Role of Complex Stands in

Conserving Vertebrate Diversity

in Beetle Affected LandscapesDoug Steventon, Ministry of Forests and Range

Frank Doyle, Wildlife Dynamics Consulting

Supported, in part by:

Study Area

Adapted from: Coates, DeLong, Burton, and Sachs. 2006. Unpubl.

Occurrence of ‘Secondary Structure’ In Pine Dominated Stands

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Clearcut basal area equivalence (years)

Cum

ulat

ive

% o

f pl

ots

SBSdkSBSmc2

Key Stand Attributes

• Tree Species• Tree Density• Vertical layering• Standing Dead• Fallen Dead• Shrub / herd layer development• Gaps

Red Squirrel

Hares

Browse

Birds

Hypogeous fungi

Epigeous fungi

Insects

Voles

Flying Squirrel

Tree lichens

Conifer Seed

Marten

Goshawk

Lynx

Data from: Clark, D.F. 1994. Post-fire succession in the sub-boreal spruce forests of the Nechako Plateau, central British Columbia. M.Sc. Thesis.

01020304050607080

0 100 200 300 400 500

Stand age (years)

Bas

al a

rea

(m2

/ ha)

PinusAbies+Picea

Habitat Succession/Recovery After Natural Disturbance (SBSmc)

0

10

20

30

40

0 100 200 300 400 500

Stand age (years)

Bas

al a

rea

(m2

/ ha) Snags

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percent Tree Mortality

Bird

s / h

a

Data from: Stone, W.E. 1995. The impact of a mountain pine beetle epidemic on wildlife habitat and communities in post-epidemic stands of a lodgepole pine forest in northern Utah. Ph.D. Thesis, Utah Sate University.

Bird response to MPB-caused Mortality

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

Bird

spe

cies

det

ecte

d

No MPB Severe MPB

Bird Diversity (Nadina)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

% Cover of Shrub-Herb layer (> 0.5m height)

Har

e Pe

llets

/Qua

drat

With canopySnowshoe Hare Abundance

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

% Cover of Shrub-Herb layer (> 0.5m height)

Har

e Pe

llets

/Qua

drat

Without canopy

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

% Cover of Shrub-Herb layer (> 0.5m height)

Har

e Pe

llets

/Qua

drat

With canopy Without canopy

Disturbance Response CurvesClearcut

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

0 20 40 60 80 100

Years after Disturbance

Hab

itat S

core New Growth

CombinedBeetle KillLive Overstory

Disturbance Response CurvesBeetle-killed, no ‘secondary structure’

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

0 20 40 60 80 100

Years after Disturbance

Hab

itat S

core New Growth

CombinedBeetle KillLive Overstory

Disturbance Response CurvesBeetle-killed, 40-year equivalency

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

0 20 40 60 80 100

Years after Disturbance

Hab

itat S

core New Growth

CombinedBeetle KillLive Overstory

0

20

40

60

80

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Habitat Quality Index

Est.

Abun

danc

e / 1

6ha

Grid

Flying Squirrel

Tree Squirrel Abundance

Steventon, J.D. 2006. Northern flying squirrels and red squirrels: is there life after logging? Extension Note 2, B.V. Centre, http://www.bvcentre.ca/pdf/Documents/Research/05-6SquirrelsBVRC-EN2Final.pdf

0

5

10

15

20

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Habitat Quality Index

Est.

Abu

ndan

ce /

16ha

Grid

Red Squirrel

Simulate Plausible Future LandscapesInitial States

Site Index

Age

Dynamic Events

Population Projections

0

500

1000

1500

2000

0 25 50 75 100

Years

Adu

lt Fe

mal

es

Habitat + Population Modelling

Species Interactions

Future landscapes

Species Models

Morice TSA

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

0 20 40 60 80 100

Years

Terr

itorie

s

Min. ProtectMax. Protect

Lakes TSA

200030004000

50006000

0 20 40 60 80 100

Years

Terr

itorie

s

Min. ProtectMax. Protect

ConclusionsMPB attacked forests continue to have substantial habitat value.

‘Secondary Structure’ can be a key contributor to that value, short-term and long-term.

Prioritizing Stands based on Structure?

Partial Cutting ?

Reduced Salvage ?

Some additional references:Werner, R.A., E.H. Holsten, S.M. Matsouka, and R.E. Burnside. 2006. Spruce beetles and forest ecosystems in south-central Alaska: a review of 30 years of research. Forest Ecology and Management 227:195-206.

Stuart-Smith, A.K., J.P. Hayes, J. Schieck. 2006. The influence of wildfire, logging and residual tree density on bird communities in the northern Rocky Mountains. Forest Ecology and Management 231:1-17.

Burton, P.J. 2006. Restoration of forests attacked by mountain pine beetle: misnomer, misdirected, or must-do. BC Journal of Ecosystems and Management 7:1-10.

Effects of bark beetle outbreaks on avian biodiversity in the British Columbia interior: implications for critical habitat management. BC Journal of Ecosystems and Management 7:10-24.

Chan-McLeod, A. C. A. 2006. A review and synthesis of the effects of unsalvaged mountain-pine-beetle-attacked stands on wildlife and implications for forest management. BC Journal of Ecosystems and Management 7:119-132.

Waterhouse, M.J., Armleder, H.M. 2007. Forest bird response to partial cutting in lodgepole pine forests on caribou winter range in west-central British Columbia. BC Journal of Ecosystems and Management (in press) .