Chronic wasting disease isn’t just bad for the animals it infects, it can also affect the very ecosystems on which the animals depend. CWD disease is a contagious, neurological illness affecting deer, elk, and moose populations throughout North America, according to a report in Greenville Journal. While South Carolina wildlife populations have been spared, state Department of Natural Resources officials are considering a ban on substance thought to contribute to the disease. Andrew Moore of the Journal spoke to Furman biology professor John Quinn about how a decline in white-tailed deer populations could impact invasive plant species, deer predators and even the economy.