Wild boar rooting: influence from environmental variables and effect on ground-dwelling rodents in a Mediterranean oak forest

Giorgia Bertagni; Paola Bartolommei; Stefania Gasperini; Giuseppe Puddu; Sara Savazza; Andrea Bonacchi; Emiliano Manzo; Roberto Cozzolino

doi:10.26496/bjz.2026.206

Authors

Giorgia Bertagni Fondazione Ethoikos, Convento dell’Osservanza snc, 53030 Radicondoli, Siena, Italy https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2789-9095
Paola Bartolommei Fondazione Ethoikos, Convento dell’Osservanza snc, 53030 Radicondoli, Siena, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3141-0099
Stefania Gasperini Fondazione Ethoikos, Convento dell’Osservanza snc, 53030 Radicondoli, Siena, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9601-0737
Giuseppe Puddu Regione Lazio – Riserva Naturale Lago di Vico, S.R. Cimina km 12, 01032 Caprarola, Viterbo, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9705-8257
Sara Savazza Fondazione Ethoikos, Convento dell’Osservanza snc, 53030 Radicondoli, Siena, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2186-1830
Andrea Bonacchi Fondazione Ethoikos, Convento dell’Osservanza snc, 53030 Radicondoli, Siena, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0783-0870
Emiliano Manzo Fondazione Ethoikos, Convento dell’Osservanza snc, 53030 Radicondoli, Siena, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8861-1559
Roberto Cozzolino Fondazione Ethoikos, Convento dell’Osservanza snc, 53030 Radicondoli, Siena, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2654-7261

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26496/bjz.2026.206

Keywords:

Sus scrofa, Apodemus, food availability, foraging behaviour, vegetation features, acorn

Abstract

Wild boar rooting behaviour can be shaped by several environmental variables (e.g., food availability and habitat features) and can directly or indirectly influence various habitats, ecological processes and taxa. One of these, ground-dwelling rodents, are known to be affected by wild boar foraging activity due to food competition and direct disturbance. In the current study, the following questions were investigated: do vegetation composition, structural components of forest habitats (at ground, shrub, and tree levels) and acorn availability influence rooting activity of wild boars and consequently, also the abundance of Apodemus flavicollis and A. sylvaticus in the same area. This research was carried out in a Mediterranean deciduous oak forest across 12 sampling sites. The results showed that, among the habitat variables considered, only shrub cover at 1 m height had a significant association with the extent of wild boar rooting. Contrary to expectations, acorn availability did not significantly influence rooting activity, suggesting either a more complex relationship between food availability and rooting behaviour or the influence of other local factors. Likewise, the number of Apodemus spp. individuals captured was not significantly related to rooting activity, indicating no detectable effects of wild boar rooting on rodents in the study area. This study contributes to our understanding of the factors driving this foraging behaviour and its ecological and socioeconomic implications.

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