The largest species to call Oliver's Woods home is the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). For the most part everyone has either seen a deer, hunted for deer, had to watch the roads for deer, etc. But how do you know how they contribute to our ecosystems? Deer promote biodiversity, increase plant growth, and serve as prey.
Deer promote biodiversity by foraging. When deer forage for food, they choose to eat plants like shrubs as well as brush to push back the ground coverage creating a clearer path for sunlight to enter and promote the growth of new, smaller plants. As well as this, their feces provide natural fertilization encouraging plant growth and increasing plant survival.
Another way deer contribute to biodiversity is by trampling baby trees. This may seem like it would cause more harm than good, but by doing this deer are helping the growth of other smaller plants that would otherwise not grow next to or near a tree. This is because trees use a lot of water, have large roots, and prevent light from reaching the ground from their canopy. Trees take up large amounts of water/nutrients and with deer controlling tree populations biodiversity would continue to thrive.
Lastly, this may not be of concern for Oliver’s Woods as there are not many predators, but deer provide food sources for coyotes, mountain lions, and scavengers. Overall, without deer there would be a serious concern over the biodiversity of these wooded areas.
written by Ashtynne Townsend, OU Environmental Studies student
May 2023
