Resource availability is the primary factor predicting population performance. Our objective was to determine when the mass of juvenile and yearling white-tailed deer in semiarid rangelands is most negatively affected by limited forage availability. We found that rainfall during the early growing season exhibited the strongest effect on mass.
Hopper, M.L., B.D. Spencer, R.W. DeYoung, A.M. Foley, J.A. Ortega-S., T.E. Fulbright, D.G. Hewitt, L.R. Schofield, T.A. Campbell, and M.J. Cherry. 2026. Timing of rainfall influences offspring quality of a large herbivore in a semi-arid environment. Scientific Reports https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-40861-4. (East Foundation Manuscript 096)
