graywolf wrote: > Well for one thing natural forests are pretty mono-species, most of > North Eastern North America was forested mostly with White Pine
It was more of a "climax" mixed hardwood/pine forests. Huge stands of 200-year-old oaks, sycamores, poplars, maples, hickory, chestnuts (the chestnuts are now basically gone) and pine. One interesting thing that has happened with "reforestation" of the east is the huge rise in the white-tailed deer population. 300 years ago, deer where much more scarce because they are "forest-edge dwellers." They need the underbrush of the forest edge and forest clearings to feed. These areas only existed in clearings created by tree falls and fires. Now with all the young forests, pretty much the whole Eastern US is forest-edge habitat and the deer population has boomed. Add to this the elimination of large predators in the east (bye-bye mountain lions... bye-bye wolves) and you have a species pretty much unchecked. Now, top it off with human hunting... Stupid animal rights activists that freak out when someone kills "Bambi" and the machismo of the stupid hunters and wildlife "managers" who have a hard time putting does in their crosshairs (it's more manly to kill a male animal? or is it just the trophy rack?) and it just adds to the issue (I am pro-hunting but question the management policies; most hunters are not stupid, that was there just for emphasis). Kill the females and you control the population; but that's not what the "managers" are trying to do. Trivia: What's the most dangerous animal in North America? http://archives.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/09/25/coolsc.critters.attacks/ -- Christian http://photography.skofteland.net -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
