Spatial and temporal dynamics of wild boar (Sus scrofa) rooting in a mosaic landscape

Contrary to large-scale disturbances, animals constantly create small-scale patches of various kinds during the course of their daily life. For exampl e, rooting by wild boars is a recurrent disturbance regime, which varies in frequency and extent. Rooting by wild boars (Sus scrofa L.) in south-centr al Sweden was therefore studied by censusing three times per year during 19 92-1995 along fixed transects in the Tullgarn Nature Reserve. Significant d ifferences were found in soil surface area being rooted by wild boar betwee n year, season, habitat type and soil category. The amount of surface being rooted varied between 2.4 and 14.2 ha on 226 ha censused. The rooted surfa ce in relation to the ground available was higher in deciduous compared to coniferous forests and grassland. Furthermore, the rooted surface in relati on to available ground to root was much higher in damp soil than in dry soi l. Mesic soil was used according to availability. Rooted patches showed lar ge variation in size between year, season, habitat type and soil category. Within the three habitat types the largest patches were found in deciduous forests and the smallest in grasslands while in the different soil categori es, the largest patches were found in damp soils and the smallest in dry so ils. Results are discussed in terms of plant species diversity on a regiona l scale.