White-tailed deer are a biotic filter during community assembly, reducing species and phylogenetic diversity.

ABSTRACT: Community assembly entails a filtering process, where species found in a local community are those that can pass through environmental (abiotic) and biotic filters and successfully compete. Previous research has demonstrated the ability of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to reduce species diversity and favour browse-tolerant plant communities. In this study, we expand on our previous work by investigating deer as a possible biotic filter altering local plant community assembly. We used replicated 23-year-old deer exclosures to experimentally assess the effects of deer on species diversity (H'), richness (SR), phylogenetic community structure and phylogenetic diversity in paired browsed (control) and unbrowsed (exclosed) plots. Additionally, we developed a deer-browsing susceptib

SUBMITTER: Begley-Miller DR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4078168 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature