Green-tree retention and recovery of an old-forest specialist, the southern red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi), 20 years after harvest

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (8) ◽  
pp. 669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas P. Sullivan ◽  
Druscilla S. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Pinus Contorta ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Post Harvest ◽  
Forest Sites ◽  
Tree Retention ◽  
Green Tree Retention ◽  
Aggregated Retention

Context Populations of many mammalian species are reduced as a result of clearcutting, despite the concurrent objectives of wood production and conservation of mammal diversity on cutover forest land. To help ameliorate this decline, green-tree retention (GTR) leaves large live trees after harvest to provide mature forest habitat and increase structural diversity of the regenerating stand. Aims To test the hypotheses (H) that, at 20 years after harvest, (H1) abundance, reproduction and survival of the southern red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi), as well as (H2) abundance and species diversity of the forest-floor small mammal community, would increase with the basal area (BA) and density of residual trees after harvest. Methods Small mammals were live-trapped in 2015–16 in replicated clearcut, dispersed retention, aggregated retention, patch cut and uncut forest sites in mixed forests of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. var. latifolia) in southern British Columbia, Canada. Key results Mean BA and density of overstory coniferous trees were significantly different at 20 years post-harvest, being higher on patch cut and uncut forest sites than on the clearcut and GTR sites. M. gapperi populations were significantly greater in aggregated retention and uncut forest sites than in the other sites, but demographic parameters were similar among sites, and therefore H1 was partly supported. Mean total abundance of small mammals differed significantly among sites, with the highest overall numbers occurring in the aggregated retention (16.2), clearcut (13.6) and uncut forest sites (11.9). Mean species richness and diversity were highest in the GTR and clearcut sites. Thus, H2 was not supported. Conclusions Recovery of M. gapperi in aggregated retention sites with 10m2 ha–1 BA of residual trees, as a group, occurred at 20 years post-harvest. Implications Aggregated retention of residual trees should help provide some habitat to conserve forest mammals on harvest openings, but successional development up to 20 years post-harvest may be required.

Response of terrestrial small mammals to varying amounts and patterns of green-tree retention in Pacific Northwest forests

2007 ◽  
Vol 251 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Gitzen ◽  
Stephen D. West ◽  
Chris C. Maguire ◽  
Tom Manning ◽  
Charles B. Halpern
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Tree Retention ◽  
Green Tree Retention

scholarly journals Green-tree retention and life after the beetle: stand structure and small mammals 30 years after salvage harvesting

Silva Fennica ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Sullivan ◽  
Druscilla Sullivan ◽  
Pontus Lindgren ◽  
Douglas Ransome
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Tree Retention ◽  
Green Tree Retention ◽  
Salvage Harvesting

scholarly journals Effects of Varying Levels and Patterns of Green-Tree Retention on Amount of Harvesting Damage

2002 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 202-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Moore ◽  
Douglas A. Maguire ◽  
David L. Phillips ◽  
Charles B. Halpern
Keyword(s):  
Pseudotsuga Menziesii ◽  
Tsuga Heterophylla ◽  
Growth Reduction ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Treatment Implementation ◽  
Dispersed Retention ◽  
Tree Retention ◽  
Green Tree Retention ◽  
Aggregated Retention ◽  
Future Growth

Abstract An inventory of fresh logging wounds from treatment implementation was performed in a regional green-tree retention experiment in Oregon and Washington. The DEMO (Demonstration of Ecosystem Management Options) study contains six treatments replicated in six blocks: (1) 100% retention (control), (2) 75% aggregated retention, (3) 40% dispersed retention, (4) 40% aggregated retention, (5) 15% dispersed retention, and (6) 15% aggregated retention. Over all blocks and treatments, Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) comprised 74.9% of all measured trees, and the proportion of trees damaged was similar for both species. Suppressed trees tended to be more susceptible to damage than were trees in other crown classes. A greater proportion of trees in the dispersed retention treatments were damaged than in the aggregated treatments. Only in the two dispersed retention treatments were levels of damage significantly different from the control (P < 0.05). The greatest proportion of damaged trees occurred in the 15% dispersed retention treatment and was likely due to the wider dispersion and higher intensity of felling and yarding operations associated with this treatment. The pattern of damage across treatments was similar for both small (≤ 25 cm dbh) and large (> 25 cm dbh) trees. Some evidence was also found that the sites with gentler slopes had less damage than those with steeper topography. Probable effects of wounds on future growth and tree health could not be inferred as no data were collected on wound size or height. However, it is expected that the future incidence of stem rot and growth reduction will be greatest in the dispersed retention treatments. West. J. Appl. For. 17(4):202–206.

Structure and yield of two-aged stands on the Willamette National Forest, Oregon: implications for green tree retention

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 749-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
S A Acker ◽  
E K Zenner ◽  
W H Emmingham
Keyword(s):  
Basal Area ◽  
Average Diameter ◽  
Tsuga Heterophylla ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
National Forest ◽  
Annual Increment ◽  
Ecosystem Science ◽  
Tree Retention ◽  
Green Tree Retention ◽  
Residual Tree

Green tree retention, a practice based on ecosystem science, has been integrated into forest management as a working hypothesis, requiring research and monitoring to quantify its effects. We undertook a retrospective study of natural, two-aged forest stands on the Willamette National Forest to provide preliminary estimates of the effects of green tree retention on forest structure and yield. Fourteen stands in the western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) zone (mostly dominated by Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) were sampled using adjacent, paired plots: one with residual trees over a younger cohort (median age of younger cohort, 97 years) and one with only the younger cohort. The younger cohorts all had much higher densities of trees than typical of local Douglas-fir plantations. Basal area, volume, and mean annual increment (MAI) of the younger cohort all declined with increasing residual tree basal area. These relationships were best described by curvilinear models; the greatest effect per unit of residual tree basal area occurred at low residual tree levels (5-10 m2/ha). For 10 m2/ha residual tree basal area (equivalent to about 12 average (diameter at breast height 105 cm) residual trees per hectare), we predicted a 26% decline in younger cohort MAI (95% confidence interval: -30% to -22%).

Response of small mammals to alternative stand structures in the mixed-conifer forest of northeastern CaliforniaThis article is one of a selection of papers from the Special Forum on Ecological Studies in Interior Ponderosa Pine — First Findings from Blacks Mountain Interdisciplinary Research.

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 943-955 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris C. Maguire ◽  
Douglas A. Maguire ◽  
Tom E. Manning ◽  
Sean M. Garber ◽  
Martin W. Ritchie
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Stand Density ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Spermophilus Lateralis ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest ◽  
Tamias Amoenus

A common, but largely untested, strategy for maintaining forest biodiversity is to enhance stand structural complexity. A silvicultural experiment was implemented from 1996 to 1998 at Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest, California, to test the efficacy of two levels of structural diversity (high versus low) and two levels of prescribed underburning (burn versus no burn) for maintaining or restoring biodiversity. Small mammals were trapped and tagged in experimental units for 2 noncontiguous weeks in fall 2003 and 2004. Total number of captures and number of captured individuals varied by year (P < 0.002). No treatment effects were detected for all species lumped together or for the three most frequent species analyzed separately ( Tamias amoenus J.A. Allen, 1890, Peromyscus maniculatus (Wagner, 1845), and Spermophilus lateralis (Say, 1823)), with the exception that T. amoenus was captured more often in burned units in 2004 (P = 0.004 for year × burn interaction). Mixed-effects regression models indicated that the number of captures and captured individuals of T. amoenus and P. maniculatus decreased with increasing residual basal area of overstory trees, but opposite results were obtained for S. lateralis. After accounting for residual stand density differences, T. amoenus was captured more frequently in units of low structural diversity and S. lateralis in units of high structural diversity.

Green Tree Retention in Fennoscandian Forestry

2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (sup003) ◽  
pp. 79-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilkka Vanha-Majamaa ◽  
Jyrki Jalonen
Keyword(s):  
Tree Retention ◽  
Green Tree Retention

scholarly journals Stand Structure, Productivity and Carbon Sequestration Potential of Oak Dominated Forests in Kumaun Himalaya

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 466-476
Author(s):  
Bijendra Lal ◽  
L.S. Lodhiyal
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Forest Site ◽  
Forest Sites ◽  
Sequestration Potential ◽  
Oak Tree ◽  
Quercus Leucotrichophora

Present study deals with stand structure, biomass, productivity and carbon sequestration in oak dominated forests mixed with other broad leaved tree species. The sites of studied forests were located in Nainital region between 29058’ N lat. and 79028’ E long at 1500-2150 m elevation. Tree density of forests ranged from 980-1100 ind.ha-1. Of this, oak trees shared 69-97%. The basal area of trees was 31.81 to 63.93 m2 ha-1. R. arboreum and Q. floribunda shared maximum basal area 16.45 and 16.32 m2 ha-1, respectively in forest site-1 and 2 while Quercus leucotrichophora shared maximum (35.69 m2 ha-1) in site-3. The biomass and primary productivity of tree species ranged from 481-569 t ha-1 and 16.9-20.9 t ha-1yr-1, respectively. Of this, biomass and primary productivity of oak tree species accounted for 81 to 95 and 78 to 98%, respectively. Carbon stock and carbon sequestration ranged from 228 to 270 t ha-1 and 8.0 to 9.9 t ha-1yr-1, respectively. The share of oak tree species ranged from 81 to 94.7 and 79 to 97%, respectively. The diversity of tree species ranged from 0.03 to 0.16 in forest sites-1, 2 and 3. The diversity of oak species was 0.08-0.16 in all the forest sites. Thus it is concluded that among the oak tree species, Quercus floribunda and Quercus leucotrichophora were highly dominated in the studied forests. The climax form of oak dominated trees in the studied forest sites depicted slightly lower richness and diversity of tree species compared to the forests in the region and elsewhere. As far as dry matter and carbon of forests is concerned, these estimates are close to the earlier reports of forests in the region. Therefore, studied forests have the potential to increase the diversity, productivity and carbon sequestration of forest tree species by providing the adequate scientific conservation and management inputs.

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