Evisceration residues from hunted roe deer as a resource for necrophagous insect fauna in the Black Forest, Germany: a preliminary study

Carrion of wild ungulates is an important resource for microbes, invertebrates and vertebrates, affects local plant communities soils. Most in central Europe, however, are intensely hunted removed from the ecosystem, thus not available as carrion. This study explores use evisceration residues a by necrophagous insects temperate mountainous forest Germany. We experimentally compared relative abundance between sites caged roe deer carcasses using pitfall-traps. While were used insects, significantly more individuals sampled at entire carcasses; when corrected biomass, no significant difference Coleoptera groups was found. Overall, earlier shorter period than carcasses. Leaving on site where game animals obtained might help maintain specialized insect communities, although their ecological role cannot completely replace that whole ruminants.