The influence of prescribed burning on nutrition in white-tailed deer on the coastal plain of Texas
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Date
1977
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Abstract
An isolated area of approximately 2,025 ha of thicketized live oak (Quercus virginiana) savannah was experimentally burned during a 2-year study on the Texas Coastal Plain. Two fall burns (October 1974 and 1975) and a spring burn (March 1975) were conducted; one on each of three separate areas of approximately equal size. An estimated 30 percent of the area escaped burning due to standing water and lack of sufficient herbaceous fuel. The response of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to burning was assessed by comparing productivity, growth, body condition, and parasite infestation with deer from an adjacent unburned area of approximately 2,000 ha. The response of vegetation to burning was assessed by comparing productivity, diversity, and nutritional quality with vegetation from the unburned area. Increased vegetative production o fall-burned areas was primarily due to a positive response of forbs. Grass production was increased only on the spring-burned area during the second year postburn. Live oak topgrowth, following topkill, on all burned areas resulted in significant (P<0.05) increases in the density of stems. However, live oak topgrowth production was significantly (P<0.05) increased only on the spring-burned area. Mast production was lower on live oak regrowth in fall-burned areas than on small, unburned live oak bush. Mast production on live oak regrowth in the spring-burned area was virtually nonexistent during the first year postburn..
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Vita.
Keywords
Deer, Prescribed burning, White-tailed deer, Wildlife management, Technique, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences