Vol: 41 Page: 115

Authors:
Joanna Ukalska
Krzysztof Ukalski
Jakub Borkowski

Title:
 An application of the generalized linear models for an examination of the phenotypic quality of roe deer

Language: English

Keywords:
count data
generalized linear model
negative binomial distribution
overdispersion
Poisson distribution
roe deer

Summary:
The influence of forest environment (forest regeneration after a 1992 forest fire covered with young stands (low quality deer habitat) and unburned forest of diversified stand age classes (high quality deer habitat)) and climatic factors (the mean temperature and the total number of days with snow cover in January and February) on roe deer antler asymmetry in two age classes of roe deer males was studied. Data were collected by local hunters from 366 shot males during 1998–2007. We applied 4 generalized linear models: Poisson model, Poisson adjusted for overdispersion, negative binomial and negative binomial with log canonical link function. Goodness–of–fit statistics were checked as well as residuals plots. There was a significant difference in roe deer antler asymmetry incidence between age classes for both considered habitats while weather conditions didn’t influence roe deer antler asymmetry.

Display