Conservation implications of browsing by Odocoileus virginianus in remnant upland Thuja occidentalis forests

Cornett, Meredith W.; Frelich, Lee E.; Puettmann, Klaus J.

doi:10.1016/s0006-3207(99)00129-9

Cited by 87 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…This can be explained by the greater vulnerability to deer browsing of 30 to 130 cm seedlings, compared to smaller seedlings and taller saplings [27]. Northern white-cedar is mostly a winter food, thus the snow cover generally protects the smallest seedlings, while the foliage of saplings >130cm is more difficult to reach, even considering that deer can browse to heights of up to 200 cm [1,3].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, the PL and PEF sites, which were both subject to heavy browsing, had very similar height class distribution patterns, regardless of differences in climate, stand composition, and partial cutting regime. Browsing has already been suggested as a predominant factor to explain the low recruitment of northern white-cedar seedlings to larger size classes, but its impact can be very variable, depending on local herbivore densities [1,3,26,28]. Deer are the most important predators of northern white-cedar seedlings and saplings, especially in winter, and may cause mortality by recurrent browsing [29].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Browsing was frequent on the PEF; in 2005, it affected 90% of large seedlings (height > 30 cm) and small saplings [6]. Depending on snow depth, stems may be browsed until they reach a height of 200 cm [3]. Based on the age-height relationship in Figure 4, northern white-cedar stems could therefore remain vulnerable to browsing damage for at least 36 years.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of Northern White-Cedar Regeneration Following Partial Cutting, with and without Deer Browsing

Larouche¹,

Ruel

2015

Forests

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Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) is an important commercial species with a high wildlife value, both as a food source and habitat for many bird and mammal species. Concerns have been expressed about its decreasing abundance across its range, and especially in mixedwood stands, where it has to compete with several other species and can suffer from heavy browsing. In this study, we quantified the development of natural northern white-cedar seedlings and saplings under various partial cutting regimes, with and without white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virgianus Zimmerman) browsing, in three selected sites in Quebec (Canada) and in Maine (USA). Our data show that northern white-cedar regeneration was present in all studied stands, but that only a few stems were taller than 30 cm on the two sites with high densities of deer. In the absence of heavy browsing, stems reached a height of 30 cm in 11 years, and 130 cm in 28 years. Height growth of northern white-cedar regeneration increased with canopy light transmittance, while ground-level diameter increment increased after partial cutting. This suggests that partial cutting can be used in mixedwood stands to release natural northern white-cedar regeneration, but also that the recruitment of northern white-cedar seedlings to larger size classes constitutes a major challenge in stands subject to heavy deer browsing. OPEN ACCESSForests 2015, 6 345

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of Northern White-Cedar Regeneration Following Partial Cutting, with and without Deer Browsing

Larouche¹,

Ruel

2015

Forests

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“…Therefore, we expected, a priori, mismatches between predictions and observations for three species that are considered to have gone through important changes in dynamics over the previous century. T. occidentalis is currently thought to be suffering a lack of recruitment, with stands on wet soils in this region no longer succeeding to T. occidentalis dominance despite the fact that T. occidentalis currently dominates old stands on wet soils, implying that it recruited well in the past (28)(29)(30)(31). A. rubrum has become increasingly dominant on a variety of soil types in the eastern United States since European settlement [the red maple paradox (32)].…”

Section: Predictions For Species Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting and understanding forest dynamics using a simple tractable model

Purves

Lichstein²,

Strigul³

et al. 2008

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

234

203

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The perfect-plasticity approximation (PPA) is an analytically tractable model of forest dynamics, defined in terms of parameters for individual trees, including allometry, growth, and mortality. We estimated these parameters for the eight most common species on each of four soil types in the US Lake states (Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) by using short-term (<15-year) inventory data from individual trees. We implemented 100-year PPA simulations given these parameters and compared these predictions to chronosequences of stand development. Predictions for the timing and magnitude of basal area dynamics and ecological succession on each soil were accurate, and predictions for the diameter distribution of 100-year-old stands were correct in form and slope. For a given species, the PPA provides analytical metrics for early-successional performance (H 20, height of a 20-year-old open-grown tree) and late-successional performance (Ẑ *, equilibrium canopy height in monoculture). These metrics predicted which species were early or late successional on each soil type. Decomposing Ẑ * showed that (i) succession is driven both by superior understory performance and superior canopy performance of late-successional species, and (ii) performance differences primarily reflect differences in mortality rather than growth. The predicted late-successional dominants matched chronosequences on xeromesic (Quercus rubra) and mesic (codominance by Acer rubrum and Acer saccharum) soil. On hydromesic and hydric soils, the literature reports that the current dominant species in old stands (Thuja occidentalis) is now failing to regenerate. Consistent with this, the PPA predicted that, on these soils, stands are now succeeding to dominance by other latesuccessional species (e.g., Fraxinus nigra, A. rubrum).climate change ͉ community ecology ͉ SORTIE ͉ TASS ͉ trade-offs

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“…A substantial decline in cedar abundance was observed in most areas across all of its natural range since the beginning of the 20th century [7][8][9][10], a phenomenon likely linked to silvicultural practices [6]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Northern White-Cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) Plantations within and outside Deer Yards

Villemaire-Côté

Ruel

Sirois

2017

Forests

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Abstract:Regional surveys done over the last decades show a clear decline in abundance of Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) throughout its range. A lack of seed trees, difficulties in the establishment of natural regeneration and high browsing pressure caused by increasing deer populations have been identified as plausible causes. Current silvicultural strategies for cedar restoration recommend partial cutting to promote and release natural regeneration, but there is also a need to restore the species in areas where it became absent. Yet, little attention has been given to cedar plantations. This study provides a first characterisation of the effects of competition, silvicultural treatments and deer, moose and hare browsing on planted cedar growth, survival, and stem form. Pure and mixed cedar plantations aged 5-27 years located in Eastern Québec were sampled. Both inside and outside deer yards, planted cedars showed high survival rates and were generally subject to low browsing pressure, but 45% were forked. Cedars showed high growth rates and strong reaction to stand opening. Results suggest that at reduced competition levels, a 9-year browser exclusion could be sufficient to establish safe-from-browsing cedar stands of >3 m in height.

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Conservation implications of browsing by Odocoileus virginianus in remnant upland Thuja occidentalis forests

Cited by 87 publications

References 25 publications

Development of Northern White-Cedar Regeneration Following Partial Cutting, with and without Deer Browsing

Development of Northern White-Cedar Regeneration Following Partial Cutting, with and without Deer Browsing

Predicting and understanding forest dynamics using a simple tractable model

Development of Northern White-Cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) Plantations within and outside Deer Yards

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