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Scientist: Deer Bigger Threat than Global Warming
Federal Review ^ | 01-11-10

Posted on 01/11/2010 10:49:08 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines

SYRACUSE, NY--The Chair of the Department of Environmental and Forest Biology at SUNY Syracuse says deer overpopulation is a greater threat to biodiversity in New York state than global warming.

Donald Leopold explained that "climate change isn't eliminating species, only moving their ranges."

Deer overpopulation, on the other hand, does eliminate other species, he noted.

"No other real or perceived threat is so pervasive throughout the entire state, nor eliminates the majority, if not all, of the understory of natural communities, greatly reducing the diversity of our natural communities and the function of these communities," Leopold explained.

"Ignoring what deer are doing... is worse than throwing litter on the highways, driving gas guzzlers, not recycling, and many other actions."

Leopold, who also serves as a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the program, researches "drivers of diversity and causes of varity in terrestrial and wetland ecosystems." According to his website he has published over fifty-five peer-reviewed papers, six books, six book chapters, six invited book reviews, three proceedings, and many miscellaneous publications, all generally about topics in forest and wetland ecology, and native plants.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; US: New York
KEYWORDS: bambi; deer; donald; environment; global; hunting; leopold; mandeerpig; pests; warming; wildlife
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1 posted on 01/11/2010 10:49:09 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

God’s neat! Let’s EAT!


2 posted on 01/11/2010 10:52:10 AM PST by WakeUpAndVote
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

I’m doing all I can but I can’t keep up with em.


3 posted on 01/11/2010 10:54:34 AM PST by smaug6 (We can't afford to be innocent!! Stand up and face the enemy.)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

Uh, ok, so what exactly are the deer supposed to be doing? Hanky panky in the woods? Eating people’s gardens? Running out into the road, turning around to take aim and charging into the back of vehicles for certain suicide? Huh?


4 posted on 01/11/2010 10:54:35 AM PST by bgill (The framers of the US Constitution established an entire federal government in 18 pages.)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

Bambi - It’s whats for dinner.


5 posted on 01/11/2010 10:54:37 AM PST by GonzoGOP (There are millions of paranoid people in the world and they are all out to get me.)
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To: bgill

In sufficient population density foraging undercover and food sources needed by other species. In short out competing other species when population controls are removed. Not enough people hunt and in urban areas that are a real environmental problem. Deer are not Bambi! Plus they taste good and are low in fat. Yummy!!!


6 posted on 01/11/2010 10:57:31 AM PST by smaug6 (We can't afford to be innocent!! Stand up and face the enemy.)
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To: bgill

I hit a deer last winter. It done $4,000 damage to my car and scared the heck out of me. It flipped on top of my car and rolled around. Its antlers and legs were dangling outside my window right next to my head. There are too many deer here in central Indiana.


7 posted on 01/11/2010 11:00:31 AM PST by raisincane (Dims think we're all oblivious to the obvious)
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To: smaug6

Of course there would be plenty of food sources for all species if there weren’t so many of the human kind moving into their habitats.


8 posted on 01/11/2010 11:01:00 AM PST by bgill (The framers of the US Constitution established an entire federal government in 18 pages.)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

He’s probably right. In many places, you can see the browse line to four feet, and what understory there is, is garlic mustard and stilt grass and a few Norway maple saplings, all allopathic invasives and providing cover for nothing but Lyme-bearing ticks.


9 posted on 01/11/2010 11:01:16 AM PST by heartwood
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

Then it’s settled. Sarah Palin does more to fight global warming than Al Gore.


10 posted on 01/11/2010 11:02:10 AM PST by fullchroma (Obama: GET OUT OF MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE!)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines
No problem,properly prepared,deer are pretty tasty.Got to marinade and/or season well though,other wise they can be gamy.
11 posted on 01/11/2010 11:02:21 AM PST by nomad
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

I think most of these “scientists” are cracked.


12 posted on 01/11/2010 11:04:34 AM PST by goseminoles
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To: raisincane

Too many here in MN ,too.

They’re just considered giant woods rats.


13 posted on 01/11/2010 11:05:08 AM PST by WOBBLY BOB (ACORN:American Corruption for Obama Right Now)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

This is interesting...I saw a thing on either Discovery or History channel...one of those documentary stations... it was an hour giving information about how wild pig populations are growing like Topsy and getting way out of control and becoming quite dangerous.

The more common smaller wild pigs have been crossed with the imported Russian wild pigs which for one reason or another have been let go wild, and they are huge and very aggressive!

It sounds like the spreading of the scourge of the take-over of the domestic bees with African killer bees.

According to my other half, there are also other invasive species which are creating havoc in the environment such as walking catfish, zebra snails, starlings, kudzu (a plant,)and probably others.

We definitely need to encourage a change in our hunting license structures to handle the growth this article is referencing about the deer population...and it wouldnt hurt to allow that to happen as well with the wild pig population.


14 posted on 01/11/2010 11:05:21 AM PST by TEXOKIE (Anarchy IS the strategy of the forces of darkness!)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

A dilemma for liberal sapheads everywhere who wring their hands over global warming but are frequently spotted feeding deer by hand and/or putting feed out thus drawing deer in their numbers to populated areas.


15 posted on 01/11/2010 11:05:41 AM PST by relictele
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

New England, New York and Pennsylania all have deer overpopulation problems.

OTOH, I’ve heard that North Carolina has such a shortage of deer that inbreeding has become a problem.

Seems to me that there’s a solution here, somewhere.


16 posted on 01/11/2010 11:07:27 AM PST by kidd (Obama: The triumph of hope over evidence)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines; rdl6989; mmanager; FreedomPoster; carolinablonde; bamahead; Delacon; ...
 


Beam me to Planet Gore !

17 posted on 01/11/2010 11:07:40 AM PST by steelyourfaith (Freedom from fat cat greedy Big Government tyranny IS a Right ... It IS the Constitution.)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

Have gun, will travel.


18 posted on 01/11/2010 11:07:54 AM PST by pallis
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To: bgill
Uh, ok, so what exactly are the deer supposed to be doing? Hanky panky in the woods? Eating people’s gardens? Running out into the road, turning around to take aim and charging into the back of vehicles for certain suicide? Huh?

I have no saplings left (in the woodlands on my land) because of deer overgrazing. Check out any deer exclusion fencing zones in your local parks.


19 posted on 01/11/2010 11:09:21 AM PST by PA Engineer (Liberate America from the occupation media.)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

The deer are so bad here that they are coming out in the light and eating things in full view of people. Almost every week there is a serious accidnet involving one and many smaller accidents because of the over population.


20 posted on 01/11/2010 11:11:33 AM PST by chris_bdba
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