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Publications
and Presentations
Abstract
from: Lehmkuhl, J. F., S. D. West, C. L. Chambers, W. C. McComb,
D. A. Manuwal, K. B. Aubry, J. L. Erickson, R. A. Gitzen, and
M. Leu. 1999. Assessing wildlife response to varying levels
and patterns of green-tree retention in western Oregon and Washington.
Northwest Science 73 (Special Issue): 45-63.
The
emphasis of forest management in the Pacific Northwest has shifted recently from
the production of timber resources to the maintenance or restoration of biological
diversity and ecosystem functioning. New standards and guidelines for management
emphasize the retention of forest structures (live trees, logs, and snags) to
reduce logging impacts, to enrich reestablished stands with important structural
features, and to enhance connectivity across forest landscapes. However, little
is known about the effects on wildlife of varying the level and spatial distribution
of retained structures in forests of western Oregon and Washington. Replicated
and controlled experiments within the Demonstration of Ecosystem Management Options
(DEMO) study are beginning to quantify the effects of varying the level and spatial
aggregation of green-tree retention during forest harvest on a variety of ecosystem
components (e.g., vertebrates, invertebrates, vegetation, fungi), as well as snow
hydrology and social perceptions of these types of regeneration harvests. Eight
replicate blocks of six experimental treatments have been established on the Umpqua
National Forest in Oregon, and on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Capitol
State Forest in Washington. The objectives of the wildlife studies are to quantify
patterns of species richness, evenness, and relative abundance of birds, small
mammals, bats, and amphibians before and after harvest to examine short-term treatment
responses. Pre-treatment sampling has been completed on all sites, harvest treatments
are in progress, and post-treatment sampling has begun. In this paper, we present
an overview of our hypotheses and methods, and document the occurrence and relative
abundance of species prior to harvest of the study blocks. Long-term studies of
vertebrate response, habitat associations, and trophic interactions are planned.
Results will inform managers on the consequences of alternative forest management
strategies.
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