Deer browsing and population viability of a forest understory plant.
American ginseng is the premier medicinal plant harvested from the wild in the United States. In this study, seven populations of ginseng plants were censused every 3 weeks during the growing season over 5 years to monitor deer browse and harvest and to project population growth and viability. The minimum viable population size was approximately 800 plants, a value greater than that of all populations currently being monitored. When simulated deer browsing rates were reduced 50% or more, population viability rose sharply. Without more effective deer population control, ginseng and many other valuable understory herbs are likely to become extinct in the coming century.
McGraw
James B
JB
Department of Biology, Post Office Box 6057, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6057, USA. jmcgraw@wvu.edu
Furedi
Mary Ann
MA
D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003670:Deer; D017753:Ecosystem; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D008433:Mathematics; D005894:Panax / Q000254:growth & development; D011156:Population Density; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011158:Population Growth; D012621:Seasons; D014197:Trees; D014903:West Virginia