Influence of Deer Hunting and Residual Stand Structure on Tree Regeneration in Deciduous Forests

Abstract

Chronically overabundant white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations have made it difficult to regenerate desirable woody species throughout much of their range in the eastern United States and southern Canada. Neither silvicultural prescriptions nor deer management alone have resulted in successful forest regeneration. We tallied woody stems (≥1 m tall, <10 cm diameter) on 62 hunted and 46 nonhunted forest stands throughout Connecticut, USA, during autumn 2015 to spring 2018; all stands had a timber regeneration harvest from 2-12 years prior to our study (2003-2016). Our objective was to examine the influence of the combination of deer management and residual stand structure on woody regeneration diversity, density, and composition. After accounting for the influence of stand structures over a range of residual basal areas from 0-23 m 2 /ha, we found that deer had a negative effect on regeneration diversity, density, and species composition. Moreover, we found that the combination of state-regulated deer hunting and forest-overstory removal resulted in greater woody-plant regeneration rates with increased diversity. Stem densities of oak-hickory (Quercus spp.-Carya spp.), maple (Acer spp.), and minor species, as well as combined species, were greater in hunted versus nonhunted stands, and in clearcuts as opposed to 2-aged and shelterwood stands. American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and shrub species did not differ in stem density regardless of hunting or treatment prescription. Our study indicates that for properties where the management goal is to create dense vegetation with high tree, shrub, and herbaceous species diversity, managers should both encourage hunting to reduce pressure on browse-sensitive species and leave as few postharvest residual trees as possible to maximize growing space for regeneration. A lack of deer harvest and overstory removal in southern New England resulted in low diversity vegetation dominated by lesser preferred species such as birch (Betula spp.) or American beech. The use of hunting as a tool to relieve browsing pressure will improve both woody and herbaceous plant regeneration where light is not limited.

Effects of understory characteristics on browsing patterns of roe deer in central European mountain forests

“…Abundance of herbivores is often thought to drive browsing pressure on plants (Borowski, Gil, et al, 2021 ; Klopcic et al, 2010 ; Ward & Williams, 2020 ). Contrary to our expectations, we found that this is only true for A. alba and V. myrtillus , while roe deer abundance did not increase the browsing of any other plant species (similar to Kamler et al, 2010 ; Wright et al, 2012 ).…”

“…Contrary to our expectations, we found that this is only true for A. alba and V. myrtillus , while roe deer abundance did not increase the browsing of any other plant species (similar to Kamler et al, 2010 ; Wright et al, 2012 ). While culling of deer can help reduce browsing pressure (Hothorn & Müller, 2010 ; Ward & Williams, 2020 ), it may only help certain woody‐plant species, specifically those that are not of high interest to deer (Kamler et al, 2010 ). Additionally, our results show that using browsing indices as a proxy for ungulate density (e.g.…”

“…However, efforts to improve heterogeneity in forests are undermined by growing deer abundances, which increase the extent to which young trees are browsed (Häsler & Senn, 2012 ; Moser et al, 2006 ; Senn & Suter, 2003 ). Deer browsing reduces the survival of young trees (Ammer, 1996 ), delays regeneration (Kupferschmid et al, 2019 ), and can reduce tree species diversity through selective browsing (Perea et al, 2014 ; Ward & Williams, 2020 ). Consequently, browsing by large herbivores might inhibit the development of forest resilience (e.g.…”

Rapid increase in sensitive indicator plants concurrent with deer management in an oak forest landscape

“…Two of the main strategies for managing abundant deer on contemporary landscapes in an ecological management context include constructing fencing to exclude deer from variously sized areas (exclosures) and regulating deer populations via culling through controlled hunting (Ward and Williams 2020, Jenkins and Howard 2021, Nagy et al 2022). Exclosures provide deer‐free refugia and express plant community change in the absence of deer herbivory (Russell et al 2001).…”

Life cycle assessment approach of silviculture and timber harvesting of Norway spruce – a case study in the Czech Republic

“…For instance, monoculture timber production forests can have a negative impact on biodiversity and on the fulfillment of many other services, such as water, esthetic, recreation value and erosion control (Felton et al, 2016;Wan et al, 2017). Similarly, the timber-production ecosystem service of forests can be negatively affected by, for example, excessive of game animals for hunting (Ward and Williams, 2020), overabundant forest fruit picking, and intensive forest tourism (Price, 1987;Font and Tribe, 2000) can destruct the quantity and quality of woody tree regeneration.…”