Effects of Forest Management on Wildlife Use of Early Seral

Habitats

Joan HagarUSGS-FRESC

Early Seral = Seedling Conifers?

Following Natural Disturbance ... • Structure

– Legacy trees and snags

– Open (low tree density)

– Large wood• Composition

– Herbs and Grasses – Shrubs– Hardwoods

Bob Altman

Residual trees and

snags

Matt Lee

D. Vesely

Bob Altman

D. Vesely

Early Seral Habitat for Reptiles

•Basking•Prey

Dead Wood as Refugia

D. Vesely

Food Resources

• Foliage• Nectar• Fruits• Seeds

Matt Lee

Matt Lee

Arthropods

• Insect diversity correlated with plant diversity

• Deciduous species support more insects

• Influence of deciduous litter on soil food webs?

Peter LaTourrette

Matt Lee

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

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

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

Vertical Diversity?