Effect of White-Tailed Deer on Songbirds within Managed Forests in Pennsylvania

deCalesta, David S.

doi:10.2307/3809685

Cited by 202 publications

(107 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Due to the young age of these stands at that time (10-11 yr) this trend was attributed mainly to physical structure of vegetation, specifically reduction in stem density and cover at high deer density. Ungulate effects on birds reported throughout the literature are mainly in species of the shrub and ground layers where ungulate browsing is active (deCalesta 1994, McShea and Rappole 2000, Stockton et al 2005. In contrast, ca.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Results from studies on effects of ungulates on insects and their predators have varied and so far few of these has specifically addressed long-term effects of deer-induced changes in vegetation composition (Côte et al 2004, but see Baines et al 1994). While negative effects of deer browsing on birds, especially species that utilize ground and shrub layers, are well documented (deCalesta 1994, McShea and Rappole 2000, Stockton et al 2005, we are aware of no study that has investigated the long-term impacts of browsing-induced changes in vegetation composition on canopy structure or on higher trophic levels in areas established under different known levels of ungulate browsing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Three studies have experimentally manipulated ungulate browsing across a range of densities to understand effects on ecosystem dynamics: the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station (Tilghman 1989, deCalesta 1994, Horsley et al 2003) maintained white-tailed deer across a range of densities for 10 yr (1979)(1980)(1981)(1982)(1983)(1984)(1985)(1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990) in large enclosures in deciduous forest of Pennsylvania; Tremblay et al (2007) maintained white-tailed deer for 3 yr (2002)(2003)(2004)) across a similar range of densities during spring through fall in large enclosures, in the boreal forest of Quebec; and Hobbs et al (1996) manipulated density of elk (Cervus canadensis) in sagebrush grasslands of the Rocky Mountains.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Legacy of top-down herbivore pressure ricochets back up multiple trophic levels in forest canopies over 30 years

et al. 2011

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Abstract. Removal of top-down control on herbivores can result in a trophic cascade where herbivore pressure on plants results in changes in plant communities. These altered plant communities are hypothesized to exert bottom-up control on subsequent herbivory via changes in plant quality or productivity. But it remains untested whether top-down perturbation causes long term changes in plants that ricochet back up the new food chain that depends on them. In a large-scale, 30-yr controlled field experiment, we show that 10 yr of top-down control of an ungulate herbivore (white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus) created contrasting forest tree communities exerting bottom-up effects that ricochet back up 3 trophic levels 20-30 yr later. Higher ungulate densities during stand initiation caused significant reductions in tree species diversity, canopy foliage density, canopy insect density, and bird density in young (ca. 30 yr old) forests. Because recruitment of trees from seedlings to the canopy occurs over a relatively brief period (ca. 10 yr), with membership in the canopy lasting an order of magnitude longer, our results show that even short-term perturbations in ungulate density may cause centuries-long disruptions to forest ecosystem structure and function. In documenting this five-step trophic ricochet, we unite key concepts of trophic theory with the extensive literature on effects of ungulate overabundance. As predators decline and ungulate herbivores increase worldwide, similar impacts may result that persist long after herbivore density becomes effectively managed.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Legacy of top-down herbivore pressure ricochets back up multiple trophic levels in forest canopies over 30 years

et al. 2011

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“…For resource managers, impacts from ungulates on vegetation are becoming a common management problem [105][106][107][108][109], while options for controlling ungulate populations by slaughter, translocation and reproductive control receive little public and/or government support [110]. Translocation receives the greatest level of public support, but disease concerns have reduced the safety of translocating wildlife [111][112][113][114].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating Economic Carrying Capacity for an Ungulate Guild in Western Canada

Kuzyk¹,

Cool²,

Bork³

et al. 2009

TOCONSBJ

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Elk Island National Park in western Canada provides an ideal case study for an economic carrying capacity estimate because it supports high density of four species of ungulates (11/km 2 ), lacks large predators, and is enclosed by a 2.1-meter mesh fence. This high density of ungulates has created persistent management challenges by altering vegetation structure and community composition. Using linear programming, we explored optimal allocation of forage resources for bison (Bison bison bison), moose (Alces andersoni), wapiti (Cervus elaphus manitobensis) and deer (Odocoileus virginianus and O. hemionus) to maximize ungulate biomass and numbers, when constrained by use of the major forage classes and minimum viable populations (MVP) of those ungulate species that do not cross the boundary fence (bison and wapiti). Maximum numbers of animals were achieved by a stocking combination dominated by deer and bison, whereas maximum biomass was attained when bison and moose were abundant but deer were absent. Wapiti remained at MVP during all solutions. Optimal solutions consistent with current ungulate densities were associated with 7 to 11% forage removal. This is less than normally assumed for sustainable forage use, and may reflect the need to account for other biotic and abiotic losses to forage in carrying capacity models for which ungulate densities can be constrained by availability of a preferred forage class (e.g., grass) as well as forage quality. This research extends the conventional animal-unit concept to multispecies systems and provides templates based on forage biomass allocation for resource managers facing similar problems of joint stocking in different environments.

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“…Pennsylvania forests have suffered the impact of overabundant deer since the late 1920s (Hough 1965, Redding 1995, and NERS scientists have completed extensive research documenting deer impact on regeneration processes in Allegheny hardwood forests (deCalesta 1994, Horsley and others 2003, Marquis 1981, Marquis and Brenneman 1981, Tilghman 1989. SILVAH incorporates these research results in the form of a deer impact index, with values ranging from 1, for very low, to 5 for very high .…”

Section: The Workhopmentioning

confidence: 99%