Stewards & Scholars

Student Researches Deer Overabundance on Campus

By Allyson Schmieder

To view this article in its original format with photos, please visit the Microsoft Sway here: Student Researches Campus Deer Population

Honors College student, Agustina Gonzalez, studies the issue of deer overpopulation on campus grounds and shares findings at December 2021 Honors Capstone Symposium.

For weeks at a time, second-year RVCC Honors College student Agustina Gonzalez wandered across corners of campus that the average student never steps foot in—adjusting wildlife cameras, inspecting twigs, and counting deer pellets.

"You may think that you know campus but I will tell you—of all the people in this room, Agustina knows campus the most intimately,” insisted Associate Professor of Environmental Science and CES Co-Director, Dr. Emilie Stander, who advised Agustina through these efforts. Addressing the room of eager faces gathered at the Honors College Capstone Project Symposium on December 14, 2021, Dr. Stander welcomed Agustina to the podium to present her capstone research project on the deer population on campus.

Over the course of the summer and fall of 2021, Agustina collected some of the most comprehensive on the ground field data of the deer population within RVCC’s campus boundaries. As a part of her capstone research course, she read through troves of scientific articles and constructed research questions, methodology, and analysis under the mentorship of Dr. Stander.

“I knew for a fact that I wanted to do research on wildlife since that is what I aim to do in the long term in the fields of biology and ecology,” shares Agustina. During the presentation, Agustina remarks how having Dr. Stander’s feedback aided her investigations, “She got me through so much. All of her questions made me think so hard. She made me question my work so much but in a … great way that made me want to keep learning and keep trying”

The Center for Environmental Studies is no stranger to white-tailed deer research. Professor of Biology and CES Co-Director, Dr. Jay Kelly has intensively studied deer populations in central New Jersey, CES Staff Scientist Jessica Ray has manned drones to detect and count deer, and students throughout the years have made contributions to yearly spotlight surveys. (Here you can read a prior article on CES research regarding deer population and the details of the problem’s roots and repercussions.)

Yet Agustina took on a different aspect of the topic by not only quantifying deer populations on campus but identifying spatial preferences of the deer. Given the campus’ highly fragmented forested areas, Agustina investigated how the fragmented terrain affects deer use of campus spaces. “Just how our world is changing, theirs is too,” stated Agustina. As she displayed a map of campus forest patches, parking lots, and buildings, she expanded, “The deer have completely adapted to this fragmentation and used it to grow their population in a way that is kind of crazy if you look at the numbers.”

Agustina separated her research focus based on forest patch and habitat type, and she collected data of various forms: counting deer pellets, monitoring wildlife cameras, and analyzing seedlings and twigs for deer browse, all as indirect measurements of the number of deer using particular forest patches and habitat types. Additionally, she supplemented her findings using deer abundance data from resources such as Dr. Kelly’s CES drone surveys.

“Deer browsing was extremely high. It was worrying. I could not find saplings. I could not find seedlings. And that's really concerning 'cause that means in a few years, those trees won't be growing and what trees are we going to have?” said Agustina. Parts of her research methodology could not be completed as intended due to a lack of seedlings and saplings to count.

Still, her research found campus deer did make preferential use of certain forest patches and habitat types. The north zone was preferred over the northwest and possibly over southwest. In tandem, the upland edge habitat was preferred over every other habitat type on campus. With this study, edge habitat refers to the boundaries of forest patches where the forest is either met by fields or streets on campus. This transitional zone of habitat typically contains an abundance of plant variety from grasses to shrubs to seedlings for deer to eat while providing protection through the refuge of nearby trees to hide behind.

By the end of Agustina’s presentation, everyone in the room felt equally aware of the immense complications deer populations inflict on our region’s health, finances, and ecology. While most New Jersey residents are accustomed to coexisting with deer, members of the audience shared their newfound perception of the deer population as an issue extending beyond effects on humans. One individual shared how they were previously unaware of how deer populations drastically altered our forest composition. By consuming native vegetation and lessening competition for invasive species, many understories through the Northeastern US are drastically impacted. Among other remarks, the crowd discussed deer management strategies and the hurdles posed by sensitive topics such as hunting.

Research like Agustina’s could play a role in future deer management plans. Agustina reminds listeners, “Resources are not endless and time is not endless. When we choose to undertake strategies to mitigate the effects of deer … we are gonna have to choose an area we know will get results because if not, we're investing a lot of money in something that might not have the effects we're looking for.”

Not only is the research relevant to regional circumstances, but the extensive work conducted by Agustina is impressive from a student perspective. Independent research is an infrequent undertaking for a second year undergraduate student at most colleges and universities. Many individuals follow the traditional path of taking general education courses and getting settled among the hustle and bustle of their school’s offerings -- but the size of RVCC and its numerous hands-on experiences present openings for all students to engage in research in a fashion that fits their interests early on in their college college.

Whether it’s getting the hang of lab work or field studies through required classwork, taking on an internship offered by CES, or conducting an independent research project under the supervision of a faculty member, RVCC students can gain hands-on experience through various avenues. And those who utilize those resources at RVCC often surpass their own expectations, such as Agustina.

When asked about the takeaways from her research endeavors, Agustina responded, “It is much easier to follow instructions on homework and hand it in than it is to create and execute your own assignment. That being said, the experience [of researching] is also so much more engaging and rewarding at the end.”

Tending to these professional curiosities beyond the classroom is no easy feat! Though the months of effort surely benefitted her academic and professional development, Agustina reflects, “I learned how difficult it can be to come up with an interesting and achievable research plan while juggling three other courses and work.” On the other hand, she recognizes how this work will influence her impending academic ventures. “My practical and logistical skills were heavily used and developed with my research, and I think I will be able to make a more informed approach in the future by comparing which strategies worked and which ones didn’t in my capstone,” she says.

Even after all the blood, sweat, and tears, Agustina was keen on recommending fellow students to follow suit. “I would advise any student considering research to go for it! A research project at this stage of your academic journey can teach you invaluable lessons that you can only learn by putting in the effort.”

A research experience early in college can make an important contribution to carving out your career path, even though a research project can feel intimidating to many students. Agustina continues, “You may find that research is something extremely fulfilling for you. You can also find the type of project you conducted to be difficult or tedious and may look into different ways of working in the future. In any case, you will learn about your research topic, your capacities, and your goals firsthand.”

Agustina recalls writing about her capstone project in her transfer applications. As of Spring 2022, Agustina transferred to Amherst College in Massachusetts on a full ride to pursue Biology. There, she plans to confidently continue her research interests. During our interview, she concluded, “Every hour I spent wandering the forest patches, reading articles, or sifting through camera trap images, I knew that I wanted to keep doing this for as long as possible.”