Restoring highly fragmented populations of herbaceous spring ephemerals in a severely grazed Carolinian forest

Abstract

High deer populations at a number of provincial parks (e.g., Rondeau and Presqu'ile Provincial Parks) throughout Ontario are seen to pose a threat to the natural state of the park. The effects of grazing by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), on the structure of a forest canopy were investigated at Rondeau Provincial Park in southwestern Ontario in response to the lack of investigation into landscape level change incurred by these high populations. Canopy gap data was compiled from analysis of three sets of air photos (1955, 1972 and 1978) for the park. Overall, average area and frequency of gaps increased over the 23 year period.