Spatial Quantification of White-tailed Deer Habitat of a Wetland-dominated Landscape in Central Lower Michigan

ABSTRACT White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), can be a keystone herbivore that can greatly impact conditions in forest ecosystems. Results of previous deer herbivory research could cause biologists concern when managing wetlands as suitable habitat for migratory waterfowl because intense herbivory can negatively impact plant communities. Biologists at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR), Saginaw, Michigan, observed obvious effects of white-tailed deer herbivory within wetland plant communities. Our objective was to evaluate white-tailed deer habitat suitability within a landscape dominated by wetland vegetation types used by deer during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons to help inform deer and water bird habitat management decision making. We classified 1m x 1m aerial imagery data in ArcGIS v10.0 and developed a white-tailed deer habitat suitability index (HSI) model. Moist soil units, lakeplain prairie, and bottomland hardwood forests demonstrated high habitat suitability for white-tailed d...