The effect of contrasting management types on two distinct taxonomic groups in a large-scaled windthrow

Abstract

Improving ways of managing disturbed areas is in urgent need of further research. We assessed the effect of two contrasting management types-salvage logging and set aside for natural regeneration-applied to a large-scale windthrow in NE Poland on two distinct taxonomic groups of animals: scuttle flies and birds. In total, 5,368 individual scuttle flies were trapped and 1,649 individual birds were recorded. In both taxonomic groups, we recorded the ''winners and losers'' of the effects of salvage logging. The responses of particular species in both groups were independent of their body size. Species diversity, assessed by rarefaction, increased as a result of the logging in birds and declined in scuttle flies. The species richness, corrected for unseen species of scuttle flies and birds, was higher on the managed windthrow when compared to the natural one. Comparison of the results obtained with published data from the intact stands of Białowie_ za Primeval Forest suggests that salvage logging reduced the similarity of the fly and bird community to those reported from undisturbed, natural forest areas. Our results concern mostly the common species. We conclude that salvage logging has considerable influence on assemblages of common species in the postdisturbance forests. Birds and flies did not respond similarly to salvage logging in term of species diversity, although both groups included species that were attracted to either managed or unmanaged windthrow sites.

The effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on breeding birds of managed Scots pine forests in northern Poland

“…In both study areas, winners and losers of the studied disturbances can be pin-pointed, consistent with earlier studies on different taxonomic groups (e.g., Fuller 2000, Greenberg & Lanham 2001, Tomia³ojae & Weso³owski 2004, Venier & Pearce 2007, Kolbin 2008, ¯mihorski & Durska 2011. The RDA showed that the responses of particular birds to the studied disturbances varied greatly, from strong preference to distinct avoidance, but some species appeared quite unaffected, of which the Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) is a good example: its abundance was similar between the disturbed and undisturbed plots.…”

Effects of post‐windthrow salvage logging on microsites, plant composition and regeneration

“…Indeed, the reduction of structural heterogeneity (living trees, down and standing deadwood) after salvage logging may also affect bird species (Lain et al. ; Żmihorski ), invertebrates (Bouget & Duelli ; Żmihorski & Durska ) and small mammal populations and species assemblage (Loeb ). Our results also showed that salvaged logging operations reduce advance regeneration cover compared to unsalvaged windthrows.…”

Impacts of salvage logging on biodiversity: A meta‐analysis

“…The responses of saproxylic and non‐saproxylic species groups to salvage logging thus depend on their relation to (dead wood) legacies affected by salvage logging (Lindenmayer et al., ). Consequently, different taxonomic groups in different types of natural disturbances may respond differently to salvage logging (Zmihorski & Durska, ). Numerous studies have focused on the effects of salvage logging after natural disturbances on species richness and the community composition of various taxa such as vascular plants (Blair, McBurney, Blanchard, Banks, & Lindenmayer, ; Macdonald, ; Stuart, Grifantini, Fox, & Fox, ), carabids (Cobb, Langor, & Spence, ; Koivula & Spence, ; Phillips, Cobb, Spence, & Brigham, ), birds (Castro, Moreno‐Rueda, & Hódar, ; Choi, Lee, Nam, Lee, & Lim, ; Nappi & Drapeau, ; Saab, Russell, & Dudley, ; Thorn, Werner, et al., ; Zmihorski, ), and saproxylic organisms (i.e.…”