Ecological Sustainability of Birds in Boreal Forests

Niemi, Gerald J.; Hanowski, JoAnn M.; Helle, Pekka; Howe, Robert W.; Mönkkönen, Mikko; Venier, Lisa A.; Welsh, Daniel A.

doi:10.5751/es-00079-020217

Cited by 83 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 99 publications

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“…Of the plantations, those with relatively abundant and species-rich cavitynesting birds clustered together (i.e., P7, P15, P19, and P17), while the most depauperate ones formed another cluster (i.e., P5b, P8, P9a, P9b, P5a). The observation that cavity-nesters are more abundant in mature mixedwood forest than in harvested stands or plantations is consistent with research elsewhere, although the specifics vary depending on the forest region and species of birds present (e.g., Raphael and White 1984;DeGraaf and Shigo 1985;Zarnowitz and Manuwal 1985;Hansen et al 1995;Kirk and Naylor 1995;Niemi et al 1998;Hobson and Bayne 2000).…”

Section: Cavity-nesting Birdssupporting

confidence: 72%

“…In boreal Europe, for example, natural pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest has been converted extensively into commercially preferred, short-rotation conifer plantations (Esseen et al 1997), resulting in large declines of birds dependent on older natural forest (Virkkala 1991). Similar changes are occurring in temperate-and boreal-forest regions of Canada, where older mixed-species forest is being converted extensively into conifer plantations (Niemi et al 1998;Imbeau et al 2001;McRae et al 2001).…”

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confidence: 78%

“…The effects of forestry on biodiversity range over a wide continuum, depending largely on the intensity of harvesting and subsequent management (Hunter 1990;Freedman et al 1994;Angelstam and Milkusinski 1994;Freedman 1995;Hagan et al 1997;Niemi et al 1998;Imbeau et al 2001;McRae et al 2001;Kimmins 2003). For instance, clear-cutting followed by intensive management to develop an even-aged monocultural plantation has relatively extreme effects, while the effects associated with selective-harvesting and natural regeneration are much smaller.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Intensive forestry practices generally decrease the richness and abundance of cavity-dependent birds by causing the following habitat changes to occur (Niemi et al 1998;Hobson and Bayne 2000;Flemming and Freedman 1998;Imbeau et al 2001;Kirk and Machtans 2004;McRae et al 2001):…”

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confidence: 99%

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Effects of Timber Harvesting and Plantation Development on Cavity-nesting Birds in New Brunswick

et al. 2006

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Effects of timber harvesting and plantation development on cavity-nesting birds in New Brunswick. Canadian Field-Naturalist 120(3): 298-306.We studied the abundance of cavity-nesting birds in forestry-related habitats in a region of Acadian forest in New Brunswick. We examined five reference stands of natural forest, a chronosequence of conifer plantations up to 19 years old (the oldest in the study area), two selectively harvested stands, and a 30-year-old naturally regenerated clear-cut. The species richness and abundance of cavity-nesting birds were higher in reference forest (average 10.0 species per stand; 5.3 territories per 10 ha) than in plantations (2.3/stand; 1.0/10 ha), selectively harvested stands (7.0/stand; 3.8/10 ha), or the naturally regenerated clear-cut (5.0/stand; 2.5/10 ha). A cluster analysis segregated the "community" of cavity-nesting birds of natural forest from those of other treatments. Of the various harvested stands and plantations, five with a relatively large number of residual snags clustered similarly in the cluster analysis, while those with no or very few snags also clustered together. We used arrays of nest boxes (12 per stand) to examine whether the availability of cavities was limiting the use of habitats otherwise suitable for foraging by cavity-dependent species. Nest-box use for nesting and roosting was much higher in the seven plantations examined (average 4.0/10 ha for nesting and 2.9/10 ha for roosting) than in three reference stands (each 0.3/10 ha), suggesting that the plantations were deficient in this critical-habitat element. Our results suggest that certain mitigations, such as leaving residual snags and living cavity-trees, would help maintain populations of some cavity-dependent birds in clear-cuts and plantations. However, some cavity-dependent species might not be accommodated by these mitigations and are potentially at risk in intensively managed areas, unless landscape-scale management plans ensure the survival of sufficient areas of older mixed-wood forest.

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Section: Cavity-nesting Birdssupporting

confidence: 72%

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confidence: 78%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Effects of Timber Harvesting and Plantation Development on Cavity-nesting Birds in New Brunswick

et al. 2006

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“…It is because avian assemblages are usually dominated in such habitats by migrant species (Niemi et al, 1998). Th is may have serious methodological implications for precise population estimations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Month-to-Month Variations in Densities and Dominance of Birds Breeding in an Extensive Pine Forest

Kopij¹

2017

Vestnik Zoologii

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Month-to-Month Variations in Densities and Dominance of Birds Breeding in an Extensive PineForest. Kopij, G. -Month-to-month changes in avian assembages are considerable in forest habitats. In this study such changes were studied by means of the line transect method (eight transect with total length of 77.7 km) in lowland coniferous forest in SW Poland (dominant forest type in Central European Plain), in three consecutive spring months: April, May and June. Shannon's diversity index varied between 1.31 and 2.25 in particular month, while Simpson's diversity index and Pielou's evenness index were almost identical everywhere: H' = 0.92-0.93 and J' = 0.74-0.78, respectively. In overall, the diff erences in mean densities of breeding species between three months on all transects pooled were not statistically signifi cant, as were also not statistically signifi cant such diff erences on particular transects. Month-tomonth variations in densities in all transects pooled were statistically signifi cant in the case of 26 out of 54 species (48.1 %). Month-to-month changes in population densities recorded on transects, only partly conform to the arrival patterns. Two counts, instead of three, would suffi ced for precise estimation of bird population densities in Central European lowland pine forests: one count should be conducted in April, to register mainly resident species, and the second one in May to count mainly the migrant species.

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Habitat quality affects stress responses and survival in a bird wintering under extremely low ambient temperatures

Cīrule

Krama

Krams

et al. 2017

Sci Nat

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Animals normally respond to stressful environmental stimuli by releasing glucocorticoid hormones. We investigated whether baseline corticosterone (CORT), handling-induced corticosterone concentration(s), and body condition indices of members of willow tit (Poecile montanus) groups differed while wintering in old growth forests and managed young forests in mild weather conditions and during cold spells. Willow tits spend the winter season in non-kin groups in which dominant individuals typically claim their priority to access resources, while subordinate individuals may experience greater levels of stress and higher mortality, especially during cold spells. We captured birds to measure baseline CORT and levels of handling-induced CORT secretion after 20 min of capture. Willow tits in the young forests had higher baseline CORT and a smaller increase in CORT in response to capture than individuals in the old forests. Baseline CORT was higher in females and juvenile birds compared to adult males, whereas handling-induced CORT secretion did not differ between birds of different ages. During cold spells, baseline CORT of willow tits increased and handling-induced CORT secretion decreased, especially in birds in young forests. Willow tits' survival was higher in the old forests, with dominant individuals surviving better than subordinates. Our results show that changes in CORT secretion reflect responses to habitat quality and climate harshness, indicating young managed coniferous forests as a suboptimal habitat for the willow tit.

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Ecological Sustainability of Birds in Boreal Forests

Cited by 83 publications

References 99 publications

Effects of Timber Harvesting and Plantation Development on Cavity-nesting Birds in New Brunswick

Effects of Timber Harvesting and Plantation Development on Cavity-nesting Birds in New Brunswick

Month-to-Month Variations in Densities and Dominance of Birds Breeding in an Extensive Pine Forest

Habitat quality affects stress responses and survival in a bird wintering under extremely low ambient temperatures

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