Associations Between Deer Browse and Aphid Colonization in a Long-Term Monitoring Study of Liguisticum porteri

Abstract

Deer are prolific herbivores that, if left to increase exponentially, could decimate populations of plants and possibly other herbivores. Due to the rapidly increasing abundance of deer, this is a risk that is getting ever closer to becoming a reality. This phenomenon is a concern for herbivores that currently share plant resources with deer species, as well as the plants that deer rely on for food. Many herbivores that are at risk of this competition are insects. Insect populations are already decreasing, but with the addition of increased deer abundance and, thus, increased competition around the corner, it is more important than ever to understand how these organisms interact. This study explores the ecological and trophic relationships between mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and aphid colonies (Aphis asclepiadis) on the plant Osha (Ligusticum porteri) and the possibility that deer are seeking out aphid colonized plants as a food source. If this is the case, the insects could be at risk of this resource competition that could eventually have devastating effects on their populations. Mule deer populations can be controlled on the local level, and this study will inform what organisms are being effected by large herbivores and whether population management may be needed for these herbivorous mammals.

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