Size‐selective harvesting of wild ungulates can trigger a range of ecological and evolutionary consequences. It remains unclear how environmental conditions, including changes in habitat, climate, and local weather conditions, dilute or strengthen the effects of trophy hunting. We analyzed horn length measurements of 2,815 male ibex (Capra pyrenaica) that were harvested from 1995 to 2017 in Els Ports de Tortosa i Beseit National Hunting Reserve in northeastern Spain. We used linear mixed models to determine the magnitude of inter‐individual horn growth variability and partial least square path models to evaluate long‐term effects of environmental change, population size, and hunting strategy on horn growth. Age‐specific horn length significantly decreased over the study period, and nearly a quarter (23%) of its annual variation was attributed to individual heterogeneity among males. The encroachment of pine (Pinus spp.) forests had a negative effect on annual horn growth, possibly through nutritional impoverishment. The harvesting of trophy and selective individuals (e.g., small‐horned males) from the entire population increased horn growth, probably because it reduced the competition for resources and prevented breeding of these smaller males. Local weather conditions and population size did not influence horn growth. Our study demonstrates how habitat changes are altering the horn growth of male ibex. We suggest that habitat interventions, such the thinning of pine forests, can contribute to securing the sustainability of trophy hunting. Even in situations where size‐selective harvesting is not causing a detectable phenotypic response, management actions leading to the expansion of preferred land cover types, such as grass‐rich open areas, can have a positive effect on ungulate fitness. Forest encroachment on open meadows and heterogeneous grasslands is pervasive throughout Mediterranean ecosystems. Therefore, our management recommendations can be extended to the landscape level, which will have the potential to mitigate the side effects of habitat deterioration on the phenotypic traits of wild ibex. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

中文翻译：

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栖息地和收割方法影响雄性高地山羊的角生长

对有蹄类动物进行大小选择性收获会引发一系列生态和进化后果。尚不清楚环境条件（包括栖息地，气候和当地天气条件的变化）如何稀释或增强奖杯狩猎的影响。我们分析了2,815只雄性高地山羊（Capra pyrenaica）是从1995年至2017年在西班牙东北部的埃尔斯·德·托尔托萨河国家野生动物保护区收获的。我们使用线性混合模型来确定个体间角生长的变异程度，并使用偏最小二乘路径模型来评估环境变化，种群数量和狩猎策略对角生长的长期影响。在研究期间，特定年龄的喇叭长度显着减少，其年度变化的近四分之一（23％）归因于男性之间的个体异质性。松树（松属）spp。）森林可能对牛角的生长造成负面影响，可能是营养不良造成的。从整个种群中收获奖杯和有选择性的个体（例如，有角的雄性）增加了角的生长，这可能是因为它减少了对资源的竞争并阻止了这些较小雄性的繁殖。当地的天气条件和人口规模并未影响喇叭的生长。我们的研究表明，栖息地的变化如何改变雄性山羊的角生长。我们建议栖息地干预措施，例如松树林的稀疏化，可以有助于确保奖杯狩猎的可持续性。即使在选择大小的收获不会引起可察觉的表型反应的情况下，管理措施也会导致首选土地覆盖类型的扩大，例如草丛茂密的空地，对有蹄类动物的健身有积极作用。在整个地中海生态系统中普遍存在着对开放草甸和异质草地的森林侵占。因此，我们的管理建议可以扩展到景观层面，这将有可能减轻栖息地恶化对野生高地山羊表型性状的副作用。©2020野生动物协会。