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What are the components of high quality early seral forests?

Discover the essential components of high-quality early seral forests for wildlife habitat richness and diversity. Explore the importance of structural elements like snags, large trees, shrubs, and more in maintaining ecosystem complexity over time.

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What are the components of high quality early seral forests?

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  1. What are the components of high quality early seral forests? Cheryl Friesen, Science Liaison, Willamette NF (presenter) and Brenda McComb, Professor, Univ of Mass.

  2. The world view of forestry…

  3. Notice the naked area in the lower left?

  4. I would submit that the emperor has no clothes!

  5. The “Emperor Has No Clothes Award” …presented to you and me for our lack of recognition of a biodiversity rich natural habitat type…

  6. What is the best dressed early seral forest wearing these days?(to stretch the metaphor) • Snags • Large trees • Shrubs • Down logs • Tree Seedlings • Hardwoods • Grasses and forbs

  7. Side-bar: WHAT DID I GOOGLE TO FIND PHOTOS OF COMPONENTS OF HIGH QUALITY EARLY SERAL FOREST? OLD GROWTH FORESTS….

  8. MORAL OF THE STORY… Legacy Legacy Legacy Managing for complexity in early successional forests is likely to be most successful if the preceding seral stage is also complex prior to a disturbance. Managing for complexity through a rotation or sere helps to ensure the continuity in habitat elements over time.

  9. This habitat is more popular than you might have thought…. • Analysis of wildlife on the Willamette National Forest found • 14 species tied specifically to old growth • 0 species tied specifically to mid seral • 116 species generalists….use all stages • 71 species tied specifically to early seral and edges, but….

  10. All of the early seral or generalist species require one or more of the structural components listed previously… For example, 85% need dead wood at some life stage

  11. Standard adornments that come quickly to mind… • Deer and elk • Red-tailed hawks • Mountain bluebirds

  12. But there’s more!Early seral forest = Truly a rich community

  13. Reptiles • Western skink • Western fence lizard • Gopher snake • Garter snake • Racer

  14. Merlin Dusky flycatcher Brewer’s sparrow Willow flycatcher Mountain quail Great Gray Owl White-crowned sparrow Wrentit Calliope hummingbird MacGillivray’s warbler Birds

  15. Mammals • California myotis • Pocket gopher • California ground squirrel • Townsend’s vole • Big Brown Bat • Badger

  16. Elaboration to follow…. • Is it more complicated than we’ve given it credit for? • Can it be “human made?” • Can we “allow it” naturally? • Is there a proxy? • Food for thought….

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