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Diet of the marsh deer in the Paraná River Delta, Argentina—a vulnerable species in an intensive forestry landscape

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Abstract

The marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) is the largest deer native to South America, occurring in wetlands and marshy habitats. The southernmost population of the species is found in the Paraná River Delta, Argentina, in a wetland system highly modified by intensive forestry activity. Foresters perceive high levels of economic losses attributed to deer herbivory which drives marsh deer poaching. We carried out the first study of the dietary composition of the marsh deer in this wetland by using microhistological analysis of feces collected seasonally. Seventy-three food items were identified in the marsh deer diet, but only eight had frequencies of > 3% in the annual diet. Macrophytes dominated the diet throughout the year (seasonal percent frequencies 31–42%) due to the high occurrence of Ludwigia bonariensis (24% of average seasonal frequency). Trees, vines, forbs, and shrubs contributed less frequently to the diet, while grasses and grass-like plants were marginally represented (i.e., < 2%). Exotic plant species comprised 38% of the annual diet, and tree species of commercial importance (Salix sp. and Populus R22) were poorly represented (≤ 5.5% per season). The marsh deer in this wetland could be categorized as a browser, differing from the feeding behavior reported for the species in the Brazilian Pantanal (grazer–browser) and suggesting a trophic elasticity in this cervid. Since commercial tree species comprised a very small portion of the diet of this deer, a change in producers’ perception toward the species is needed to diminish this conflict, and our data are important to develop context-specific conservation and management solutions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the following: N. Fracassi, L. Wolfenson, and E. Villegas for their assistance during fieldwork; EEA INTA—Delta del Parana for logistic support; foresters who granted us access to plantations; M. Stampacchio (MACN-CONICET) for technical assistance for specimens’ preparation; and J.J. Thompson for English review of the manuscript. A research permit (Disp. no. 068/16) was provided by Organismo Provincial para el Desarrollo Sostenible (OPDS) of Provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina). The authors sincerely thank two anonymous reviewers for their suggestions to improve the manuscript.

Funding

The authors also acknowledge the support of the Unidad para el Cambio Rural, Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca de la Nación (Argentina), for funds to conduct this work under GEF (Global Environmental Facility) 090118 TF.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. División Mastozoología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, CP C1405DJR, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Violeta C. Marin, Vanina A. Fernández, Darío Fergnani & Javier A. Pereira

  2. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    María Ana Dacar, Diego G. Gutiérrez, Darío Fergnani & Javier A. Pereira

  3. Grupo de Investigaciones de la Biodiversidad (GIB), Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Áridas (IADIZA), CCT Mendoza-CONICET, Av. Ruiz Leal s/n, Parque General San Martín, CC 507, CP 5500, Mendoza, Argentina

    María Ana Dacar

  4. División Plantas Vasculares, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, CP C1405DJR, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Diego G. Gutiérrez

  5. Laboratorio de Morfología Comparada de Espermatófitas (LAMCE), FCAyF, UNLP, Av. 60 s/n, between 116 and 118, CP 1900, La Plata, Argentina

    Diego G. Gutiérrez

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  1. Violeta C. Marin
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  2. Vanina A. Fernández
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Correspondence to Violeta C. Marin.

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Marin, V.C., Fernández, V.A., Dacar, M.A. et al. Diet of the marsh deer in the Paraná River Delta, Argentina—a vulnerable species in an intensive forestry landscape. Eur J Wildl Res 66, 16 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-019-1358-3

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