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as forests are dynamic, the abundance and kinds of wildlife also change
as a forest matures, and the quantity and quality of food, water, cover,
and space changes. Young, even-aged forests, for example, often have an
abundance of berry-producing shrubs and brushy cover, but few hard mast
(acorns, hickory nuts) or cavity trees. As a result, species that feed
on acorns (e.g., squirrels) or nest in large decaying trees (e.g., pileated
woodpeckers) are more abundant in older forests. Some species of wildlife,
including the white-tailed deer and wild turkey, prefer a combination
of plant succession
stages. Deer need the cover provided by thickets of shrubs and saplings,
but they also feed extensively on acorns found under trees in a mature
forest, and seek out succulent green vegetation and grains in agricultural
fields. Whether you wish to manage your land for a variety of wildlife
species or for a single species, understanding what stage(s) of forest
succession each species depends on for food and cover will help you to
make important forest and wildlife management decisions.
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