LAUSR

The prevention and control of invasive of alien species is an important work for nature reserves. This study analyzes the development trend of the alien species sika deer in Liancheng National Nature Reserve. From October 2019 to June 2020, 3,523 valid photos and videos of terrestrial animals were acquired using 130 infrared cameras, and sika deer were recorded in 21 photos from 13 sites. The survival of the sika deer population was investigated by means of morphological identification, population structure analysis, species relative abundance indices, and species spatial association analysis. A total of 13 sika deer individuals were identified using infrared camera trapping, including two kids and three sub-adults representing the reproductive capacity of the population. Spatially, sika deer is not associated with any local species, and was outside the spatial association network of terrestrial animals in Liancheng National Nature Reserve, indicating that the sika deer population has not been integrated into the local community and has failed to perform its ecological function. It is worth noting that the reserve provides habitat suitable for sika deer and that the population has adequate reproductive capacity. Due to the lack of large apex predators in the reserve, the population size of ungulates such as sika deer, red deer, and Siberian roe deer may expand and lead to population outbreaks and the associated problems for the ecosystem. To restore large- and medium-sized carnivores and avoid the population outbreak of the species, present challenges require immediate attention in Liancheng National Nature Reserve. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.