Moose Foraging in the Temperate Forests of Southern New England

Abstract

Moose have recently re-colonized the temperate forests of southern New England, raising questions about this herbivore's effect on forest dynamics in the region. We quantified Moose foraging selectivity and intensity on tree species in relation to habitat features in central Massachusetts. Acer rubrum (Red Maple) and Tsnga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock) were disproportionately browsed; Pinus strobus (White Pine) was avoided. Foraging intensity correlated positively with elevation, distance to development, and watershed type and negatively with time since forest harvest, explaining 26% of the variation. Moose may interact with forest harvesting to contribute to a decline in Red Maple and Eastern Hemlock and an increase in White Pine in intensively browsed patches. Nonetheless, foraging impacts may diminish over time, as increasing temperatures and sprawling development increasingly restrict suitable Moose habitat.