Influence of Deer on Vegetation of the Apostle Islands, Wisconsin
Beals EW, Cottam G, Vogl RJ. 1960. Influence of Deer on Vegetation of the Apostle Islands, Wisconsin. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 24(1):68-80
Seventy-six stands of forest vegetation on the Apostle Islands were sampled for browse stems by the point-centered quarter method. Damage to the browse by deer was also recorded. The stands represented a number of vegetation types, including pine, aspen, oak, hemlock, sugar maple, and yellow birch-white cedar forests. The last-mentioned type predominated in the region. Indices were prepared for browse pressure, and density of browse. Cedar saplings and yew tend to decrease in density with increased browse pressure, while mountain maple tends in increase. Yew was preferred by deer to any other coniferous food. Deciduous foods such as mountain maple are an important part of the cervine diet, and these may be much more heavily browsed than cedar if yew is plentiful enough to provide sufficient coniferous food. The best habitat for deer appears to be the unbrowsed yellow-birch-white cedar stands. When these stands are subjected to moderate or heavy browsing, however, their food value diminishes rapidly.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Beals, E.; Cottam, G.; Vogl, R.
- Units
- APIS
- Keywords
- Browsing, Diet, Impacts, Vegetation, White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)