Key Features of Early Seral Habitats for Wildlife

Joan HagarUSGS-FRESC

Matt Lee

Matt Lee

Matt Lee

Matt Lee

Following Natural Disturbance ...

• Structure– Legacy trees and

snags – Open (low tree

density)– Large wood

• Composition– Herbs and Grasses – Shrubs– Deciduous

hardwoods

Bob Altman

Species associated with closed canopy forest also use early seral habitats…

IF appropriate habitat elements are available

Species that specialize on conifers

Red Tree Vole

Hemlock Looper

Red Crossbill

Many conifer forest associates rely on diversity of plants

Spruce Grouse

Elements of Quality Early Seral Habitat

Residual trees and

snags

Matt Lee

D. Vesely

Cavity-nesters in burned forests

•Fire-killed snags are important resource for foraging and nesting

•Many species respond negatively to salvage logging

Bob Altman

D. Vesely

Early Seral Habitat for Reptiles

•Basking•Prey

Dead Wood as Refugia

D. Vesely

Plant Diversity = Food Resources• Foliage• Nectar• Fruits• Seeds

Plant Diversity: foundation of

food webs

Matt Lee

Arthropods

• Insect diversity correlated with plant diversity

• Deciduous species support more insects

• Influence of deciduous litter on soil food webs?

Peter LaTourrette

Importance of Early Seral Broadleaf Communities to Avian

Biodiversity

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

Creating Early Seral Habitat?

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

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

Restoration of Late Seral Forest

• Emphasizes large trees

• Size limit on harvest area on federal lands

• What will understory look like?

Keep all the pieces