SREL Reprint #1854

 Parasitism and white-tailed deer: timing and components of female reproduction

M. Mulvey, J. M. Aho, and 0. E. Rhodes, Jr.

Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Univ. of Georgia, Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802, USA

Abstract: Traits contributing to reproductive success in female white-tailed deer were evaluated for uninfected and liver fluke-infected individuals on the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA. Mean body weight for fluke-infected females was significantly greater than for uninfected individuals for all habitat-age classes examined. Conception dates for fluke-infected females were significantly earlier than those for uninfected females in two habitat types. There was a trend for larger proportions of single offspring in fluke-infected females. Condition values (kidney fat index) of infected females were lower than those of non-infected females.

SREL Reprint #1854

Mulvey, M., J.M. Aho, and O.E. Rhodes Jr. 1994. Parasitism and white-tailed deer: timing and components of female reproduction. Oikos 70:177-182. 

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).