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Article
Population Demography and Herbivory of Trillium Grandiflorum
Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany
  • Thomas P. Rooney, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Kendra C. Millam, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Publication Date
2006
Disciplines
DOI
10.5642/aliso.20062201.46
Abstract

Numerous pedicellate and sessile Trillium species are endemic to eastern North America, where white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations have been growing in recent decades. Deer feed on Trillium plants, and because they often consume all leaves and flowers, the photosynthetic capacity of browsed plants is greatly diminished. To determine if deer can influence Trillium population dynamics, we review two recent studies that applied matrix population models to understand how deer browsing affects Trillium grandijlorum. Research conducted in the Great Lakes region indicated Trillium populations in which 6-12% plants were browsed declined 3.6% per year. Simulations show that with additional browsing, the rate of population decline accelerates. Similar research conducted in the Appalachian plateau region by a different researcher yielded nearly identical results. We apply insights from these matrix population models to two additional conservation problems in Trillium: unsustainable collecting of wild plants and forest fragmentation. Because other Trillium in the eastern United States are similar morphologically and ecologically, our results from Trillium grandiflorum might be generalized to apply to other members of the genus.

Rights Information
© 2006 Thomas P. Rooney, Kendra C. Millam
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
Citation Information
Thomas P. Rooney and Kendra C. Millam. "Population Demography and Herbivory of Trillium Grandiflorum" (2006) p. 593 - 597
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/thomas_rooney/116/