Impact

How Can Deer Change the Forest?

White-tailed deer, through browsing, have the ability to change plant communities where they live. The changes they can impose on the forest occur over time and to the untrained-eye are subtle; however, to those trained in forest ecology and other fields, the changes can approach catastrophic.

In What Ways Can Deer Affect Other Wildlife?

Deer and other wildlife species have shared the forests of eastern North America for many centuries, and under most circumstances, these habitats are shared with little conflict. However, competition for favorite food items like acorns can impact population changes in some wildlife species. Other ways that one wildlife species changes habitat for other species include removing important plant species, changing soil chemistry, changing habitat structure by breaking limbs or plants. Most of these negative changes occur when one species becomes overabundant relative to the others at that site.

In What Ways Can Deer Affect Wildflowers?

The direct impact of deer on forests is limited to the zone from the forest floor to about five feet (1.5 meters) above – the zone that deer can easily reach. When deer impact is moderate or low for even a short time, trees can grow out of this zone, so that even as deer browse the branches that remain within their reach, the top of the plant grows unaffected by deer.