Short-term effects of loblolly pine thinning intensity on coverage of preferred white-tailed deer forage plants

Commercial thinning and prescribed fire can improve habitat quality for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands by increasing coverage of forage plants. However, the relationships among thinning intensity, prescribed fire, and deer forage have not been quantified. We estimated percent cover of deer forage plants in five loblolly pine stands thinned to basal areas of 11 m(2).ha(-1) (low), 14 m(2).ha(-1) (medium), and 18 (high) m(2).ha(-1) in 2017 in Georgia, USA. We applied prescribed fire in 2018. From years 1 to 2 post-treatment, cover of total deer forage increased 26% and 29% in the low and medium basal area treatments, respectively, compared with 19% in the high basal area treatment. Similarly, the increase in forb coverage was greater for the medium (13%) and low (11%) basal area treatments than for the high (6%) basal area treatment. Increases in vine and bramble coverage were greater in unburned medium basal area units. Woody browse was not affected by any treatment. Our results suggest that thinning loblolly pine stands to 14 m(2).ha(-1) can increase coverage of deer forage plants during the first two growing seasons post-thinning, but deer forage was not greater in stands thinned to <14 m(2).ha(-1) 2 years post- thinning.