Considerable controversy has arisen over the management of white‐tailed deer in eastern landscapes where there is evidence of damage to forest vegetation, crops, and wildlife habitat attributable to deer. We examined the impact of 4, 8, 15, and 25 deer/km2 on herbaceous layer abundance and tree seedling density, height development, species composition, and diversity for 10 yr in a repeated‐measures randomized‐complete‐block experiment at four replicate cherry–maple forest sites in northwestern Pennsylvania, USA. At each 65‐ha site, deer were placed in 13‐ or 26‐ha fenced enclosures in which the landscape composition and forage production of a forest managed on a 100‐yr rotation was simulated by clear‐cutting 10% of each area and thinning 30%. Vegetation was sampled 0–1, 3, 5, and 10 yr after treatment (YAT). We analyzed vegetative treatment responses separately in each silvicultural treatment. Time was an important factor mediating responses at all deer densities. Rubus spp. abundance in all silvicultural treatments and the density of striped maple (STM) in clearcuts and birch (BI), American beech (AB), and red maple (RM) in thinnings showed negative trends with increasing deer density. As deer density increased, we found negative linear trends in the height of BI, RM, and AB in clearcuts; in the height of AB, RM, and STM in thinnings; and in the height of AB and RM in uncut stands. Species richness showed a negative linear trend with increasing deer density in all silvicultural treatments. Conversely, species avoided by deer or resilient to deer browsing increased with increasing deer density. Percent cover of ferns, grasses, and sedges showed positive linear trends with deer density in clearcuts and in thinnings. The percentage of plots dominated by black cherry (BC) increased with increasing deer density in cut and uncut stands. The net result of increased deer impact was an altered trajectory of vegetation development dominated by species avoided by deer or resilient to deer browsing. Negative effects on vegetation became significant at deer impact levels well below those observed in many eastern forests. Moreover, species not browsed or resilient to browsing may have indirect effects on vegetation development through plant–plant interactions and on wildlife habitat quality for small mammals, birds, and deer. Managing these impacts is important as pressures to harvest and fragment eastern forests accelerate. Corresponding Editor: R. S. Ostfeld.
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations have been maintained at high densities in Pennsylvania for several decades with unknown effects on songbirds and their habitats. I evaluated effects of white-tailed deer density on songbird species richness, abundance, and habitat. I simulated 4 deer densities (3.7, 7.9, 14.9, and 24.9 deer/km2) within individually fenced enclosures on 4 65-ha forest areas in northwestern Pennsylvania. Within all enclosures, 10% of the area was clear-cut and 30% was thinned. Enclosures were subjected to 10 years of deer browsing, 1980-90, at the 4 simulated densities. I conducted bird counts in 199.1. Varying deer density had no effect (P > 0.1) on ground-or upper canopy-nesting songbirds or their habitat, but species richness of intermediate canopy-nesting songbirds declined 27% (P 0.01) and abundance declined 37% (P = 0.002) between lowest and highest deer densities. I did not observe the eastern wood pewee (Contopns virens), indigo bunting (Passerine cyanea), least flycatcher (Empido-na:r_ minimus), yellowbilled 'cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus), or cerulean warbler (Dendroica cernlea) at densities >7.9 deer/km2 and the eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe), and American robin (Turdus rnigratorius) were not observed at 24.9 deer/km 2 .• Threshold deer density for effect on habitat and songbirds within managed (100-yr rotation) forests was between 7.9 and 14.9 deer/km=.
Unexploited populations of bobcats (Felis rufus) and coyotes (Canis latrans) were studied in the Elliott State Forest, Douglas and Coos counties, Oregon, from September 1981 to July 1982. A total of 633 radio locations of six bobcats and five coyotes were used to determine home ranges, activity, and habitat-use patterns. Twenty-five prey items were identified in bobcat and coyote scats. Diets of the two species were similar (overlap values were greater than 0.92 for all seasons). Mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) remains occurred in over 70% of the scats from both species. Home ranges for radio-collared animals averaged 14 km2 for male coyotes, 12 km2 for female coyotes, 11 km2 for one male bobcat, and 2 km2 for female bobcats. Bobcat and coyote home ranges overlapped in time as well as space. Radio-collared bobcats were detected on occasion within the same clear-cut sites concurrently with radio-collared coyotes, and daily activity patterns were nearly identical between the two predators. Bobcats and coyotes used open areas during nightly hunting activities and retired to forested areas during the day. Coyotes used grassy, more open clearings whereas bobcats favored brushy sites.
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