Massachusetts Wildlife: A Journey Through Time
Transcript of Massachusetts Wildlife: A Journey Through Time
New England Forests Through Time: The Historical Perspective
John O’Keefe, Fisher Museum at Harvard Forest
With special thanks to David Foster, Brian Hall, Debra Bernardos, Glenn Motzkin, David Orwig,
and everyone at Harvard Forest.
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New Englandpopulation, % of 1990pop'n.
Forest Cover and Population Trends in New EnglandForest Cover and Population Trends in New England
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∆NEP yr-1 = 0.179 ± 0.048 ton-C ha-1y-2
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Carbon Uptake at the Harvard Forest Measured by Eddy Covariance
David Foster, David Kittredge, Brian Donahue, Glenn Motzkin, David Orwig, Aaron Ellison, Brian Hall, Betsy Colburn and Anthony D’Amato
2005
http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu
Moose population estimates
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# moose
Our woodlots, of course have a history, and we may often recover it for a hundred years back, though we do not … yet if we attended more to the history of our lots we should manage them more wisely. Henry D. Thoreau October, 1860
Asian Longhorn Beetle - 110 square mile quarantine as of 12/2011
Over 1.9 million trees examined! Over 20,000 infested trees found! Over 30,000 trees removed! Over 12,000 trees planted!
Wildlife Responses (examples)
• Extirpated (cougar, wolf) (passenger pigeon, heath hen (extinct))
• Increase/decrease (bobolink, meadowlark, woodchuck)
• Decrease/increase (deer, bear, fisher) (beaver, wild turkey, moose (temp.
extirpated))
Wildlife Responses (examples)
• Range expansion (coyote, opossum, turkey vulture)
• Exotic introduction (starling, ring-necked pheasant, Norway rat)
• Perisistent (raccoon, muskrat, crow)
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Moose population estimates
Grassland Bird Distribution
Savannah Sparrow Grasshopper Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Upland Sandpiper Eastern Meadowlark Bobolink