Response of vegetation

History of deer colonization - Response of vegetation to deer - Response of animals to deer and squirrel - Deer biology

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Effect of browsing history on the vegetation - Effect of chemical defences on deer browsing - Effect of reduced plant abundance on pollination - Effect of hunting on tree regeneration - Effect of prolonged deer population reduction on the vegetation

Response of vegetation to deer

Deer introduced to Haida Gwaii encountered a habitat similar to their native habitat but devoid of their natural predators and with little or no persistent winter snow cover. Their population was therefore likely to be controlled primarily by the availability of their food.

We expected:

that the effect of deer on the vegetation could become a significant factor in the ecology of these forests
that deer effect should increase with time since deer colonisation
the ability of plants to defend themselves against herbivores might be a critical factor in the outcome of the interaction
that effects of deer on plant abundance and diversity could affect effectiveness of pollination
that any level of control of deer population that is not related to food availability should have positive effects on the vegetation.

Click on one of the links listed above to know more.

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Scientific Publications

Noemie Stroh, Christophe Baltzinger, Jean-Louis Martin, 2008, Deer prevent western redcedar (Thuya plicata) regeneration in old-growth forests of Haida Gwaii: Is there a potential for recovery?, Forest Ecology and Management 255 (2008) 3973–3979 - PDF
Vázquez, D.P., Gresser J., et Martin J.L. 2010. Introduced deer and the pollination and reproduction of an animal-pollinated herb. Botany (Canadian Journal of Botany). 88: 110-118.PDF

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