Effects of Timber Harvest on Amphibian Populations: Understanding Mechanisms from Forest Experiments

Semlitsch, Raymond D.; Todd, Brian D.; Blomquist, Sean M.; Calhoun, Aram J. K.; Gibbons, J. Whitfield; Gibbs, James P.; Graeter, Gabrielle J.; Harper, Elizabeth B.; Hocking, Daniel J.; Hunter, Malcolm L.; Patrick, David A.; Rittenhouse, Tracy A. G.; Rothermel, Betsie B.

doi:10.1525/bio.2009.59.10.7

Cited by 195 publications

(147 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Also, the abundance of exotic species appears to increase as the intensity of the forest use increases (Belote et al 2008, Burnham andLee 2010). The effects of disturbance on the conservation value of the forest for birds (Norris et al 2009, Twedt andSomershoe 2009) and herpetofauna (Semlitsch et al 2009, Strojny and Hunter 2010, Tilghman et al 2012, Hocking et al 2013) may be variable, but generally, the conservation value is expected to decrease as disturbance increases. While the effects of disturbance on the abundance of shadeintolerant trees may be variable also, abundance typically increases with disturbance that opens increasing amounts of canopy cover (LeDoux 1999, Webster and Lorimer 2005, Richards and Hart 2011, Lhotka 2013.…”

Section: Appendixmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using structured decision making with landowners to address private forest management and parcelization: balancing multiple objectives and incorporating uncertainty

Ferguson¹,

Conroy²,

Chamblee³

et al. 2015

E&S

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ABSTRACT. Parcelization and forest fragmentation are of concern for ecological, economic, and social reasons. Efforts to keep large, private forests intact may be supported by a decision-making process that incorporates landowners' objectives and uncertainty. We used structured decision making (SDM) with owners of large, private forests in Macon County, North Carolina. Macon County has little land use regulation and a history of discordant, ineffective attempts to address land use and development. We worked with landowners to define their objectives, identify decision options for forest management, build a Bayesian decision network to predict the outcomes of decisions, and determine the optimal and least-desirable decision options. The optimal forest management options for an average, large, forested property (30 ha property with 22 ha of forest) in Macon County was crown-thinning timber harvest under the Present-Use Value program, in which enrolled property is taxed at the present-use value (growing timber for commercial harvest) rather than full market value. The least-desirable forest management actions were selling 1 ha and personal use of the forest (e.g., trails, firewood) with or without a conservation easement. Landowners reported that they enjoyed participating in the project (85%) and would reconsider what they are currently doing to manage their forest (69%). The decision that landowners initially thought would best meet their objectives did not match results from the decision network. This highlights the usefulness of SDM, which typically has been applied to decision problems involving public resources.

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Section: Appendixmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using structured decision making with landowners to address private forest management and parcelization: balancing multiple objectives and incorporating uncertainty

Ferguson¹,

Conroy²,

Chamblee³

et al. 2015

E&S

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show abstract

“…Forest management practices (e.g., timber harvest, prescribed burns, etc.) that decrease leaf litter depth, increase decomposition rate, or alter soil or leaf litter moisture could substantially alter the distribution of microhabitats available to salamanders (Semlitsch et al, 2009). This could lead to decreased foraging opportunities and greater competition for remaining natural cover objects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Downed Wood Microclimates and Their Potential Impact on Plethodontid Salamander Habitat in the Oregon Coast Range

2009

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“…We conducted our study in three regions of the United States, the Northeast, the Midwest, and the Southeast (Table 1), as part of the LEAP study (Semlitsch et al, 2009). Our study site in the Northeast was located in the University of Maine Demeritt and Penobscot Experimental Forests, Penobscot County, Maine.…”

Section: Study Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of timber harvesting on terrestrial survival of pond-breeding amphibians

Todd

Blomquist

Harper

et al. 2014

Forest Ecology and Management

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a b s t r a c tSuccessful forest management for multiple uses requires balancing extractive practices with maintaining biodiversity, among other important goals. Amphibians comprise an important and abundant part of the biodiversity of many forests. Previous studies have documented declines in the abundance and diversity of amphibians in harvested forests. However, only recently have studies begun to elucidate the mechanisms that underlie such declines. Here, we studied the effects of timber harvesting on survival of geographically widespread ambystomatid salamanders in three forest regions of North America. We used terrestrial enclosures in the Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast to compare amphibian survival in unharvested controls, partially harvested stands ($25% canopy reduction), and clearcuts with coarse woody debris either retained or removed. In all regions, patterns of amphibian survival were similar, with both juvenile and adult salamanders generally having significantly lower survival in clearcuts compared with unharvested controls. Survival of juvenile salamanders in partially harvested stands was also low, but adult salamanders survived as well or better in partially harvested stands as in controls. Larger body size in juveniles was significantly correlated with recapture, irrespective of treatment, in both the Northeast and Southeast, but not in the Midwest or for adults in any region. Relatively heavier adults were more likely to be captured again in the Southeast, but relative mass was not correlated with recapture in any other regions or for juveniles. Our results suggest that increased amphibian mortality may contribute to declines of amphibian abundance and richness after forest clearcutting for the regions evaluated here. Although our results indicate that partial harvesting is compatible with survival of adult salamanders, retention of intact forest around breeding ponds would benefit all terrestrial stages of pond-breeding salamanders and represents a best management practice for the maintenance of amphibian biodiversity.

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Effects of Timber Harvest on Amphibian Populations: Understanding Mechanisms from Forest Experiments

Cited by 195 publications

References 71 publications

Using structured decision making with landowners to address private forest management and parcelization: balancing multiple objectives and incorporating uncertainty

Using structured decision making with landowners to address private forest management and parcelization: balancing multiple objectives and incorporating uncertainty

Downed Wood Microclimates and Their Potential Impact on Plethodontid Salamander Habitat in the Oregon Coast Range

Effects of timber harvesting on terrestrial survival of pond-breeding amphibians

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