Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

Julie DESCHAMPS1

Florine ROUTIER1

Emmanuel MENONI1

Laurent LARRIEU2

© S. Lardos

1. ONCFS, Mountain Wildlife Unit2. INRA, UMR DYNAFOR

Contact: julie.deschamps40@gmail.com

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I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

Context:

▪ Many endangered species

▪ Priority protection areas

▪ Need biodiversity indicators

➢ Umbrella species concept: Protection of the umbrella species benefits to a lot of other species sharing the same habitat.

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

Global biodiversity decline

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I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

Capercaillie (Tetrao urogullos):

Family: Grouse

Habitat: moutain forests

Distribution: northern Europe and Asia

Capercaillie distribution in Europe(based on IUCN Red List spatial data)

Male (Cock)© tigerfastimagery, 2013

Female (Hen)© Flatruet, 2011

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

3

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

In France:

Endemic sub-species in Pyrenees:

Tetrao urogallus aquitanicus

Only 4000 individuals

➢ High interest for conservation

Capercaillie distribution in France

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

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I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

➢ Leks (mating)

Capercaillie is highly dependent on its environment:

3 vital habitats (200 ha/ind)

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

4

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

➢ Leks (mating)

➢ Nesting sites (laying and offspring raising)

Capercaillie is highly dependent on its environment:

3 vital habitats (200 ha/ind)

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

4

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

➢ Leks (mating)

➢ Nesting sites (laying and offspring raising)

➢ Wintering sites (protection against the cold)

Capercaillie is highly dependent on its environment:

3 vital habitats (200 ha/ind)

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

4

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

Indispensables variables:

- Clear woody cover

- Herbaceous layer

Mature mountain forest

Capercaillie is highly dependent on its environment:

3 vital habitats (200 ha/ind)

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

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➢ Capercaillie vital habitats have a higher biodiversity than other forest environments

➢ Capercaillie: an umbrella species in Pyrenees

Study hypothesis:

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

- Material & methods -

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

The Potential Biodiversity Index (PBI)

Combination of 10 biodiversity key factors

Score from 0 to 5 per factor

Quick and easy to use

Standardized method

6Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

3 context factors(PBIcontext : 0-15 points)

© Larrieu & Gonin

7Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

Forest age

Wet habitats

Rocky habitats

7 management factors(PBI management : 0-35 points)

© Larrieu & Gonin

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8Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

Structure of vegetation

Diversity in tree species

Standing dead trees

Fallen dead trees Very large trees

Microhabitats

Open areas

7 management factors(PBI management : 0-35 points)

© Larrieu & Gonin

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8Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

Structure of vegetation

Diversity in tree species

Standing dead trees

Fallen dead trees Very large trees

Microhabitats

Open areas

Total PBI score = PBI management + PBI context

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

Field phase:

➢ Luchon Valley (31)

➢ PBI evaluation on 30 capercaillie leks and 30

random control sites

9Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

Alongside PBI, two important variables are estimated:

- Basal area = Live trees density measured with Bitterlicht relascope (m²/ha)

- Presence of three herbaceous layers favorable to Capercaillie:

0-30 cm ; 30-80 cm ; > 80 cm

- Results -

Context Factors

Management Factors

Total PBI

CS LS CS LS CS LS

a a

b c

c d

● Management factors and total PBI: Significant difference between PBI of lek sites and control sites

CS : Control Sites LS : Capercaillie Lek Sites

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

10Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

Context Factors

Management Factors

Total PBI

CS LS CS LS CS LS

a a

b c

c d

● Management factors and total PBI: Significant difference between PBI of lek sites and control sites

● All PBI factors of Capercaillie Lek Sites (LS) are higher than PBI factors of Control Sites (CS), except for very large trees

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

10Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

CS : Control Sites LS : Capercaillie Lek Sites

● Number of vegetation layer is higher in Capercaillie Lek Site (LS) than in Control Site (CS)

● Not difference of basal area

Lek Site

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

Control Site

© F. ROUTIER

© F. ROUTIER

11Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

Negative correlation between basal area and number of vegetation layer for Capercaillie

P-value : 0,0177rho : 0,3003096

P-value : 0,0001rho : -0,4710919

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

12Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

Negative correlation between basal area and number of vegetation layer for Capercaillie

Positive correlation between PBI and vegetation layer for Capercaillie

P-value : 0,0177rho : 0,3003096

P-value : 0,0001rho : -0,4710919

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

12Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

- Discussion -

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

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Hypothesis:➢ Capercaillie vital

habitats have a higher biodiversitythan other forest environments

➢ Capercaillie: an umbrella species in Pyrenees

Higher total PBI scores for lek sites

No differencebetween context

factors

Difference betweenstand scores

Settlement factors are more prevalent

on lek sites

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

13

Hypothesis:➢ Capercaillie vital

habitats have a higher biodiversitythan other forest environments

➢ Capercaillie: an umbrella species in Pyrenees

More important role of settlement and management factors thancontextual factors in differenciation of Capercaillie life habitats

Higher total PBI scores for lek sites

No differencebetween context

factors

Difference betweenstand scores

Settlement factors are more prevalent

on lek sites

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

13

Hypothesis:➢ Capercaillie vital

habitats have a higher biodiversitythan other forest environments

➢ Capercaillie: an umbrella species in Pyrenees

More important role of settlement and management factors thancontextual factors in differenciation of Capercaillie life habitats

Our samples all come from the same geographical area and from the same altitude range

➢ May possibly limit the variation of context related factors

Higher total PBI scores for lek sites

No differencebetween context

factors

Difference betweenstand scores

Settlement factors are more prevalent

on lek sites

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

13

Hypothesis:➢ Capercaillie vital

habitats have a higher biodiversitythan other forest environments

➢ Capercaillie: an umbrella species in Pyrenees

Higher total PBI scores for lek sites

No differencebetween context

factors

Difference betweenstand scores

Settlement factors are more prevalent

on lek sites

➢ Reinforces the idea of greater potential biodiversity in these lek sites

➢ The scores of factors related to stand and forest management indirectly reflect the presence of numerous groups of species associated with the observed micro-habitats (Emberger, Larrieu, Gonin, 2013)

➢ PBI factors can be considered as a biodiversity-friendly pathway (Larrieu and Gonin, 2008)

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

Comparison of PBI of vital sites of Capercaillie to other French forest environments

Biodiversity may be limited by moutain climate and other historical factors?

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The PBI score of the capercaillie's vital sites is not excessively high (29.27 / 50)

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

The observations confirm the umbrella status of Capercaillie

Capercaillie vital habitats have a higher biodiversitythan other forest environments in the same bioclimatic

region

© P Merckle, Groupe Tétras Vosges 15Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

I) Introduction II) Material & methods III) Results IV) Discussion

Thank you for your attention!

© P Merckle, Groupe Tétras Vosges 16Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?

References:

• Bitterlich, W. (1984). The relascope idea: relative measurements in forestry.Commonwealth Agricultural.

• Emberger, Larrieu L., Gonin P. (2013). Dix facteurs clés pour la diversité desespèces en forêt. Comprendre l'Indice de Biodiversité Potentielle (IBP).Document technique – Paris:Institut pour le développement Forestier. 63p.

• Gonin, P., Larrieu, L. (2012). Méthodes de relevé de l’Indice de BiodiversitéPotentielle (IBP). IDF-CNPF, INRA Dynafor, v3.2, oct. 2012, 15 p.

• Larrieu, L., and Gonin, P. (2008). L'indice de biodiversité potentielle (IBP).Méthode de notation des peuplements. Revue Forestière Française LX:727-748.

• Ménoni, E., Favre-Ayala, V., Cantegrel, R., Revenga, J., Camprodon, J., Garcia, D.,Campion, D. et Riba. (2012). Réflexion technique pour la prise en compte duGrand tétras dans la gestion forestière pyrénéenne. FORESPIR, UnionEuropéenne, DREAL-Midi-Pyrénées. Pau.

Capercaillie: is it a meaningful indicator for French central Pyrenees forest biodiversity?