To investigate how sika deer (Cervus nippon), hunters and beech forest interact over time and how hunting and food availability influence deer population dynamics.
Sika deer were introduced to New Zealand for game hunting in the early 1900s. Their population later increased to hundreds of thousands, causing significant damage to farming and forest ecosystems. They browse on the forest floor and understory vegetation, reducing forest regeneration and affecting ecological succession. Without any known natural predators, their population can grow rapidly.
