Hello all,
I am wondering if White-Tailed deer will browse leaf litter in Fall or Winter? A specific focus is on Red Oak tree leaf litter.
pressures in this mixed hardwood and pine forest are: White-Tailed deer over population, closed canopy due to legacy effects from palatability, invasive earthworms, no management practices.
I have found publications that have reported decreased leaf litter in the presence of deer, but the main mechanism they are assuming is due to compaction from deer walking and scavenging the forest floor.
thank you!