public read Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

705 Spear StreetSouth BurlingtonVermont05403United States of America

(802) 656-0683femc@uvm.eduwww.uvm.edu/femcTeatown Lake Reservation leadStarting in 2019, deer indicator plants and their reproductive status were recorded. An individual is considered a visible aboveground stem, regardless of whether the individual spreads by rhizomes. Reproduction is defined as any evidence the individual produced flower or fruit (including change in morphology). The total number of individuals by species is recorded, as well as the total number of individuals that were reproductive. The number of reproductive individuals cannot exceed the total number of individuals present. Deer Indicator plants are understory species that have a strong physiological response to browsing pressure. Repeated, heavy browsing results in shortened stature, low or absent reproduction, and reduced abundance. Deer indicator plants respond to changes in browsing pressure more quickly than seedlings because they are shade tolerant. The Indicator Species list is below in Table 3.Forest Ecosystem Monitoring CooperativeVickyKellycontentProviderDanielleBegley-MillerprincipalInvestigatorUpland deciduous forest is the most common habitat type at Teatown. The most common species that dominate Teatown’s forests to create various natural communities are oak, hickory, maple, beech, birch, and tulip poplar. The forests of northern Westchester County and throughout much of the northeast are threatened by numerous factors including overabundant deer, invasive species, climate change and development. While these issues are often connected such that one may occur or worsen because of the presence of another, overabundant deer are considered the greatest current threat to the forest ecosystem. White-tailed deer overabundance has been extensively studied at Teatown since 2009. A healthy forest, defined as one with a dense understory of native trees and shrubs, is necessary for the forest to continue thriving into the future and to support all organisms within it. Anecdotal observations of loss of the understory started in the 1980s. To address the forest health issues, Teatown initiated a deer management program in 2014 and has an invasive management plan. To understand the success of our management programs and to determine if other management activities are needed, forest monitoring of forest plots was initiated in 2015 and is ongoing.Teatown Forest Inventory, Forest Plot Data, Indicator Species DataStarting in 2019, deer indicator plants and their reproductive status were recorded. An individual is considered a visible aboveground stem, regardless of whether the individual spreads by rhizomes. Reproduction is defined as any evidence the individual produced flower or fruit (including change in morphology). The total number of individuals by species is recorded, as well as the total number of individuals that were reproductive. The number of reproductive individuals cannot exceed the total number of individuals present. Deer Indicator plants are understory species that have a strong physiological response to browsing pressure. Repeated, heavy browsing results in shortened stature, low or absent reproduction, and reduced abundance. Deer indicator plants respond to changes in browsing pressure more quickly than seedlings because they are shade tolerant. The Indicator Species list is below in Table 3.VMC.1767.3898mySQL/femc/data/archive/project/teatown-lake-reservation-forest-plot-monitoring/dataset/dataset-teatown-forest-inventory-forest-plot-22019-06-24YearYearNo description for this attributeintmeter-1DateDateNo description for this attributedateM/D/YYYYPlotPlot NumberNo description for this attributeintmeter-1Regen_plotRegeneration Plot NumberNo description for this attributetextSpeciesSpeciesNo description for this attributetextCountNumber of IndividualsNo description for this attributeintmeter-1Reproductive_CountNumber of Reproductive UnitsNo description for this attributeintmeter-1NotesNotesNo description for this attributetext