Wintertime use of hybrid poplar plantations by deer and medium-sized mammals in the midwestern U.S.

Wintertime use of hybrid poplar biomass plantations and adjacent land-use types by deer and medium-sized mammals was studied by snow-tracking. Tracks of deer and small carnivores on hybrid poplar plantations suggested travel through the plantation but not concentrated use. Deer use of plantations was highly variable. Medium-sized mammals (squirrels, rabbits and hares) typically associated with forests showed extremely limited use of plantations. This result suggests that hybrid poplar plantations may function largely as openland, rather than forested habitat.