Recolonisation of powerline corridor vegetation by small mammals: Timing and the influence of vegetation management

Clarke, D.; White, John G.

doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2008.04.009

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This effect has been repeatedly shown for birds (Kroodsma 1982;King et al 2009;Meehan and Haas 1997) and mammals (Gates 1991) in eastern North America and for a variety of small vertebrates in Australia (Goosem and Marsh 1997;Clarke et al 2006;Clarke and White 2008a, b). As was found in the current study, these grassland species may be quite uncommon elsewhere within the landscape (Clarke and White 2008b). Similar patterns exist for vascular plants in the southeastern USA, where powerline corridors serve as refuges in an otherwise forested matrix for a number of critically endangered grassland/savanna species (Sorrie and Weakley 2001).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

The impact of a utility corridor on terrestrial gastropod biodiversity

Nekola

2012

Biodivers Conserv

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Utility corridors are often thought to be disruptive to biodiversity because they cause habitat fragmentation that may lead to increases in predation, parasitism, disease transmittance and vagrant species while decreasing migration rates, gene flow and genetic diversity for interior species. Species with poor dispersal abilities, sedentary lifestyles, and specialized habitats have been thought to be potentially the most vulnerable to these effects. Terrestrial gastropods thus serve as a valuable system in which to investigate these impacts because they are among the poorest active dispersers in the animal kingdom. To document the impact of corridor formation on land snail biodiversity, a 75-year old powerline right-of-way in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan was chosen for analysis. While terrestrial gastropod richness and abundance was significantly reduced for corridor as compared to adjacent control subsamples, with a 2/3 turnover in species composition, the corridor fauna is similar to nearby native grassland sites in terms of species composition, abundance distribution, and numbers and abundance of species of conservation concern. The fauna of control subsamples immediately adjacent to the corridor remained similar to other undisturbed sites in the region, with multiple species of conservation concern persisting at distances of only 30 m from the corridor. Thus, the net impact of corridor generation has been arguably positive: while the surrounding forest fauna has not been degraded, within the corridor the reduction of forest species has been compensated for by establishment of even rarer grassland species.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

The impact of a utility corridor on terrestrial gastropod biodiversity

Nekola

2012

Biodivers Conserv

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Telemetry confirmed this result, with animals always located in dense vegetation. A similar preference for dense vegetation cover has been observed elsewhere (Bubela and Happold 1993;Clarke and White 2008;Happold 2011). Dense vegetation cover provides M. fuscus with foraging opportunities, nesting sites, and protection from predators (Wallis 1992;Green and Osborne 2003).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

“…At the time of our study, vegetation had not been managed on the ski runs in the telemetry study area in the preceding 12 months. Other studies also have documented the ability of M. fuscus to colonize previously disturbed sites once low vegetation structural complexity is regained (Driessen 1999;Clarke and White 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Persistence of a threatened species in a modified alpine resort environment: the broad-toothed rat

Whisson

Holland

Kelly

2015

JMAMMAL

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Habitat change due to resort development threatens rare and endemic fauna of alpine and subalpine regions. There is an urgent need to understand species persistence in such areas. The broad-toothed rat (Mastacomys fuscus) is a rare, specialist species found in alpine and subalpine regions of Australia. We conducted fecal pellet surveys in an alpine resort to determine the species' distribution and habitat requirements. Eight individuals were radiotracked to investigate movement patterns and habitat use. Fecal pellets were found in areas of dense vegetation cover up to 1 m above ground. Home ranges were small (1,488-6,106 m 2 ) and encompassed managed indigenous vegetation on or beside ski runs. Five individuals regularly crossed a narrow (3-5 m) cleared track. Two adult males dispersed (including traversing a wide grassy ski run) up to 1 km. The ability to cross modified areas and move throughout the landscape is proposed as a key factor facilitating the persistence of M. fuscus in the resort. Enhancing the capacity of species to move between habitat patches should be incorporated into alpine resort management plans. Such management will become increasingly important as anthropogenic disturbance increases in alpine regions.

show abstract

“…Both years of the study experienced similar weather, and there were no discrete weather events that would explain the patterns of population abundance we saw between years. Rather, shifts in species relative population abundance between years is likely due to successional changes, and has been observed in other studies of young pine plantations in the southeastern USA, and in secondary succession of both forest and grassland habitat types [36,38,39]. Sigmodon hispidus prefers grassy understory [40,41], which was not available on study plots until 2010.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

Effect of Removal of Woody Biomass after Clearcutting and Intercropping Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) with Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) on Rodent Diversity and Populations

Marshall

Lucia

Homyack

et al. 2012

International Journal of Forestry Research

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Plant-based feedstocks have long been considered viable, potential sources for biofuels. However, concerns regarding production effects may outweigh gains like carbon savings. Additional information is needed to understand environmental effects of growing feedstocks, including effects on wildlife communities and populations. We used a randomized and replicated experimental design to examine initial effects of biofuel feedstock treatment options, including removal of woody biomass after clearcutting and intercropping switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), on rodents to 2 years post-treatment in regenerating pine plantations in North Carolina, USA. Rodent community composition did not change with switchgrass production or residual biomass removal treatments. Further, residual biomass removal had no influence on rodent population abundances. However,Peromyscus leucopuswas found in the greatest abundance and had the greatest survival in treatments without switchgrass. In contrast, abundance of invasiveMus musculuswas greatest in switchgrass treatments. Other native species, such asSigmodon hispidus, were not influenced by the presence of switchgrass. Our results suggest that planting of switchgrass, but not biomass removal, had species-specific effects on rodents at least 2 years post-planting in an intensively managed southern pine system. Determining ecological mechanisms underlying our observed species associations with switchgrass will be integral for understanding long-term sustainability of biofuels production in southern pine forest.

show abstract

Recolonisation of powerline corridor vegetation by small mammals: Timing and the influence of vegetation management

Cited by 16 publications

References 21 publications

The impact of a utility corridor on terrestrial gastropod biodiversity

The impact of a utility corridor on terrestrial gastropod biodiversity

Persistence of a threatened species in a modified alpine resort environment: the broad-toothed rat

Effect of Removal of Woody Biomass after Clearcutting and Intercropping Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) with Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) on Rodent Diversity and Populations

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About