Impact of muntjac deer (Muntiacus reevesi) at Monks Wood National Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire, eastern England

Abstract

Muntjac deer (Muntiacus reevesi) were first reported at Monks Wood National Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire, in the early 1970s. By 1985, they had had noticeable effects on coppice regrowth, principally of hazel (Corylus avellana), field maple (Acer campestre) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Despite trials of various protective measures, coppicing operations were suspended in the wood in 1995 because of browsing impact. Other woody vegetation had been heavily browsed and for some species abundance had been affected, e.g. bramble (Rubus fruticosus). Among the ground flora there have been effects on the vigour, reproduction and abundance of a range of common and rare species. Other plant species, such as some grasses and sedges, have increased because they are avoided by deer, are more tolerant of grazing or have benefited from changes in management. Invertebrates, in particular, may have been affected by these changes in plant composition with, for instance, increases being noted for lepidopteran species dependent on grasses.