IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i23p10589-d1535741.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of Deer Browsing on Soil Nutrients and Regeneration Dynamics in a Carolinian Old-Growth Forest of Ontario

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah K. Don

    (Department of Biology, Redeemer University, 777 Garner Rd East, Ancaster, ON L9K 1J4, Canada)

  • Kenneth A. Anyomi

    (Department of Biology, Redeemer University, 777 Garner Rd East, Ancaster, ON L9K 1J4, Canada)

  • Susan A. Dudley

    (Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada)

Abstract

Old growth forests are increasingly rare but important carbon sinks which harbour rich biodiversity. Chronic browsing by the white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) is a threat to the sustainability of the services provided by these forests, particularly in northern temperate forests where deer numbers have increased in recent decades (driven by stricter hunting rules and reduced predation) and necessitating local monitoring of vegetation responses. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of deer exclusion on tree regeneration dynamics and soil nutrients in an old growth Carolinian forest. This was performed using exclusion fencing and tip-up mounds at McMaster Forest Nature Preserve and the Sheelah Dunn Dooley Nature Sanctuary in Hamilton Ontario. Tree regeneration was surveyed from thirty 1 m × 1 m quadrats within exclusion plots and another thirty quadrats from deer-browsed areas adjacent to the exclusion plots. Soil samples were taken from each quadrat to analyze browsing impacts on nitrate, phosphate and soil organic matter. Red oak ( Quercus rubra ) was planted at the top and base of tip-up mounds of varying heights and widths and monitored for deer access and browsing activity. Results show a significantly higher density of woody plants within exclosures compared to non-exclosures ( p = 0.0089) and twice more abundance of highly palatable species within the exclosures. However, species richness ( p > 0.05) and diversity ( p > 0.05) were minimally impacted by deer browsing, showing a resilient old growth forest. Soil nitrate was consistently higher in the non-exclosures, while phosphate was consistently higher within deer exclosures. Finally, more seedlings survived at the top of mounds than the bases, showing the potential of tip-up mounds to be a natural method of deer exclusion and a critical avenue for restoring over-browsed forests.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah K. Don & Kenneth A. Anyomi & Susan A. Dudley, 2024. "Effects of Deer Browsing on Soil Nutrients and Regeneration Dynamics in a Carolinian Old-Growth Forest of Ontario," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-23, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:23:p:10589-:d:1535741
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/23/10589/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/23/10589/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:23:p:10589-:d:1535741. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.