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Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat. HORT RGSC 302 J.G. Mexal Spring 2008. What are the benefits??. Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Rediscovered in Big Woods of AR (Apr/05). Colorized version of version. Singer Tract, LA, 1935. Photo credit: David Allen. Wildlife in the Forest/ Ciencia Forestal.
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Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat HORT RGSC 302 J.G. Mexal Spring 2008
Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Rediscovered in Big Woods of AR (Apr/05) Colorized version of version Singer Tract, LA, 1935. Photo credit: David Allen
Wildlife in the Forest/Ciencia Forestal Neotropical Parrots Monarch Butterfly
ORANGUTAN (Pongopygmaeus) BORNEO (P. p. pygmaeus) SUMATRA (P. p. abelii) http://www.cia.gov/nic/PDF_GIF_confreports/asiaUSoutlook/southeast_asia_map.gif
Florida Sand Pine Forests “a mature sand pine forest, you are not going to find successful gopher tortoise burrows….” “The endangered bird lives in young sand pines that grow low to the ground, trees that generally are less than 15 years old.”
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat • Concerns: • Big animals • deer, elk, turkey, bear, cougar • thermal cover, hiding cover, food, corridors (forest fragmentation • Little animals • fish, prey (mice, etc), insects • Threatened & Endangered Species • western goshawk, red cockaded woodpecker, spotted owl (Mexican & northern), wolf
Meadow Conversion & Grazing • Conifer invasion into meadow coincided with cessation of sheep grazing in Three Sisters Wilderness • Stand replacement fires can require centuries to convert back to forests • Invasion essentially complete after 30 yrs or so in both cases Avg age ≈90yrs ≈50yrs ≈20yrs
Bird response to prescribed fireScience Findings PNW Station May’08
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/Harvesting decreases standing deadwood (Science Findings 42:3/02) Snags (>20”)/ac Forest Type
Red-cockaded Woodpecker Prey Wild. Soc. Bull. 31:131:’02 Number/tree Biomass (mg/tree)
Eastern Wild Turkey • Habitat: A mixture of mature hardwood forests and open fields. Understory vegetation.Food: Acorns and other mast (hard fruit), fleshy fruits, corn, a variety of seeds, and invertebrates. Young turkeys (particularly) feed heavily on insects. • Interesting facts: Turkeys frequently can be seen foraging in the fields that border forestland. • Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection Nature Photography by Gary D.TonhouseWildlife Gallery 1997-2003
Northern Bobwhite Quail • Habitat -weedy/brushy -found in roadsides & successional areas -non-migrant (300 ac) -woodlands/crop fields -endangered • Food: corn, seeds, insects Source: All Things Quail
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/clearcuts have food! % of total BA 17% 10% 17% 22% 71%
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/clearcuts have food! Soft mast cover (%) Ouachita NF, AR/OK Harvest method Wildlife Soc. Bull. 27:915:99
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/clearcuts have food! Soft mast production (kg/ha) Ouachita NF, AR/OK C B A Harvest method Wildlife Soc. Bull. 27:915:99
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/clearcuts have food! Soft mast production (kg/ha) Ouachita NF, AR/OK Clearcut Group Shelterwood Single-tree Unharvested Pine BA (m2/ha) Wildlife Soc. Bull. 27:915:99
muscadine grapes blueberries blackberries wild roses sumac American beautyberry hackberry dogwood plums cherries mulberry pokeberry holly sassafras green briers poison ivy Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/soft mast species Wildlife Soc. Bull. 27:915:99
Flying Squirrel Population (food for spotted owl)Science Findings 80/ Feb’06 Squirrel/ha Squirrel Survival (%) Biomass (kg/ha)
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/Small mammals vs patch size/ SEAFWA Proc. 1997 Individuals captures/100 nights
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/Small mammals vs patch size/ SEAFWA Proc. 1997
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/Small mammals vs patch size/ SEAFWA Proc. 1997 • 542 captures (307 individuals) • Peromyscus polionotus (44%) [field mice] • Sigmodon hispidus (36%) [cotton rats] • Peromyscus gossypinus (16%) • Reithrodontomys humilus (2%) • Neotoma floridana (1% [wood rats] • Mus musculus (0.3%)
White-tailed Deer • The white-tailed deer is an herbivore or plant eater. It follows well-used trails to its feeding areas. • It eats green plants in the spring and summer. In the fall, it eats corn, acorns and other nuts. In the winter, it eats the buds and twigs of woody plants.If deer have enough food, water, shelter, population can grow quickly. • Live in wooded areas New Hampshire Public Television Frizzell 2003 – Valley Forge
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/clearcuts have food! Ungulate Fecal Groups (no/ha) Years after Logging
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/Elk like clearcuts! Science Findings 22/feb2000 PNW Res. Stn. Elk Body Weight Change (%)- OR
Forestry & SocietyWildlife Habitat/review questions • Why are forest gaps good for wildlife? • Why are forest gaps bad for wildlife? • What kinds of trees do wildlife need? • How do you keep the ‘critters’ and the ‘loggers’ happy? Pileated woodpecker