Wildlife objectives: mixed-conifer dry forest · Home range area as indicator of habitat...
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Wildlife objectives: mixed-conifer dry forest John Lehmkuhl Research Wildlife Biologist Wenatchee Forestry Sciences Lab
Transcript of Wildlife objectives: mixed-conifer dry forest · Home range area as indicator of habitat...
Wildlife objectives: mixed-conifer dry forest
John LehmkuhlResearch Wildlife BiologistWenatchee Forestry Sciences Lab
Flying squirrel densityLincoln-Peterson estimator
Year2000199919981997
Mea
n de
nsity
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
Open pine
Young
Mature
Open pine forest consistently is poorer habitat.
Home range area as indicator of habitat quality…..
4.6 ha2.7 ha 2.3 ha
Open Pine Young Mature
> =
Flyers in PIPO foraged in mixed conifer stands
Low canopy closure = fewer flying squirrels
Canopy cover (%)9080706050403020
GLS
A d
ensi
ty
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
Mature
Young
Open pine
Flyer fitness increases with richness of plant understories…
Understory species richness
60504030
Sur
viva
l or R
ecru
itmen
t rat
e0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
survival rate
recruitment rate
r = 0.98
r = 0.98
Truffle biomass important for survival & recruitment….
survival
recruitment
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Truffle biomass (kg/ha)
Prob
abili
ty
Truffle biomass & richness is higher in cool-moist environments
aspect gradient index4.03.02.01.0
Bio
mas
s / R
ichn
ess
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
biomassr = 0.7
richnessr = 0.8
Canopy closure (%)9080706050403020
Bio
mas
s (k
g/ha
)
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Biomass
r = 0.75
Truffle food increases with canopy closure
Coarse woody debris cover (%)403020100
Bio
mas
s / R
ichn
ess
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Biomassr = 0.80
Richnessr = 0.85
Truffle richness & biomass increases with woody debris cover…
Flyer survival rate increases with forage lichen biomass……
0.40
0.45
0.50
0.55
0.60
0 2 4 6 8 10
Lichen biomass (kg/ha)
Prob
abili
ty
survival
Lichen biomass highest in old moist stands
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Bryoria spp. All Species
Bio
mas
s (k
g/ha
)
OpenModerateMature
foragelichens
Bushy-tailed woodrat density
Density groups
0.13
0.28
0.54
0.93
0.00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91.0
Low Mod.Low
Mod.High
High
Den
sity
(n/h
a)
n = 3 n = 2 n = 4 n = 3
Woodrat density groupslow high
Large snag density <20/ha
Mistletoe index <5.0
Soft log cover <1.3%
0.13 0.28 0.54 0.93
Group mean density(woodrats/ha)
Woodrats most abundant
where more snags,
mistletoe, & logs
BT woodrats density highest where dead wood & mistletoe…
Deer mouse
no yes-1.00
-0.25
0.50
1.25
2.00
Log(
dens
ity)
unburnedburned
Thinned
Yellow-pine chipmunk
-2.00
-0.75
0.50
1.75
3.00
no yes
Treatments increase dominant small mammals
Thinned
thinned thinnedburned
Retain mesic patches of stands & landscapes…
Mesic stands Dry stands "Mesic-site" spp. southern red-backed vole 1 long-tailed vole 1 montane shrew 1 1 1 Townsend's chipmunk 1 1 creeping vole 1 1 1 1 1 1American shrew-mole 1 1 1deer mouse 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 1Trowbridge's shrew 1 2 2 1 1 1 2northern pocket gopher 1 1 1 1 1 "Dry site" spp. Great Basin pocket mouse 1 1 1 1 1vagrant shrew 1 1 1 1 1yellow-pine chipmunk 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1
Treatment objectives to test…
Flying squirrelsMaintain 50% closure overall, but patchy…Leave patches large trees (lichens, truffles).Create open patches (understory richness).Large down wood (truffles).Large old snags, large mistletoe brooms (dens).
Bushy-tailed woodratsLarge old snags & replacements.Large mistletoe brooms.Large down wood.
Other small mammalsPatchy dense & open stands maintain diversity.
