Comparative Analysis of Herbivore Population Structure and Distribution in Protected Areas and Adjacent Non-Protected Forests
Keywords:
Herbivore population, Protected areas, Non-protected forests, Biodiversity, Population structure, Habitat fragmentation, Spatial distribution.Abstract
This research work aims to offer a comparative analysis of the herbivore population structure and its spatial distribution in protected and non-protected areas. In the course of field observations and by use of camera traps at 40 locations per site over a 12-month period, population density, the proportion between age groups, sex ratio, and diversity of animal species were examined. It is shown that the level of population density, balanced structure, and equalized sex ratios were characteristic of herbivores in protected zones; meanwhile, populations in non-protected forests were more fragmented with a biased population structure. The results suggest that diversity indices (Shannon H′ and Simpson D) were higher in the former zones. Analysis of spatial distribution patterns proved that the animals' mobility was considerably reduced in non-protected forest areas due to the fragmentation of their habitats.