importance of buffers forimportance of buffers for wildlife...

Importance of buffers forImportance of buffers forImportance of buffers for Importance of buffers for wildlife habitatwildlife habitat

Peter PatonPeter PatonDept. of Natural Resources Science

Univ. of Rhode Island

riparian bufferriparian buffer -- A vegetated A vegetated iiprotective area next to a water protective area next to a water

body serving as a barrier against body serving as a barrier against y g gy g gpolluted runoff and a habitat polluted runoff and a habitat

corridor for terrestrial animalscorridor for terrestrial animalscorridor for terrestrial animals. corridor for terrestrial animals.

Buffer Functions for Biodiversity:-Travel corridors – restore connectivityy-Increase habitat area

Nesting habitatForaging habitatForaging habitatCover

-Protect sensitive habitats-Increase access to resources-Shade stream to maintain temperature

H bit t t ithi b ffH bit t t ithi b ffHabitat management within buffersHabitat management within buffersLet the natural form dominate

DiversityHorizontal structureHorizontal structureVertical structure

G ti d thi k lGo native and think seasonalLeave snagsLeave woody debrisHave fun with border (curves, shrubs)Have fun with border (curves, shrubs)Supply rocks and stones

Vertical Structure

Horizontal Structure

Importance of coarsepWoody debris

Forest clearcuts with riparian buffer

Wildlife use of the bufferWildlife use of the bufferWildlife use of the buffer Wildlife use of the buffer will be a function ofwill be a function of

• Width, which might be the most critical factor

• Vegetative structure within bufferOverstory composition– Overstory composition

– Understory compositionAdj t h bit t/l d t t• Adjacent habitat/landscape structure

Impact of buffersImpact of buffersImpact of buffersImpact of bufferson wildlifeon wildlife

• Edge effectsSome species have lower reproductiveSome species have lower reproductive success near edges, thus avoid edges (up to 50+ m from edge)50+ m from edge)

• Area sensitivityS i i l ti h bit t– Some species require large contiguous habitat patches

Edge habitat Edge width based on 150 ftInterior habitat

g

1 acre100% edge0% interior

10 acres68% edge

100 acres27% edge

0% interior 32% interior 73% interior

Area Sensitivity (acres)Area Sensitivity (acres)

SpeciesTerritory Size Min Field Size

p

Upland Sandpiper 20-30 150

Vesper Sparrow 1 4 30Vesper Sparrow 1-4 30

Savannah Sparrow 1-2 20-40

Grasshopper Sparrow 2-4 30

Henslow’s Sparrow 2-3 50

Bobolink 1-6 5-10

Eastern Meadowlark 6 8 20 40Eastern Meadowlark 6-8 20-40

New England Wildlife Trends Through TimeNew England Wildlife Trends Through Time

BUFFER WIDTHHow big should a buffer be?How big should a buffer be?The basic bare-bones buffer is 50' from the top of the bank. You get more with every foot.

www.crjc.org/buffers/Introduction.pdf

From Bentrup. 2008. Conservation Buffers. USFS Gen Tech Rep.

Upland HabitatUpland Habitat

Movement of streamMovement of streamMovement of stream Movement of stream salamanderssalamanders

Crawford and Semlitsch 2006

Wildlife use of buffers, Boyd 2001Wildlife use of buffers, Boyd 2001

Birds restricted to 100’ fromBirds restricted to 100’ fromBirds restricted to 100 from Birds restricted to 100 from wetlandswetlands

• Northern Waterthrush• Louisiana WaterthrushLouisiana Waterthrush• Bank Swallow

C d W bl• Canada Warbler

Wetland dependent MammalsWetland dependent MammalsWetland dependent Mammals Wetland dependent Mammals over 200’ from wetlandsover 200’ from wetlands

• Water Shrew within 1000’• Star-nosed Mole -330’Star nosed Mole 330• Bats- up to 12 miles from wetlands

B 300’ f l d• Beaver – over 300’ from wetlands

Sorex palustris

Reptiles that travel over 200’ fromReptiles that travel over 200’ fromReptiles that travel over 200 from Reptiles that travel over 200 from wetlandwetland

• Wood Turtle• Painted Turtle• Spotted Turtle• Blanding’s Turtle• Plymouth Redbelly Turtle• Common Snapping Turtle, may travel up to 10

milesmiles • most average less than 656 ft. (200 m) from the

wetland but may travel up to 0 8 miles (1 3 km)wetland, but may travel up to 0.8 miles (1.3 km)

Amphibians that travel over 200’Amphibians that travel over 200’Amphibians that travel over 200 Amphibians that travel over 200 from wetland edgefrom wetland edge

• 11 amphibian species• Marbled Salamander – 637 ft• Jefferson Salamander – 500 ft

S d S l d 700 f• Spotted Salamander -700+ ft• Blue-spotted Salamander – 656 ft• Two-lined Salamander• Red Spotted Newt• Red Spotted Newt• Spring Peeper – 984 ft.• Wood Frog 1150+ ft• Fowler’s ToadFowler s Toad• Spadefoot Toad -1300+ ft• American Toad.

Semlitsch’s 95% “Life Zone”Semlitsch’s 95% “Life Zone”Semlitsch s 95% Life ZoneSemlitsch s 95% Life Zone

540 ftCoreCore wetlandwetlandCoreCore wetlandwetland

Best Management Practices for Best Management Practices for Vernal Pool AmphibiansVernal Pool Amphibians

Vernal pool:no disturbance

E l (100’)Envelope (100’)No development

Critical terrestrial habitat100-750’, <25% developedareaarea

Example of<25% developed area

Calhoun and Klemens 2002

Upland Habitat Use, Resource Upland Habitat Use, Resource Selection, and Migratory Selection, and Migratory

Behavior of Adult SpottedBehavior of Adult SpottedBehavior of Adult Spotted Behavior of Adult Spotted Salamanders on a Golf CourseSalamanders on a Golf Course

Christin McDonoughChristin McDonough--HaugheyHaugheyM.S. CandidateM.S. Candidate

University of Rhode IslandUniversity of Rhode IslandUniversity of Rhode IslandUniversity of Rhode Island

Department of Natural ResourcesDepartment of Natural Resources

Spotted SalamanderSpotted SalamanderAmbystoma maculatumAmbystoma maculatumAmbystoma maculatumAmbystoma maculatum

•• BiBi--phasic life history;phasic life history;•• BiBi--phasic life history; phasic life history; midmid--March to April inMarch to April inbreeding ponds, most ofbreeding ponds, most ofg p ,g p ,year in terrestrialyear in terrestrialhabitatshabitats

•• Adults are fossorialAdults are fossorial

•• Commonly found in Commonly found in small mammal burrowssmall mammal burrowssmall mammal burrowssmall mammal burrows

Lake of Isles Golf CourseLake of Isles Golf Course

Radio TransmittersRadio Transmitters•• Each weigh 1.7 gEach weigh 1.7 g

•• x = 8.79% of x = 8.79% of body massbody massyy

•• Battery life of 5 Battery life of 5 yymonthsmonths

Habitat VariablesHabitat VariablesMicro habitat variablesMicro habitat variables

(within a 1 m(within a 1 m² plot² plot))C bj tC bj t

Meso habitat variablesMeso habitat variables(within a 9 m(within a 9 m² plot² plot))% H b% H b •• Cover objectCover object

•• Diameter of small Diameter of small mammal vertical mammal vertical

•• % Herbaceous cover% Herbaceous cover•• % Canopy cover% Canopy cover•• % Shrub cover% Shrub cover

tunnels, length of tunnels, length of small mammal small mammal horizontal tunnelshorizontal tunnels

% Shrub cover% Shrub cover•• % Coarse woody % Coarse woody

debrisdebris# Rocks > 10 cm# Rocks > 10 cm •• Leaf litter depthLeaf litter depth

•• Leaf litter Leaf litter temperaturetemperature

•• # Rocks > 10 cm# Rocks > 10 cm•• # Logs > 10 cm # Logs > 10 cm

diameterdiameter temperaturetemperature•• Soil temperatureSoil temperature•• # Stems# Stems

•• Diameter at breast Diameter at breast height of any treesheight of any treesheight of any trees height of any trees with in plotwith in plot

Pool 1Pool 1

Pool 3

Control

Pool 11

GG

UplandLake of IslesHydric SoilPool 1Pool 1

100 0 10050 Meters

Golf Course FairwayPool 1

G Animal Release Site

_

100 0 10050 Meters Individual Animal Tracks

Dispersal Distances250Females moved262 ft (197%) farther

204.46200 Golf Course

Control

on the golf course

663 ft

150

nce

(m) Males moved 131 ft (161%)

farther on the golf course

119.59 124.93100

Dis

tan

389 ft 405 ft

79.4650

258 ft

0

Male Female

N = 22 N = 11 N = 22 N = 8

golf course vs. control, golf course vs. control, pp = 0.003= 0.003females vs. males,females vs. males, pp = 0.003= 0.003

•• Semlitsch (1998) Life Zone conceptSemlitsch (1998) Life Zone concept

•• a terrestrial “life zone” encompassing 95% a terrestrial “life zone” encompassing 95% of the breeding population by using:of the breeding population by using:

•• x x ±± tt--value [α = 0.05, df = (value [α = 0.05, df = (nn –– 1)] x SD / √1)] x SD / √nn]; ]; hh i h b f l di h b f l dwhere where nn is the number of salamanders.is the number of salamanders.

12 All animals pooledAll animals pooled444 ft “life zone”444 ft “life zone”

Current 100 ft Massachusetts regulationCurrent 100 ft Massachusetts regulationprotects 23% malesprotects 23% males

Rhode Island wetland regulations only protectspecial aquatic site, with no life zone protection

10

ers

444 ft life zone444 ft life zoneprotects 80 % malesprotects 80 % males

48 % females48 % females1105 ft “ i i l lif ”1105 ft “ i i l lif ”

protects 23% malesprotects 23% males3% females3% females

8

alam

ande 1105 ft “empirical life zone”1105 ft “empirical life zone”

protects 100% malesprotects 100% males95% females95% females

4

6

mbe

r of S

a

Male

2

4

Num Female

0

>0 25 50 75 100

125

150

175

200

225

250

275

300

325

350

375

400

Distance (m)

Results:Results:Resource Selection FunctionsResource Selection Functions

Percent N b f P t f

Resource Selection FunctionsResource Selection Functions(RSF) for habitat types(RSF) for habitat types

Habitat Type Hectares of Habitat

Number of Fixes

Percent of Fixes

RSF β

Fragmented Habitat: 169.2 100 742 100 Fairways 47.3 28 1 0.1 0.01 0 Urban 4.5 3 0 0 0 0 Upland 84.8 50 655 88 1.8 0.53 Wetland 11.9 7 86 12 1.6 0.47 Lake 20.6 12 0 0 0 0

Contiguous Habitat: 55.1 100 125 100 Upland 32.3 59 120 96 1.6 0.94 Wetland 22.3 41 5 4 0.1 0.06

•• A RSF = 1 indicates used in proportion to availabilityA RSF = 1 indicates used in proportion to availabilityA RSF 1 indicates used in proportion to availability, A RSF 1 indicates used in proportion to availability, >1 indicates selection, and <1 avoidance>1 indicates selection, and <1 avoidance

•• Standardized resource selections (β) = 0.5 indicates use in Standardized resource selections (β) = 0.5 indicates use in (β)(β)proportion to availability, close to 1 = selection, and close to proportion to availability, close to 1 = selection, and close to 0 = avoidance0 = avoidance

Habitat Variable

Animal Location

Near-random Location

Far-random Location

p -value

Micro-habitat

Results:Results:Habitat UseHabitat Use

Horizontal tunnel length (cm)

21.1 + 2.3 (406)

4.2 + 1.2 (1318)*

3.6 + 0.7 (551)*

< 0.001

Number of vertical tunnels 1.4 + 0.1 (422)

0.4 + 0 (1333)*

0.4 + 0 (551)*

< 0.001

Soil temp (˚F) 57.2 + 0.4 (419)

63.3 + 0.2 (1301)

70.2 + 0.3 (544)

< 0.001••19 habitat variables 19 habitat variables Leaf litter temp (˚F) 61.6 + 0.5

(414)67.9 + 0.3

(1308)74.5 + 0.4

(531)< 0.001

Leaf litter depth 4.4 + 0.2 (416)

3.3 + 0.1 (1312)

2.4 + 0.1 (538)

< 0.001

Diameter vertical tunnels (cm)

2.4 + 0.1 (417)

1.0 + 0.1 (1335)*

0.9 + 0.1 (551)*

< 0.001

measured at each measured at each salamander fix to bothsalamander fix to bothnearnear random and farrandom and far Meso-habitat

Number of Rocks 3.8 + 0.3 (426)

2.5 + 0.1 (1335)

1.5 + 0.1 (551)

< 0.001

Shrub closure (%) 17.5 + 0.9 (426)

13.0 + 0.4 (1336)*

12.4 + 0.7 (551)*

< 0.001

Herbaceous cover (%) 41.0 + 0.8 21.0 + 0.5 32.7 + 1.2 < 0.001

nearnear-- random and farrandom and far--random locations random locations

(426) (1336) (551)Bare ground cover (%) 6.0 + 0.5

(426)10.5 + 0.5

(1336)*11.6 + 0.8

(551)*< 0.001

Coarse woody debris (%) 17.1 + 0.9 (426)

14.2 + 0.4 (1336)

12.6 + 0.5 (551)

< 0.001

Densiometer (%) 96.8 + 0.5 97.6 + 0.2 83.6 + 1.4 < 0.001

•• All variables were All variables were significantly different significantly different b db d

( )(347)* (1257)* (537)

Number of Logs 0.9 + 0.1 (427)*

0.8 + 0 (1336)*

0.6 + 0 (551)

0.02

Number of Stems 8.4 + 0.6 (427)

3.5 + 0.2 (1336)

1.4 + 0.1 (551)

< 0.001

Average Circumference at 20.3 + 2.1 12.6 + 1.0 10.5 + 1.4 < 0.001

between spotted between spotted salamander fixes and salamander fixes and either neareither near--random or farrandom or far g

Breast Height (427) (1336)* (551)*Number of trees > 30-cm CBH

0.3 + 0 (426)

0.2 + 0 (1336)*

0.1 + 0 (551)*

< 0.001

Slope (%) 10.8 + .33 (370)

14.0 + 0.3 (724)

14.9 + 0.5 (441)

< 0.001

random locationsrandom locations

Tunnel ImportanceTunnel Importance

Mean (SE) Horizontal Tunnel Length (cm)

10

15

20

25

Leng

th (c

m)

0

5

Animal Random Far Random

Plot

L

Mean (SE) Number of Vertical Tunnels

2

Of 177 visual Of 177 visual detectionsdetectionsof spottedof spotted

0.5

1

1.5

Num

ber

of spotted of spotted salamanders,salamanders,79% were in small79% were in small

ll 0Animal Random Far Random

Plot

mammalmammalburrow systemsburrow systems

Emigration summaryEmigration summary

••Animals migrated significantly farther on Animals migrated significantly farther on the fragmented landscape than contiguous forestedthe fragmented landscape than contiguous forestedlandscape (x = 428 ft on golf course and landscape (x = 428 ft on golf course and xx = 227 ft = 227 ft for unfragmented control)for unfragmented control)

•• Females migrated farther than males (x = 522 ftFemales migrated farther than males (x = 522 ftfor females and x = 272 ft for males)for females and x = 272 ft for males)

••Buffer could lead to a male biasBuffer could lead to a male biasin population structurein population structure

Habitat Use SummaryHabitat Use Summaryyy

•• Spotted salamanders were located 89% of the timeSpotted salamanders were located 89% of the timein forested plandsin forested plandsin forested uplands:in forested uplands:

under a closed canopy with multiple layers of under a closed canopy with multiple layers of vegetationvegetationhigh density of small mammal burrowshigh density of small mammal burrowsrocky areas rocky areas coarse woody debriscoarse woody debriscoarse woody debriscoarse woody debris

•• There may be a highly significant relationship between There may be a highly significant relationship between spotted salamanders and small mammals:spotted salamanders and small mammals:

i l li l l d b hid b hi f d if d ivertical tunnels vertical tunnels excavated by whiteexcavated by white--footed micefooted mice(Peromyscus leucopus(Peromyscus leucopus))horizontal tunnels excavated by shorthorizontal tunnels excavated by short--tailed shrews tailed shrews yy((Blarina brevicaudaBlarina brevicauda) )

Christin McDonoughChristin McDonough HaugheyHaugheyAcknowledgments:Acknowledgments:

Christin McDonoughChristin McDonough--HaugheyHaugheyMashantucketMashantucket--Pequot Department of Natural ResourcesPequot Department of Natural ResourcesShelley SpohrShelley SpohrAlison MillimanAlison MillimanKatherine E. MontiethKatherine E. Montieth

Funding From:Funding From:MashantucketMashantucket--Pequot Tribal NationPequot Tribal NationUnited States Golf AssociationUnited States Golf AssociationUnited States Golf AssociationUnited States Golf Association

Q ti ?Q ti ?Questions?Questions?