Work

Deer Disturbance Dominates Soil Erosion on a High-Elevation Forested Hillslope in Central Japan

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Soil erosion in mountain environments is governed by the interaction of climatic drivers, surface conditions, and geomorphic connectivity. Recently, disturbance by large herbivores has been recognized as a potentially important but poorly quantified geomorphic driver. However, the combined effects of freeze–thaw processes and ungulate disturbance on sediment production remain unclear. This study provides quantitative field-based evidence linking deer activity to hillslope sediment flux in a montane forest catchment in central Japan. A six-year dataset (2019–2025), including climatic conditions, deer detections from camera traps, understory vegetation cover, and hillslope sediment flux (<9.5 mm) was analyzed. Multiple regression analysis was conducted using daily sediment flux as the response variable and maximum 1 h rainfall, freeze–thaw frequency, and daily deer detections as explanatory variables. The results showed that deer detections had a significant positive effect on sediment flux, whereas rainfall intensity and freeze–thaw frequency did not exhibit strong independent effects. Particle-size analysis further indicated that eroded sediment was markedly coarser than the surface soil, suggesting that short-term climatic drivers alone did not control sediment transport. These findings demonstrate that biotic disturbance by large herbivores can play a dominant role in hillslope sediment flux under cold, high-elevation conditions by modifying surface conditions and sediment connectivity. From a sustainability perspective, these results highlight the importance of managing deer populations to maintain ecosystem stability, prevent land degradation, and support sustainable forest and watershed management under changing environmental conditions.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su18083815

Authors: Taijiro Fukuyama, Masaaki Hanaoka, Yasunari Hayashi

Institution: Shinshu University

Language: English

Topic: Soil erosion and sediment transport

Subfield: Soil Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896