability of nutrient-rich food resources, are on average larger and heavier compared to individuals living predominantly in forests. In Poland, the forest ecotype of roe deer predominates (>30% of the country is covered by forests), while extensive agricultural areas of central Poland are inhabited by the field ecotype. In the selected area of central Slovenia (Savinja-Kozje Hunting Management District), which will be included in the project as a comparative study area, a mosaic landscape predominates, consisting of forested and agricultural areas (forests interspersed with open agricultural land; forest cover 50–60%), where the forest ecotype of roe deer is predominant, while the field ecotype is also present along the northeastern margin.
The material for analyses in the project (duration: 48 months) will be collected post mortem in three areas (N = 50 per area), representing different roe deer ecotypes or combinations thereof: a forest landscape with the forest ecotype and an agricultural landscape with the field ecotype in Poland; and a mosaic landscape with a combination of both ecotypes in Slovenia.