Forest soils are shaped by various processes, like runoff, erosion, sedimentation and bioturbation. A better understanding of the interactions between abiotic and biotic soil-forming processes, including wild boar (Sus scrofa) rooting (i.e., subsurface foraging), enhances adequate management of forest ecosystems. We hypothesized that intense soil sedimentation influences wild boar rooting occurrence and that wild boars modify the outcome of the sedimentation process by redistributing soil layers. This study was conducted in the Babat Valley, Hungary. We estimated the availability of sedimented and non-sedimented patches and the occurrence of boar rooting. Surveys and samplings were done along transects, over consecutive months, where the impact of rooting on the physical and chemical characteristics of soil was measured by comparing them between control and rooted sites. We found that non-sedimented, steep areas were preferred areas for rooting. Sedimentation processes have a higher impact on soil chemical characteristics and soil layer composition than wild boar rooting. We conclude that mitigation of soil degradation can be more effective by reducing adverse abiotic processes rather than wild boar population control.

Several ungulate species are showing increasing population patterns within their geographical distribution ranges, leading to constant interactions with other animal species. Varying densities and activities of different ungulates may result in diverse impacts on other coexisting species groups, including large numbers of threatened species, such as reptiles. In this study, we performed an analysis of the available literature to investigate the impacts of ungulates on reptiles. We aimed to reveal the diversity of: (1) the geographical and environmental distribution of related investigations; (2) the ungulate and reptile species involved; and (3) the characteristics of interactions (direct or indirect, positive or negative) from 69 publications. Our results show that the most papers were reported from the Americas (42%) and Australia (28%). The proportions of studies were balanced for wild ungulates (53%) and livestock (47%). Wild boar (Sus scrofa) was found to be the most problematic species on reptiles whereas reptiles which suffered the harshest impacts were Squamates (i.e., lizards, and snakes). Ungulate activities (e.g., digging by wild boar) may directly harm reptiles (consuming or killing them) or indirectly affect them by modifying their habitats or destroying their hideouts. Some preferential effects were also noted (e.g., by moderate livestock grazing or when wild ungulates are prey for large reptiles). Published livestock impacts were mainly indirect and mostly negatively linked to overgrazing. We conclude that it is important to manage and monitor the densities of ungulates to minimize their negative impacts on reptile species, especially in case of wild boar and grazing livestock, but also to maintain their moderate beneficial effects (e.g., as prey basis).

Wild boars use a wide range of habitats. Their invasive nature is gaining attention due to the complexity of its impact. The goal of this research is to analyze the impact of the wild boar on the chemical properties of soils in a natural and a post-fire forest in the Edough Forest Massif in Algeria. This study compares the impact of wild boar rooting on soil parameters to determine the functional role of the wild boar. The research was conducted during the winter of 2022. The study sites included a natural forest and a post-fire area. Rooting tracks were geolocated and soil samples were collected. The results show significant differences between rooted and control patches in the chemical parameters measured in the two environments. However, in the natural environment, significant differences were only noted for the calcium content and electrical conductivity. But in the post-fire environment, strong significant differences were observed for all measured parameters, suggesting that wild boars do not exert a noticeable soil homogenization effect on the soil properties. This research highlights the importance of understanding and managing the impact of wild boars in natural and post-fire forests on soil formation processes, the diversity of soil properties, and their magnitude.

The European wildcat (Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777) is an endangered and elusive carnivore that is slowly recovering in Central Europe after persecution and a decline in its distribution over the past two centuries, and specific conservation plans are needed in most of its range. Knowledge of the continent-wide distribution and status of this species is still poor. Using an online questionnaire, we evaluated the nationwide distribution of wildcats across three time periods (2004, 2014, and 2022) in Hungary. The species’ reported occurrence was analyzed according to binominal logistic regression using the percent cover of land cover categories as explanatory variables. We found that the spatial cover of broad-leaved forest was positively associated with the occurrence of wildcats, and the analysis revealed a positive trend in the larger 2004–2022 time frame. We also recorded that although wildcats have disappeared from areas of the central, southern, and western parts of Hungary, regions in the eastern, northern, and south-western areas appear to retain stable populations.

Background: Wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) rooting can have diverse effects on soil properties, which could be much more complex to predict in the presence of shrub encroachment and varied microtopography. This study aimed to evaluate the interactive effects of wild boar rooting and shrub encroachment on soil properties in a sloping (2–6°), mildly eroded grassland in Budapest, Hungary. Soil samples were collected from both upper and lower slope positions at 0–5 cm and 5–10 cm depths across four distinct microsites: rooted patches, the redistributed soil surrounding the excavated depressions (“rings”), and two adjacent control patches (open grassy patches and areas beneath shrubs). Using a near-infrared spectrometer, we analyzed pH, total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), exchangeable potassium (K), exchangeable calcium (Ca), exchangeable magnesium (Mg), total iron (Fe) and clay content. Differences among microsites were evaluated using a Bayesian mixed effects regression model. Results: Slope position significantly influenced N and P concentrations, with higher values observed at the lower slope than at the upper slope (1.7–2.0 vs. 1.3–1.7 g/kg for N in grassy patches and 28.8–33.2 vs. 22.1–27.7 mg/kg for P in shrub-encroached patches, respectively). Rooted patches exhibited reduced concentrations of N (1.08–1.31 g/kg), P (21.88–25.05 mg/kg) and K (3.70–4.17 mmol/kg), while Fe (23.8–25.0 g/kg) and clay (21.8–23.1%) were elevated. Although vegetation cover may influence nutrient distribution, a significant effect was confirmed only for Ca, which showed higher levels beneath shrubs than in grassy areas at the upper slope. The interaction between slope position and rooting was not a strong predictor in the model, suggesting limited impact of rooting on nutrient retention. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that wild boar rooting significantly alters soil chemical properties, primarily through soil mixing in deep rootings, but their impact may be overridden by slope position. In summary, our results suggest that slope and wild boar rooting influence soil nutrient distribution, but there is little evidence supporting a mitigating role of shrub encroachment or rooting on slope-related erosion impacts. Further conservation efforts in grasslands should consider the joint processes of those factors to prevent soil degradation.