Deer do not affect short-term rates of vegetation recovery in overwash fans on Fire Island after Hurricane Sandy.

ABSTRACT: Coastal resilience is threatened as storm-induced disturbances become more frequent and intense with anticipated changes in regional climate. After severe storms, rapid recovery of vegetation, especially that of dune-stabilizing plants, is a fundamental property of coastal resilience. Herbivores may affect resilience by foraging and trampling in disturbed areas. Consequently, assessing the impacts of herbivores on recovering vegetation is important for coastal land management.We combined imagery classification, wildlife monitoring, and trend analysis to investigate effects of white-tailed deer on recovery rates of vegetation four years poststorm in nine overwashed areas. We estimated local deer density with trail cameras, how it relates to an index of primary productivity, and assessed the

SUBMITTER: Kilheffer CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6822055 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature