Deer and Moose Browsing in Hemlock Removal Experiment at Harvard Forest 2008

Hemlock decline in New England is caused by direct and indirect effects of invasion of the hemlock woolly adelgid. Direct damage from the insect is causing gradual mortality of hemlock. Widespread harvesting of hemlock in advance of mortality, in contrast, causes immediate mortality and removal of biomass from the site. Although both processes affect thousands of acres of forest annually we have only a limited understanding of their effects on forest ecosystem function and productivity and the nature of the subsequent forest community. We anticipate that harvesting will yield different consequences than gradual mortality from the insect. Therefore we designed an experiment to simulate these contrasting impacts, by logging or girdling hemlock stands. Results from the experimental treatments will be compared to the changes observed in forests that are being infested by the adelgid, and can also be included in integrated analyses of a suite of large experiments that form a core component of the Harvard Forest LTER program. Deer and moose foraging can play a key role in shaping forest regeneration after disturbance in temperate forest. In 2008, we initiated a browsing survey of woody stems in the Simes hemlock removal experiment plots. There are regular moose sightings in the study area, and moose pellets are commonly found within the plots. Also, extensive browsing of tree regeneration in the logged plots was Noted starting in 2007.