scholarly journals Presence of Cavities in Snags Retained in Forest Cutblocks: Do Management Policies Promote Species Retention?

2004 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim T. Everett ◽  
Ken A. Otter
Keyword(s):  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Avian Species ◽  
Rapid Rate ◽  
Tree Cavities ◽  
Cavity Nesters ◽  
Advanced Stages ◽  
Management Policies

Tree cavities, which are frequently excavated by primary cavity nesters, are typically used by a number of avian and non-avian species and are thus important components in maintaining biodiversity in forest ecosystems. One way to provide these habitat opportunities in harvested areas is through the retention of snags. In this study, we assessed the habitat and snag characteristics that promote cavity excavation, using the presence of cavities to infer activity of primary cavity excavators. Snags retained closer to the forest/cutblock edge contained a greater density of cavities than trees further from edge. However, the proportion of cavities found within cutblocks declined at a more rapid rate with distance from edge than did those in adjacent forested stands. There was also a tendency for cavities to occur more frequently in trees that were at the advanced stages of decay. The results of our study suggest management for snags in harvest areas should include the retention of snags closer to the forest edge combined with incorporating trees showing signs of advanced decay.

scholarly journals Distribution and altitudinal patterns of carbon and nitrogen storage in various forest ecosystems in the central Yunnan Plateau, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianqiang Li ◽  
Qibo Chen ◽  
Zhuang Li ◽  
Bangxiao Peng ◽  
Jianlong Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Pinus Yunnanensis ◽  
Yunnan Plateau ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
C And N ◽  
Quercus Semecarpifolia ◽  
Management Policies

AbstractThe carbon (C) pool in forest ecosystems plays a long-term and sustained role in mitigating the impacts of global warming, and the sequestration of C is closely linked to the nitrogen (N) cycle. Accurate estimates C and N storage (SC, SN) of forest can improve our understanding of C and N cycles and help develop sustainable forest management policies in the content of climate change. In this study, the SC and SN of various forest ecosystems dominated respectively by Castanopsis carlesii and Lithocarpus mairei (EB), Pinus yunnanensis (PY), Pinus armandii (PA), Keteleeria evelyniana (KE), and Quercus semecarpifolia (QS) in the central Yunnan Plateau of China, were estimated on the basis of a field inventory to determine the distribution and altitudinal patterns of SC and SN among various forest ecosystems. The results showed that (1) the forest SC ranged from 179.58 ± 20.57 t hm−1 in QS to 365.89 ± 35.03 t hm−1 in EB. Soil, living biomass and litter contributed an average of 64.73%, 31.72% and 2.86% to forest SC, respectively; (2) the forest SN ranged from 4.47 ± 0.94 t ha−1 in PY to 8.91 ± 1.83 t ha−1 in PA. Soil, plants and litter contributed an average of 86.88%, 10.27% and 2.85% to forest SN, respectively; (3) the forest SC and SN decreased apparently with increasing altitude. The result demonstrates that changes in forest types can strongly affect the forest SC and SN. This study provides baseline information for forestland managers regarding forest resource utilization and C management.

Nest cavity availability and selection in aspen–conifer groves in a grassland landscape

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 2099-2109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn EH Aitken ◽  
Kathy Martin
Keyword(s):  
Resource Selection ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Tamiasciurus Hudsonicus ◽  
Habitat Features ◽  
Tree Cavities ◽  
Cavity Nesters ◽  
Dead Trees ◽  
Cavity Tree ◽  
Colaptes Auratus ◽  
Mountain Bluebirds

Cavity-nesting vertebrates, a significant component of forest wildlife communities, are connected ecologically in nest webs arranged in guilds of cavity producers (strong and weak excavators) and cavity consumers. The availability of tree cavities for nesting and roosting is considered critical to maintaining communities of cavity nesters. Using univariate tests and resource selection indices, we examined nesting use of both natural and excavated cavities in small aspen–conifer groves of interior British Columbia in relation to availability of cavity, tree, and habitat features. In a 2-year study, we monitored 197 cavities for use, 8% of which were lost between years. Of those that survived, 26% were occupied in both years, 29% were used in only one year, and 45% were not used in either year. Occupied cavities were larger internally than those not occupied in either year and were more likely to be in trees with only one cavity. In species-level resource selection analyses, tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor Vieillot), European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris L.), and chickadees (Poecile spp.) used live, heart rot infected trees more than expected from their proportional abundance and used dead trees less than expected, while northern flickers (Colaptes auratus L.), mountain bluebirds (Sialia currucoides Bechstein), and red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Erxleben) used live and dead trees in proportion to their availability. Managed, open landscapes with small mixed or deciduous forest groves can sustain healthy communities of cavity nesters, if there is a range of suitable trees for excavators and open areas for foraging.

Snag Densities in Managed Stands of the South Carolina Coastal Plain

1983 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 224-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard F. Harlow ◽  
David C. Guynn
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Avian Species ◽  
National Forest ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Cavity Nesters ◽  
Minimum Number ◽  
Pine Stands ◽  
Avian Populations

Abstract The availability of pine and hardwood snags was determined in managed pine and nonpine stands on the Francis Marion National Forest in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina. An estimate was made of snags required for nesting by avian cavity nesters indigenous to the region and of the density of cavity nesters currently provided for on the forest. Avian species that use snags 5 to 9 in. d.b.h. were apparently provided with more than 100 percent of the minimum number of suitable-size snags for average bird populations in the nonpine stands, which encompassed about 30 percent of the area. In pine stands, by contrast, there were enough snags of this size for only 20 percent of the average avian populations. For species using larger snags (≥10 in. d.b.h.), nonpine stands provided enough for approximately 27 percent of average bird populations, while pine stands provided snags for only about 6 percent of average population densities.

scholarly journals Do tree cavity density and characteristics vary across topographical habitats in the tropics? A case study from Xishuangbanna, southwest China

Silva Fennica ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Junyan Liu ◽  
Junfeng Tang ◽  
Si-Chong Chen ◽  
Wenbao Ma ◽  
Zheng Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southwest China ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
High Slope ◽  
High Plateau ◽  
Tree Cavities ◽  
Cavity Nesters ◽  
Tree Cavity ◽  
Size Type ◽  
The Tropics

Despite the influence of cavities on the survival and distribution of cavity-dependent fauna, the variation in the density and characteristics of tree cavities across different habitat types in tropical forests is unknown. In this study, we surveyed 26 312 living trees from 376 species and compared cavity density and characteristics (height, size, type, and orientation) across five habitat types (valley, low-slope, high-slope, high-gully, and high-plateau) in a 20-hectare tropical rainforest in southwest China. From a total of 2047 cavities, we found that cavity density was mainly driven by habitat rather than tree species richness or diameter at breast height (DBH), and the characteristics of cavities were not uniformly distributed across habitats. Cavities were significantly more abundant in high- and low-slope than high-plateau habitats. Compared with other habitats, more “butt hollow” cavity types were found in high-slope habitat and they occurred at a lower tree height, whereas more “crack” cavities were found in low-slope habitat and they had a narrower entrance diameter. Although the mean orientation of cavities faced towards the northeast, cavity orientation varied significantly across habitat types. Our results indicate that certain types of cavities are concentrated in specific habitat types, which can provide avenues for forest management and biodiversity conservation. We highlight the importance of habitat heterogeneity in providing resources for cavity nesters.

scholarly journals Successional stage effect on the availability of tree cavities for cavity-nesting birds in an Atlantic Forest park from the state of São Paulo, Brazil

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Viana Katayama ◽  
Paulo Victor Queijo Zima ◽  
Daniel Fernandes Perrella ◽  
Mercival Roberto Francisco
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Human Disturbances ◽  
Successional Stage ◽  
Forest Park ◽  
Tree Cavities ◽  
Cavity Nesters ◽  
Cavity Nesting ◽  
Successional Stages

Abstract The availability of suitable cavities and substrate for hole construction can limit the populations of birds that rely on tree hollows to reproduce. Several studies have focused on the effects of types of habitats, and types of human disturbances on cavities abundance, but the effect of successional stages in the Atlantic Forest has been poorly addressed. In this study we aimed to compare the availability and biometric characteristics of tree cavities between primary and mid-successional stage sites in an Atlantic Forest area from southeastern Brazil. Based on nest characteristics described in the literature, we inferred if hollows present in secondary sites could harbor the large secondary-nester Atlantic Forest birds, with special attention to toucans and hawks. From September 2016 to April 2017, 96 cavities were sampled, 67 in the primary, and 29 in the secondary plots. Our data revealed that the communities of cavity-nester birds in mid-successional stage areas may be more affected by the reduced cavity availability than by cavities quality, as the number of cavities in these sites was less than half than that found in mature forests. We also provide evidences that the largest cavity nesters, such as the biggest hawks, might have limited nesting possibilities in mid-successional stage areas especially due to small cavity entrances, which may have important reflects in conservation strategies.

scholarly journals Stand Composition, Tree-Related Microhabitats and Birds—A Network of Relationships in a Managed Forest

Forests ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
Łukasz Piechnik ◽  
Jan Holeksa ◽  
Mateusz Ledwoń ◽  
Przemysław Kurek ◽  
Grażyna Szarek-Łukaszewska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Temperate Forest ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Deciduous Trees ◽  
Managed Forest ◽  
Tree Stand ◽  
Cavity Nesters

Forest ecosystems contain many tree-related microhabitats (TreMs), which are used by various groups of organisms. Birds use TreMs for shelter, foraging and breeding. The abundance and variability of TreMs is related to tree stand composition and age. Over the last few centuries there has been a drastic decline in the structural and biological diversity of temperate forests over large areas of the Northern Hemisphere. These changes have reduced the diversity and quantity of TreMs. In this study we showed the relationships between stand composition, the abundance of TreMs, and the species richness of birds in a managed forest. We focused on TreMs that are important to birds: woodpecker breeding cavities, rot holes, dead branches, broken treetops, and perennial polypores. Our study was performed in a managed lowland temperate forest. In 94 plots (10 ha each) we made bird surveys and inventoried the stand composition and TreMs. Our results show that the tree stand composition of a managed forest affects the abundance of TreMs. The share of deciduous trees in the stand favors the occurrence of such TreMs as dead branches, rot holes and perennial polypores. The overall richness of bird species and the species richness of primary cavity nesters depended on the total basal area of oak, hornbeam and birch, whereas the species richness of secondary cavity nesters increased with the total basal area of birch and oak.

scholarly journals Habitat selection and conservation status of the endemic Ninox hawk-owl on Cebu, Philippines

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 360-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. GODFREY C. JAKOSALEM ◽  
NIGEL J. COLLAR ◽  
JENNIFER A. GILL
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Forest Patches ◽  
Endangered Tree ◽  
Island Endemic ◽  
Tree Cavities

SummaryThe largely deforested island of Cebu, Philippines, hosts a forest-dwelling hawk-owl identified in the literature as Ninox philippensis spilonota but which is in fact a Cebu island endemic species, soon to be named. To determine the current distribution and habitat requirements of this hawk-owl, the five largest of 11 remaining forest patches on Cebu were surveyed between March and June 2011, involving 64 post-sunset 500-m walked transects with playback and habitat assessments. Radio-telemetry studies were also conducted on 10 owls but only for 3–5 days per owl as they removed the transmitters. A total of 52 owls were located across all five forests (at 16 sites two owls responded together to playback) but only the largest forest, Alcoy, contained enough transects for analyses of habitat in relation to owl distribution. Alcoy stands on steep-sided hills and some planting of exotic species occurs within it. Owls were detected in forest interior, forest edge and forest-plantation mix in Alcoy, and on ridges and in gullies despite lower tree densities and greater proximity to clearings in the gullies. However, parts of Alcoy experience strong winds, and owl occupancy decreased significantly with increasing wind speed. Home ranges for the 10 radio-tagged owls were estimated to cover ∼10 ha, although given the short tracking periods this may be an underestimate. Suitable forest studied covers roughly 1,670 ha, with six unstudied forests totalling 250 ha, so assuming a pair every 10 ha would give a tentative global population estimate of ∼ 200 pairs of Cebu Hawk-owls, and even fewer if home ranges are larger than estimated. This, coupled with continuing habitat degradation, triggers the IUCN Red List category ‘Endangered’. Tree cavities suitable for nests may be limiting, and nest-box provision could be explored, provided this does not increase predator pressure on other rare species.

Small mammals in nests of cavity-nesting birds: Why should ornithologists study rodents?

2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 286-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Czeszczewik ◽  
W. Walankiewicz ◽  
M. Stańska
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Breeding Ecology ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Tree Cavities ◽  
Cavity Nesters ◽  
Cavity Nesting ◽  
Yellow Necked Mouse

We analyze the frequency of occurrence of small mammals recorded in natural cavities and nest boxes in the Białowieża Forest (eastern Poland) and also describe some parameters of tree cavities. A total of 748 cavities and 60 nest boxes in primeval tree stands and 190 nest boxes in managed tree stands were monitored. Both cavities and nest boxes in primeval stands were occupied by mammals less often than nest boxes in managed stands (0.70%, 0.12%, and 1.26%, respectively). The following mammal species were recorded in natural cavities: Eurasian red squirrel ( Sciurus vulgaris L., 1758), forest dormouse ( Dryomys nitedula (Pallas, 1778)), yellow-necked mouse ( Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior, 1834)), and bats (Microchiroptera species). Three mammalian species were recorded in nest boxes: forest dormouse, fat dormouse ( Myoxus glis (L., 1766)), and yellow-necked mouse. The attractiveness of the boxes for mammals increases in managed forests, probably because of a shortage of natural cavities. We suggest that the role of rodents in the breeding ecology of cavity-nesters is underestimated, since studies on natural cavities are rather rare and the species identities of nest predators are most likely poorly recognized. To understand the breeding ecology of birds, ornithologists should study the population dynamics of mammals and the manner in which they use tree cavities and nest boxes.

Factors Influencing Occupancy of Nest Cavities in Recently Burned Forests

The Condor ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria A. Saab ◽  
Jonathan Dudley ◽  
William L. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Time Frame ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Western North America ◽  
Tree Cavities ◽  
Cavity Nesters ◽  
Cavity Nesting ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Predicted Probability ◽  
Burned Site ◽  
Space Effects

Abstract Recently burned forests in western North America provide nesting habitat for many species of cavity-nesting birds. However, little is understood about the time frame and the variables affecting occupancy of postfire habitats by these birds. We studied factors influencing the occupancy and reuse of nest cavities from 1–7 years after fire in two burned sites of western Idaho during 1994–1999. Tree cavities were used for nesting by 12 species of cavity nesters that were classified by the original occupant (strong excavator, weak excavator, or nonexcavator) of 385 nest cavities. We used logistic regression to model cavity occupancy by strong excavators (n = 575 trials) and weak excavators (n = 206 trials). Year after fire had the greatest influence on occupancy of nest cavities for both groups, while site of the burn was secondarily important in predicting occupancy by strong excavators and less important for weak excavators. Predicted probability of cavity occupancy was highest during the early years (1–4) after fire, declined over time (5–7 years after fire), and varied by site, with a faster decline in the smaller burned site with a greater mosaic of unburned forest. Closer proximity and greater interspersion of unburned forest (15% unburned) may have allowed a quicker recolonization by nest predators into the smaller burn compared to the larger burn with few patches of unburned forest (4% unburned). In combination with time and space effects, the predicted probability of cavity occupancy was positively affected by tree and nest heights for strong and weak excavators, respectively. Factores que Influencian la Ocupación de Cavidades de Nidificación en Bosques Recientemente Quemados Resumen. Los bosques del oeste de América del Norte que han sido recientemente quemados proveen hábitat de nidificación para muchas especies de aves que nidifican en cavidades. Sin embargo, se sabe poco sobre el marco temporal y las variables que afectan la ocupación por parte de las aves de los hábitats luego del fuego. Entre 1994 y 1999, estudiamos los factores que influencian la ocupación y el uso repetido de las cavidades de nidificación entre 1 y 7 años luego del fuego, en dos sitios quemados en el oeste de Idaho. Las cavidades de los árboles fueron usadas para nidificar por 12 especies de aves, las que fueron clasificadas (385 cavidades) según el ocupante original (excavador fuerte, excavador débil y no excavador). Usamos regresión logística para modelar la ocupación de las cavidades por parte de excavadores fuertes (n = 575 pruebas) y débiles (n = 206 pruebas). El año luego del fuego tuvo la mayor influencia en la ocupación de las cavidades de nidificación para ambos grupos, mientras que el sitio de la quema tuvo una importancia secundaria en predecir la ocupación por parte de excavadores fuertes y menos importancia por parte de excavadores débiles. La probabilidad predicha de ocupación de las cavidades fue mayor durante los primeros años (1–4) luego del fuego, declinó con el tiempo (5–7 años luego del fuego) y varió entre sitios, con una disminución más rápida en el sitio quemado más pequeño que presentó un mayor mosaico de bosque no quemado. La proximidad y la mayor dispersión de bosques no quemados (15% no quemado) puede haber permitido una recolonización más rápida de los depredadores de nidos en el sitio quemado pequeño, comparado con el sitio quemado mayor que presentó pocos parches de bosque no quemado (4% no quemado). En combinación con los efectos de tiempo y espacio, la probabilidad predicha de ocupación de cavidades fue afectada positivamente por la altura de los árboles y de los nidos para los excavadores fuertes y débiles, respectivamente.

scholarly journals The distribution of l-asparagine synthetase in the principal organs of several mammalian and avian species

1974 ◽  
Vol 142 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harry A. Milman ◽  
David A. Cooney
Keyword(s):  
Guinea Pig ◽  
Mouse Liver ◽  
Avian Species ◽  
Asparagine Synthetase ◽  
Rapid Rate ◽  
Radiometric Assay ◽  
High Concentrations

A survey was conducted of the distribution of l-asparagine synthetase and of l-asparaginase in the principal organs of representative mammals and birds. Although a radiometric assay was used as a routine, several additional criteria, including enzymic and chromatographic ones, were used to verify that the product of the synthetase was l-asparagine. Recoveries of exogenous l-asparagine were assessed in the presence of a number of mouse organs and found to be about 85%. In addition, evidence is presented for the existence in mouse liver of a thermolabile activity capable of destroying l-asparagine and stimulated by high concentrations of NH4+ ions. Of the organs surveyed, pancreas was generally found to synthesize l-asparagine at the most rapid rate, whereas extracts of liver catalysed the decomposition of this amide at the greatest velocity. Of the species studied, guinea pig had the highest activities of pancreatic l-asparagine synthetase and also of hepatic l-asparaginase. The pancreas of mouse and ox also were good sources of l-asparagine synthetase.

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