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Becker_Thesis_Final_May 8 2017.pdf (698.06 KB)

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The impacts of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herbivory on the forage quality of forest vegetation

Becker, Jonathan David
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5031-4460
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1493903381569241

Abstract Details

2017, Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, Biological Sciences.
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are abundant across North America. Deer impact ecosystems, both directly and indirectly. These impacts are driven by the foraging preferences of deer. The energy, protein, mineral, fiber, and secondary metabolite content of plants are important factors that inform the selective herbivory of deer. I examined the interactions between forage quality and deer impacts in northern Wisconsin using deer exclosures. I examined the forage quality of four focal species (Acer saccharum, Maianthemum canadense, Dryopteris intermedia and Carex pensylvanica) in both control and exclosure plots. Forage quality parameters measured were energy, protein, ash, phosphorus, silica, fiber, and saponins. I found that deer herbivory did not uniformly decrease the forage quality within individual species. This study provides preliminary support for a predicted increase in low forage quality plants in response to heavy deer herbivory. Further research is necessary to support this trend, including a focus on defensive secondary metabolites.
Thomas Rooney, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Don Cipollini, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Yvonne Vadeboncoeur, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
55 p.
Conservation; Ecology; Wildlife Conservation
White-tailed deer; deer; herbivory; maianthemum; saponin; forage quality; nutritional ecology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Becker, J. D. (2017). The impacts of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herbivory on the forage quality of forest vegetation [Master's thesis, Wright State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1493903381569241

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Becker, Jonathan. The impacts of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herbivory on the forage quality of forest vegetation. 2017. Wright State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1493903381569241.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Becker, Jonathan. "The impacts of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herbivory on the forage quality of forest vegetation." Master's thesis, Wright State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wright1493903381569241

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

wright1493903381569241
513
© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Wright State University and OhioLINK.