Across Trophic Level System Simulation (ATLSS) - Deer

Publications Related Links

The white-tailed deer is the largest herbivore in the Everglades and a major prey source for the endangered Florida panther. Since the early 1960's, when intensive water management began, the greater Everglades and Big Cypress deer population has declined by almost 75%, from a high of 25-30,000 deer. Changing water management strategies for south Florida have impacted deer in several ways, affecting reproductive success and recruitment, movement and foraging, and forage production and availability (Fleming 1997). During wet years, extended periods of inundation with water depths over 2-ft. are common in the impounded marshes of the northern Everglades. During these high water events, deer move to elevated sites such as tree islands, where they often suffer deterioration of physical condition and increased susceptibility to parasites and disease as food stores became depleted. Does and fawns are particularly susceptible to the effects of prolonged high water.

There are two models for deer being applied in ATLSS. One of these, the Deer Spatially-Explicit Species Index (SESI) Model, has been applied to the to analyze alternative hydrologic scenarios on the potential breeding of deer. The other model, SIMPDEL - the Spatially-explicit Individual-based simulation Model of Florida Panther and white-tailed Deer on the Everglades and Big Cypress Landscape, is currently under development for application to restoration planning.

Publications

Abstract:

• SIMPDEL: A Spatially Explicit Individual-based Simulation Model for Florida Panther and White-tailed Deer in the Everglades and Big Cypress Landscapes (from the Walt Dineen Society Conference, May 1997)

  Poster:

• A Simulation model for Florida Panthers and white-tailed deer in the Everglades and Big Cypress Landscape (PowerPoint® file. Poster presented at the GEER Conference, December 2000)

Related Links

• Deer/Panther Model: A Simulation Model for Florida Panthers and White-tailed Deer in the Everglades and Big Cypress Landscapes (Model Description)
• Spatial-explicit Individual-based simulation Model of Florida Panther and white-tailed Deer in the Everglades and Big Cypress Landscape (SIMPDEL Homepage)
• White-tailed Deer Breeding Potential Index (Basic Model Description)

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