We studied the diet of fallow deer in North Wales to understand how they may be impacting local woodlands. We expected the diet would be dominated by grasses supplemented by woody browse in the winter, as this species is typically characterised as an opportunist bulk grazer.

In fact, we found that the deer were consuming bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.) more than any other taxa. Rather than diversifying their diet in winter as expected, the diet diversity was actually lowest in winter, with bramble forming 80% of the diet.

Broadleaf trees became more prevalent in the diet in the spring and summer, with oak being most prevalent in autumn, probably due to acorn consumption. Spatially clustered taxa (e.g. Betula sp., Corylus sp. and Fraxinus sp.) were consumed less often than expected ....

... whilst widespread taxa (e.g. Rosa sp., Prunus sp. and Quercus sp.) were consumed more often than expected, given their availability in the landscape. In contrast to broadleaved trees and shrubs, conifer trees were found in very few samples.

With increasing disturbance from extreme weather and tree diseases leading to a more open canopy structure, bramble cover is set to increase in European forests, which could support further expansion of deer populations.

You earned this @amygresham48.bsky.social - after joining the @meebangor.bsky.social group with little molecular experience, you designed and executed this elegant study and with effective collaboration across a bunch of team members, generated these great results - really pleased for you!!