Post on 14-Jun-2015
description
Effects of Forest Management on Wildlife Use of Early Seral
Habitats
Joan HagarUSGS-FRESC
Early Seral = Seedling Conifers?
Following Natural Disturbance ... • Structure
– Legacy trees and snags
– Open (low tree density)
– Large wood• Composition
– Herbs and Grasses – Shrubs– Hardwoods
Bob Altman
Residual trees and
snags
Matt Lee
D. Vesely
Bob Altman
D. Vesely
Early Seral Habitat for Reptiles
•Basking•Prey
Dead Wood as Refugia
D. Vesely
Food Resources
• Foliage• Nectar• Fruits• Seeds
Matt Lee
Matt Lee
Arthropods
• Insect diversity correlated with plant diversity
• Deciduous species support more insects
• Influence of deciduous litter on soil food webs?
Peter LaTourrette
Matt Lee
Consequences of reduced temporal span of early seral
habitats• Limit on shrub size
and age
• Shortens duration of shrubby habitat
• Reduced persistence of shrubs into mid-aged forests
Effects of Conifer-centric Forest Management on Early Seral
Habitat• Fewer residual structures
• Altered vegetation composition– Alters patterns of food
abundance
– Reduces diversity of food resources
– Alters food webs
• Reduced temporal span
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004
30 Year Trend for Swainson’s Thrush from Tillamook S.F. BBS Route
Vertical Diversity?