The first experimental demonstration of trophic cascading behavioural impacts of terrestrial large carnivores!

In a unique experiment, researchers from MRI PAS simulated large-carnivore presence using olfactory cues to examine the effects of predation risk on deer behaviour and its consequences for browsing intensity on tree saplings. The experiment was maintained from April 2018 to September 2019, with scents renewed every 2 weeks in the Bavarian Forest National Park. The results demonstrated that deer modified their behaviour in response to large carnivore scent cues compared to non-risky cues, with more pronounced effects in lynx treatments compared to controls. As a consequence of these behavioural changes, a significant reduction in browsing intensity in lynx treatments compared to controls was recorded.

Van Beeck Calkoen, S.T.S.,Di Nicola, W., Smit, C., Kuijper, D.P.J., Heurich M.. 2025. Experimental evidence for risk cues of large carnivores reducing deer browsing intensity in a temperate forest ecosystem. Journal of Applied Ecology: e70267.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.70267