Śmiertelność fauny na szlakach turystycznych w zależności od ich szerokości i położenia

The study tested the following hypotheses: the mortality of invertebrate fauna is higher (1) on wide trails than on narrow ones, (2) on sections near the entrance to the forest than on the parts located within the forest, and (3) during the weekend than during the workdays. To assess the mortality of epigeic fauna trampled on hiking trails, the most frequented trails in the Chojnów Forest District (central Poland) were selected. On each trail, 100 m long segments were designated near the boundary with open terrain (‘entrance' sections) and inside the forest, 500 m from the edge. Paths wide less than 1.5 m were considered as narrow, while those wider than 3 m as wide ones. Data was collected in 2016 and 2017 (8 and 7 inspections, respectively). A total of 752 trampled animals belonging to 25 species or taxa were found. GLM analysis did not reveal significant differences between the number specimens or species trampled on trails with different location or width. However there were more dead individuals and species on the entrance segments. Also, more dead specimens and species were found on wider paths, but the difference was not significant (fig. 1, tab.). The number of trampled invertebrates increased significantly during the weekend (fig. 2, tab.). NMDS clearly ordered the data from fauna collected at the entrance trails to those collected within the forest (fig. 3). 74.9% of the variation in species data was explained by the first PCA axis and 14.0% by the second one. The first axis was associated with the trail location (fig. 4). Points representing invertebrate fauna found on narrow paths (especially inside the forest stand) are located closer together than points representing fauna on wide trails (especially those bordering on open areas). The PCA correlated the most significant trampling of the dor beetle (A. stercorosus) with narrow trails within the stand and trampling of the spring dor beetle (T. vernalis) with wide paths near the entrance. The impact of hiking on the forest and all of its fauna is still little known. In order to effectively counteract its negative effects and protect organisms present on trails, research should be continued.