In the Eastern and Midwestern US, the excess deer populations have had bad effects on the vegetation in forests. Deer tend to prefer certain species of plants as food and they overgraze those species. The overgrazing leaves niches open for other species of vegetation. Often the species that take over are plants that aren't native to an ecosystem. In many areas of the United States, an excess of white-tail deer has completely changed the ecosystem through their behavior. Therefore, many areas of the US allow hunting of deer to overcome the ecosystem disruption caused by their overpopulation. The graph on the Gizmo above shows the effect on an ecosystem where the hunting of deer is unrestricted.
1. The State Department of Natural Resources has asked for proposals that allow hunting of white-tail deer, but keep their population at 50% of the original or above. Write a proposal, which explains your reasoning, for a hunting program that is the most beneficial for the forest ecosystem. Provide evidence, from the Gizmo, that supports your program and convinces the Natural Resources committee why yours is the best selection.
2. What if the committee asked you to develop a program for logging? What would you propose?