Date of Award
Spring 3-30-1999
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
School of Renewable Natural Resources
First Advisor
Johnson, Mark K.
Second Advisor
Chabreck, Robert H.
Third Advisor
Afton, Alan
Abstract
I used microhistological analysis of fecal pellets to estimate and compare seasonal diet compositions between free-ranging, southern and translocated. northern woodland white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on Golden Ranch Hunting Farm, Gheens, Louisiana,. over four consecutive seasons, from January 1997 through January 1998. I analyzed pellet groups with Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) and wet chemistry techniques to evaluate and compare crude protein levels between populations of deer and provide indices of diet quality. On average, native and translocated deer diets were 87.65% similar during the entire study, and were significantly associated during all seasons ( P < 0.0000 I ). suggesting that deer fed on similar plant species in like quantities throughout the year. Few differences were found in plant selection frequencies per fecal sample. hut significant differences were detected (P 0.00 l) among deer populations in the use of Berchemia scandens and Vitis rotundifolia during spring. Northern deer also ingested a greater diversity of plants (P < 0.05) during spring and winter; and fecal crude protein levels were similar (P > 0.05) in all seasons except winter, when there was more (P < 0.05) protein in southern deer diets. Overall. diet compositions. plant diversity. and diet quality of southern and northern deer populations were similar, suggesting that translocated deer select diets comparable to those of native animals.
Recommended Citation
Zielinski, Brian Matthew, "Diet Overlap of Native and Translocated Northern White-Tailed Deer in Southeastern Louisiana" (1999). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 8252.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/8252
DOI
10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.8252