What deer poo can tell us about the future of Britain’s woodlands

By Amy Gresham, Postdoctoral Research Associate on the iDeer Project, University of Reading
Graeme Shannon, Senior Lecturer in Zoology, Bangor University
John Healey, Professor of Forest Sciences, Bangor University

Brambles are considered a nuisance by many woodland managers. But we’ve discovered that fallow deer have a surprising taste for it. In our recent research, we found this unexpected preference by analysing plant DNA from fallow deer poo, offering a fascinating glimpse into their diet. And this discovery could help us better understand how deer shape woodland ecosystems and influence conservation efforts.

Historically, UK deer populations declined because of overhunting, but today,…

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