The surveys and monitoring conducted at Mt. Haggin Wildlife Management Area in 2000 indicate that Geyer willow is in decline. During the field surveys, no individuals exposed to browsing were found to have uninterruptedgrowth- or released-type architectures. During monitoring, we sampled the most vigorous plants. The LD Index data indicate that current-year-growth is browsed back to the level of mechanical protection. The preponderance of negative LD Index values indicates that major dieback has already occurred. The site-wide average NAGRL3 values are well below the threshold value of 25 cm/year. The quantity of available browse will diminish as dieback progresses. If the moose population remains approximately constant, increased pressure will be placed on the remaining browse plants. All lines of evidence indicate that, if present trends continue, the willow community will likely be converted to a meadow. To reduce browsing pressure, the moose harvest quota was increased by 50% for the 2000 hunting season. During the winter of 2000/2001, snow depth was markedly less compared to typical years. The reduced snow pack allowed moose to disperse over a broader area compared to years in which snow is uniformly deeper. These factor s are expected to influence willow growth. To document that response, we will conduct surveys and monitoring on an annual basis.
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