Response of young Tsuga heterophylla to deer browsing: developing tools to assess deer impact on forest dynamics

Abstract

We used dendroecology to describe and understand the consequences of deer browsing on regenerating western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla). We compared tree shape, growth rate, height and age at four different sites in Haida Gwaii (British Columbia, Canada) that had trees representative of the range of deer impact on trees: (1) trees showing no sign of browsing, (2) escaped trees which were still browsed below the browse line and (3) stunted and heavily browsed trees. Repeated and intense browsing resulted in the small size, compact heavily ramified shape of stunted trees and in the short compact and ramified lower branches of escaped trees. These contrasted with the shape of non-browsed trees, a shape that was also found in escaped trees above the browse line. Before release, all browsed trees experienced stagnation in growth characterised by narrow rings (0.3 mm/year) and a small annual height increment (2.5 cm/year). At release, growth rate increased and stabilised: rings were wider (1.3 mm/year) and annual height increments were greater (10.5 cm/year). Non-browsed trees had a mean ring-width of 1.3 mm/year and an annual height increment of 22 cm/year. Delay in tree recruitment caused by deer varied from site to site. It had been about 15 years for the escaped trees and is estimated at 30–40 years for the stunted trees. Spatial variation in deer impact may reflect spatial variation of browsing pressure resulting from local differences in the availability of preferred forage or to differences in tree chemical defences/nutritional values.