Browsing Patterns of White-Tailed Deer Following Increased Timber Harvest and a Decline in Population Density
We examined browsing patterns of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on a site in the central Appalachians that experienced a substantial (>50%) reduction in deer population density and an increase in the amount of timber harvest since 2001. We sampled woody browse in and immediately adja...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2010-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Forestry Research |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/592034 |
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| author | Shawn M. Crimmins John W. Edwards W. Mark Ford Patrick D. Keyser James M. Crum |
| author_facet | Shawn M. Crimmins John W. Edwards W. Mark Ford Patrick D. Keyser James M. Crum |
| author_sort | Shawn M. Crimmins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We examined browsing patterns of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on a site in the central Appalachians that experienced a substantial (>50%) reduction in deer population density and an increase in the amount of timber harvest since 2001. We sampled woody browse in and immediately adjacent to 12 clearcuts ranging in age from 0–5 years postharvest in summer 2007. Clearcut-interior areas had higher woody browse abundance and browsing rates than clearcut-edge or mature forest areas. Woody browse abundance was slightly higher within individual clearcuts than in 2001 at higher population densities and lower timber harvest rates. Overall browsing rates declined from approximately 17% in 2001 to less than 5% during our study, suggesting that the combination of deer population control, and increasing the amount of timber harvest across the landscape can reduce herbivory to levels that may not impede growth and survival of forest vegetation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3f48d89f4b08419f8965b4de70f3a2d2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-9368 1687-9376 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Forestry Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-3f48d89f4b08419f8965b4de70f3a2d22025-02-03T05:46:29ZengWileyInternational Journal of Forestry Research1687-93681687-93762010-01-01201010.1155/2010/592034592034Browsing Patterns of White-Tailed Deer Following Increased Timber Harvest and a Decline in Population DensityShawn M. Crimmins0John W. Edwards1W. Mark Ford2Patrick D. Keyser3James M. Crum4Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USADivision of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USAUS Geological Survey, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USADepartment of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USAWildlife Resources, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Elkins, WV 26241, USAWe examined browsing patterns of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on a site in the central Appalachians that experienced a substantial (>50%) reduction in deer population density and an increase in the amount of timber harvest since 2001. We sampled woody browse in and immediately adjacent to 12 clearcuts ranging in age from 0–5 years postharvest in summer 2007. Clearcut-interior areas had higher woody browse abundance and browsing rates than clearcut-edge or mature forest areas. Woody browse abundance was slightly higher within individual clearcuts than in 2001 at higher population densities and lower timber harvest rates. Overall browsing rates declined from approximately 17% in 2001 to less than 5% during our study, suggesting that the combination of deer population control, and increasing the amount of timber harvest across the landscape can reduce herbivory to levels that may not impede growth and survival of forest vegetation.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/592034 |
| spellingShingle | Shawn M. Crimmins John W. Edwards W. Mark Ford Patrick D. Keyser James M. Crum Browsing Patterns of White-Tailed Deer Following Increased Timber Harvest and a Decline in Population Density International Journal of Forestry Research |
| title | Browsing Patterns of White-Tailed Deer Following Increased Timber Harvest and a Decline in Population Density |
| title_full | Browsing Patterns of White-Tailed Deer Following Increased Timber Harvest and a Decline in Population Density |
| title_fullStr | Browsing Patterns of White-Tailed Deer Following Increased Timber Harvest and a Decline in Population Density |
| title_full_unstemmed | Browsing Patterns of White-Tailed Deer Following Increased Timber Harvest and a Decline in Population Density |
| title_short | Browsing Patterns of White-Tailed Deer Following Increased Timber Harvest and a Decline in Population Density |
| title_sort | browsing patterns of white tailed deer following increased timber harvest and a decline in population density |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2010/592034 |
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