White-tailed deer monitoring at Arkansas Post National Memorial, Arkansas: 2005–2024 trend report
Peitz DG and Haack-Gaynor JL. 2024. White-tailed deer monitoring at Arkansas Post National Memorial, Arkansas: 2005–2024 trend report. Science Report. NPS/SR—2024/215. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2306678
During the 20-year period (2005–2024) that the Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network has monitored trends in white-tailed deer within a defined survey area of Arkansas Post National Memorial, we have observed both population declines and recoveries. The adjusted deer count increased seven-fold between 2007 and 2011 following a two-year decline and increased three-fold between 2017 and 2019 following a six-year decline. Currently, Arkansas Post National Memorial is experiencing a five-year decline in deer based on adjusted counts. Across the 20-year monitoring period, a non-significant (P = 0.92) declining trend of nearly 0.32% in the adjusted deer count was observed. The number of deer in the survey area ranged from 16.77 ±21.26 individuals/km2 (mean ±95% CI) in 2007 to 118.95 ±39.03 individuals/km2 in 2011. The amount of visible area surveyed each year varied between 0.25 and 0.47 km2 (coefficient of variation = 14.91%). If the white-tailed deer population becomes too large, this poses several problems for Arkansas Post National Memorial. First, it adds a level of complexity to implementing active natural resource management critical to preventing the cultural landscapes from changing into something that has little resemblance to the historical character of the park. Deer deferentially browse native vegetation over exotic vegetation, which promotes the spread of exotic species, and the success of tree planting can be curtailed by heavy deer browsing. Second, controlling deer-related disease, some of which can affect domestic livestock and human health in and around the park, becomes increasingly difficult when there are more deer. Third, as additional ancillary data suggests, the largely unreported and costly deer-vehicle collisions in and around Arkansas Post National Memorial have the potential to increase if the deer population increases.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Peitz, David; Haack-Gaynor, Jennifer
- Date of Issue
- 2024-11
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2306678
- Units
- ARPO , HTLN , NRSS
- Keywords
- deer monitoring, monitoring, white-tailed deer
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Mammals