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Acorn Availability Reduces Agricultural Damage by Ungulates
Maria A Bogdańska1, Valentin Journé2, Michał Bogdziewicz1
1Forest Biology Center, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental Biology Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań Poland.
Ecology and Evolution
|July 28, 2026
Summary
Oak seed abundance reduces crop damage by wild boar and red deer. Abundant forest tree seeds can mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, benefiting agriculture.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Wildlife Management
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Human-wildlife conflicts, especially ungulate crop damage, present ecological and economic challenges.
- Understanding natural food availability is crucial for managing these conflicts effectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how pulsed forest tree seed availability (mast seeding) affects agricultural crop damage by ungulates in Poland.
- To analyze the relationship between seed production, ungulate abundance, and crop damage.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a 19-year national dataset (2001-2020) from Poland.
- Analyzed the correlation between oak and European beech seed production, wild boar and red deer populations, and agricultural crop damage extent.
Main Results:
- A negative correlation was found between oak seed production and crop damage, with damage decreasing by 30% in high-seed years.
- European beech seed production did not significantly impact crop damage levels.
- Findings support the hypothesis of a diet shift in ungulates towards abundant seeds, reducing crop foraging.
Conclusions:
- Pulsed resource dynamics in forests, specifically oak mast seeding, significantly influence human-wildlife conflict intensity in agricultural areas.
- Forest management strategies should consider mast seeding cycles to mitigate ungulate crop damage.
- Oak seed availability acts as a natural buffer against agricultural losses caused by wild boar and red deer.
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