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Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-65). Also available on the World Wide Web.

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Proper management of uneven-aged interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) stands is important for British Columbia’s central and southern interior. These stands constitute one of main components of the operable forest land in these areas, with easy access from main roads and towns. This study focused on the growth of uneven-aged Douglas-fir stands after pre-commercial thinning (spacing), with an impetus to improve upon current management practices. Data were collected from 24 permanent sample plots which were established near Williams Lake, British Columbia in 1989; thinning took place between 1990 and 1991. Three measurements have been made post-treatment: 1993, 1997 and 2004. The plot data were used to analyze different growth responses among three different spacing regimes (standard, 3 m clumped and 5 m clumped spacing) and a control. Analyses were performed at both the stand and tree level. The growth of basal area per ha, quadratic mean dbh, volume per ha and Lorey’s height were used for stand level analyses. At the tree level, dbh, height, basal area and volume were the variables of interest. At the stand level, mortality increased (7.1 to 107.1 stems/ha) and ingrowth decreased (2.4 to 8.6 stems/ha) for the second growth period (1997-2003), compared to the first growth period (5.8 to 107.1 stems/ha and 5.0 to 12.4 stems/ha, respectively). No significant differences in annual growth of quadratic mean dbh, basal area and volume per ha and Lorey’s height were noted between the different spacing regimes and the control. At the individual tree level, the 5 m clumped spacing regime usually had the highest dbh, basal area and volume growth for both growth periods. The one exception was for height growth, when analyzed using mixed-effects modeling, where no significant differences were found. Trees on the other two spacing regimes also had higher growth in dbh, basal area, and volume than trees on the control plots. The positive growth response to the spacing treatments at the single tree level was obtained without a reduction in growth at the stand level. This growth increase will result in the residual trees reaching larger sizes more quickly than they would have with no treatment, leading to improved mule deer winter range habitat and higher timber values.

Proper management of uneven-aged interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) stands is important for British Columbia’s central and southern interior. These stands constitute one of main components of the operable forest land in these areas, with easy access from main roads and towns. This study focused on the growth of uneven-aged Douglas-fir stands after pre-commercial thinning (spacing), with an impetus to improve upon current management practices. Data were collected from 24 permanent sample plots which were established near Williams Lake, British Columbia in 1989; thinning took place between 1990 and 1991. Three measurements have been made post-treatment: 1993, 1997 and 2004. The plot data were used to analyze different growth responses among three different spacing regimes (standard, 3 m clumped and 5 m clumped spacing) and a control. Analyses were performed at both the stand and tree level. The growth of basal area per ha, quadratic mean dbh, volume per ha and Lorey’s height were used for stand level analyses. At the tree level, dbh, height, basal area and volume were the variables of interest. At the stand level, mortality increased (7.1 to 107.1 stems/ha) and ingrowth decreased (2.4 to 8.6 stems/ha) for the second growth period (1997-2003), compared to the first growth period (5.8 to 107.1 stems/ha and 5.0 to 12.4 stems/ha, respectively). No significant differences in annual growth of quadratic mean dbh, basal area and volume per ha and Lorey’s height were noted between the different spacing regimes and the control. At the individual tree level, the 5 m clumped spacing regime usually had the highest dbh, basal area and volume growth for both growth periods. The one exception was for height growth, when analyzed using mixed-effects modeling, where no significant differences were found. Trees on the other two spacing regimes also had higher growth in dbh, basal area, and volume than trees on the control plots. The positive growth response to the spacing treatments at the single tree level was obtained without a reduction in growth at the stand level. This growth increase will result in the residual trees reaching larger sizes more quickly than they would have with no treatment, leading to improved mule deer winter range habitat and higher timber values.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Alberta, 2010. / Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on July 23, 2010). A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta. Includes bibliographical references.

Proper management of uneven-aged interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) stands is important for British Columbia’s central and southern interior. These stands constitute one of main components of the operable forest land in these areas, with easy access from main roads and towns. This study focused on the growth of uneven-aged Douglas-fir stands after pre-commercial thinning (spacing), with an impetus to improve upon current management practices. Data were collected from 24 permanent sample plots which were established near Williams Lake, British Columbia in 1989; thinning took place between 1990 and 1991. Three measurements have been made post-treatment: 1993, 1997 and 2004. The plot data were used to analyze different growth responses among three different spacing regimes (standard, 3 m clumped and 5 m clumped spacing) and a control. Analyses were performed at both the stand and tree level. The growth of basal area per ha, quadratic mean dbh, volume per ha and Lorey’s height were used for stand level analyses. At the tree level, dbh, height, basal area and volume were the variables of interest. At the stand level, mortality increased (7.1 to 107.1 stems/ha) and ingrowth decreased (2.4 to 8.6 stems/ha) for the second growth period (1997-2003), compared to the first growth period (5.8 to 107.1 stems/ha and 5.0 to 12.4 stems/ha, respectively). No significant differences in annual growth of quadratic mean dbh, basal area and volume per ha and Lorey’s height were noted between the different spacing regimes and the control. At the individual tree level, the 5 m clumped spacing regime usually had the highest dbh, basal area and volume growth for both growth periods. The one exception was for height growth, when analyzed using mixed-effects modeling, where no significant differences were found. Trees on the other two spacing regimes also had higher growth in dbh, basal area, and volume than trees on the control plots. The positive growth response to the spacing treatments at the single tree level was obtained without a reduction in growth at the stand level. This growth increase will result in the residual trees reaching larger sizes more quickly than they would have with no treatment, leading to improved mule deer winter range habitat and higher timber values. / Forestry, Faculty of / Graduate

Black-tailed deer Odocoileus hemionus columbianus Richardson) were studied in the Nimpkish Valley on northern Vancouver Island to determine the effects of clearcut logging upon the ecology of the deer in winter. Because Provincial government biologists suspected that logging was decreasing the amount of winter range, and therefore the number of deer, on Vancouver Island, most emphasis was placed upon the interrelationships between logging, snow depth, habitat selection by deer, and nutritional condition of deer. The study was done during during the winters of 1971 - 72 and 1972 - 73 . The first winter was severe and had heavy snowfall, and the second winter was mild and had light snowfall. If deer sink deeper in snow than their chest height, they have a hard time moving. In the Nimpkish Valley, fawns had chest heights of about 17 inches, and adults about 22 to 23 inches. During the first winter, snow in the logged habitats averaged 4 ft deep, but snow in the mature timber habitats averaged less than 2 ft deep. There was more snow at high elevations than at low elevations. Snow was less deep than deer chest height only in mature timber habitats at low elevations. Snow was also shallowest in mature timber habitats having a high crown closure. During the severe winter, only mature timber habitats at low elevations with crown closures greater than 65% were used heavily by deer. The most important aspect of snow is not simple snow depth, but how deeply deer sink in it. When a hard crust formed on deep snow in the regenerated logging slashes, deer were able to move freely on top of the crust, and made heavy use of these areas for feeding. Deer also used mature timber habitats heavily during the mild winter. Deer made more use of timber habitats having a shrub understory than these having a conifer understory, probably because there was more food available in the timber having a shrub understory. Many deer remained as high up the mountains as snow conditions and food availability permitted. Generally, deer made light use of the logged habitats during both winters, but they used these habitats heavily in the spring. Deer were collected to measure their food habits and physical condition. Deer were not able to eat as many plant species in the severe winter as in the mild winter, and were in worse physical condition in the severe winter than in the mild winter. In the Nimpkish Valley, deer made heavy use of nature timber habitats during winter. In many other areas of western North America, black-tailed deer use logged habitats for winter range. However, the Nimpkish Valley is much more mountainous and has more snowfall than many other areas in which deer ecology has been studied. The habitat selection patterns of deer in the Nimpkish Valley probably occur only in areas having similar topography, vegetation, and climate. Most other studies of black-tailed deer have concluded that logging is beneficial to deer. However, continued clearcut logging in the regions of Vancouver Island having high snowfall will eliminate deer winter range and reduce deer populations. It is recommended that legging companies leave strips of mature timber, going from the subalpine to the valley bottom, and including winter range habitats, in all those areas where deer populations are desired. / Forestry, Faculty of / Graduate

Population dynamics of large ungulates are complex and vary with fluctuations in factors such as predation, resource availability, human disturbance, and weather (Gaillard et al. 1998, Forrester and Wittmer 2013). These regulating factors exhibit similar effects on ungulate populations by changing vital rates such as birthrate, death rate, emigration or immigration (Gaillard et al. 2000). To better understand the mechanisms influencing population change, it is useful to involve tools from multiple disciplines (Krausman et al. 2013). Here we explore population dynamics of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) through the lenses of two distinct fields: population ecology and genomics. In the first chapter we examine the influence of maternal effects on offspring fitness. In the second chapter we present a high-quality, chromosome-level reference genome for mule deer. We expect results from each of these studies to provide valuable resources for continued research and conservation of mule deer.