key features of early seral habitats for wildlife
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Key Features Of Early Seral Habitats For WildlifeTRANSCRIPT
Key Features of Early Seral Habitats for Wildlife
Joan HagarUSGS-FRESC
Matt Lee
Matt Lee
Matt Lee
Matt Lee
Following Natural Disturbance ...
• Structure– Legacy trees and
snags – Open (low tree
density)– Large wood
• Composition– Herbs and Grasses – Shrubs– Deciduous
hardwoods
Bob Altman
Species associated with closed canopy forest also use early seral habitats…
IF appropriate habitat elements are available
Species that specialize on conifers
Red Tree Vole
Hemlock Looper
Red Crossbill
Many conifer forest associates rely on diversity of plants
Spruce Grouse
Elements of Quality Early Seral Habitat
Residual trees and
snags
Matt Lee
D. Vesely
Cavity-nesters in burned forests
•Fire-killed snags are important resource for foraging and nesting
•Many species respond negatively to salvage logging
Bob Altman
D. Vesely
Early Seral Habitat for Reptiles
•Basking•Prey
Dead Wood as Refugia
D. Vesely
Plant Diversity = Food Resources• Foliage• Nectar• Fruits• Seeds
Plant Diversity: foundation of
food webs
Matt Lee
Arthropods
• Insect diversity correlated with plant diversity
• Deciduous species support more insects
• Influence of deciduous litter on soil food webs?
Peter LaTourrette
Importance of Early Seral Broadleaf Communities to Avian
Biodiversity
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
Creating Early Seral Habitat?
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
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
Restoration of Late Seral Forest
• Emphasizes large trees
• Size limit on harvest area on federal lands
• What will understory look like?
Keep all the pieces