Assessing Sexual Segregation in Deer

Sexual segregation in temperate and arctic ruminants is defined as the differential use of space by the sexes outside the mating season. This phenomenon is widespread among taxa, and is especially prevalent among sexually dimorphic deer (Cervidae). Understanding how different genders are distributed across the landscape and how to assess these spatial patterns is of theoretical and applied importance. We developed a simple model to evaluate effects of landscape grain (i.e., patch characteristics), sampling scale, and population density of deer on detection of sexual segregation. We created landscape maps of 2 areas in which landscape grain was changed while other landscape metrics (e.g., area, shape, and diversity) were held relatively constant. We created a high-density population of deer to emulate conditions near ecological carrying capacity (K), and a low-density population at