Wildlife monitoring in Grimsö: population density and grazing pressure

Data from a monitoring programme of moose, roe deer, hare, capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse and wolverine around SLU Grimsö Wildlife Research Station. Droppings are surveyed along 32 transects distributed within the research area (13,000 ha). 600 different sample plots with an area of 100 m2 are used to survey moose droppings in spring and autumn. Each large sample area has four smaller (10 m2) sample areas where deer, hare, capercaillie, grouse and wolverine droppings are surveyed in spring and autumn. During the spring inventory, forestry data are also noted in the sample plots (n=600), such as grazing pressure on pine (Pinus sylvestris) in the larger sample plots and top shoot lengths on pine and deciduous trees.

The population estimates for moose and roe deer are used, among other things, by the Swedish Hunters' Association and the County Administrative Board of Örebro County for planning hunting seasons.

SLU Grimsö Wildlife Research Station is part of the SITES national infrastructure and data can be downloaded from the SITES data portal: Pellet counts and Habitat survey from Grimsö, Centroid of Research Area.

At SITES background information on the area is also available, such as land cover, vegetation and topography: Grimsö Background Information based on MAPS and GIS Data.