We s tudied seasonal habitat use of black muntjacs in the Jiulong Mount ain and Gutian Mountain Nature Reserves in Zhejiang Province, April 2002-Decembe r 2003 based on indirect sign (e.g., tracks, feces). We assumed that abun dance of sign functioned as a surrogate for intensity of use. During the 20-mon t h sampling period, we quantified 11 ecological factors in 141 sample plots. Black muntjac vegetation use varied significantly with season. Variati on in muntjac use of vegetation types were primarily related to seasonal changes of food resources and concealment conditions. Durin g spring, autumn and winter, muntjacs mostly used middle and lower portions of mountainsides, whereas they used upper portions of mountains during summer. Varying seasonal use of elevation mos t likely accounted for slope effects. We found no evidence of seasonal va riation in muntjac use of slope, aspect, rock exposur e, distance from water or level of human disturbance.
