Bird Populations before and after Wildfire in a Great Lakes Pine Forest

Apfelbaum, Steven I.; Haney, Alan

doi:10.2307/1367504

Cited by 60 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The error bars are standard errors transects (e.g. Apfelbaum and Haney 1981) and thereafter with little grazing as it was at Ingula the density was expected to decrease with an increase in grass height. Most of the species we studied exhibited this with only two exceptions: both Cape Longclaws and Zitting Cisticolas increased in density with an increase in grass height (Figs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

et al. 2017

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Background: World-wide grassland birds are in decline due to habitat loss and degradation resulting from intensive agricultural practices. Understanding how key grassland habitat attributes determine grassland bird densities is required to make appropriate conservation decisions. We examine drivers of bird densities in a South African grassland area that has been managed for biodiversity conservation with reduced grazing pressure. Methods:We estimated the density of the eight most common grassland bird species encountered in our area to evaluate the effects of recent grassland management changes on the avifauna. We collected data on birds and habitat from the austral summers of 2006/2007, 2007/2008 and 2010/2011. We used hierarchical distance sampling methods to estimate density of birds relative to two main habitat variables, i.e., grass cover and height. In addition, we used regression splines within these distance sampling models as a more flexible description of suitable ranges of grass height and cover for each species.Results: For most species, density is related to grass height and cover as expected. The African Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) and Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) preferred relatively short and open grass. The Yellow-breasted Pipit (Anthus chloris), African Pipit (Anthus cinnamomeus) and Red-capped Lark (Calandrella cinerea) preferred short and relatively dense grass, while the Wing-snapping Cisticola (Cisticola ayresii) preferred grass of intermediate height and cover. The Cape Longclaw (Macronyx capensis) and Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis) preferred tall and dense grass. Our results agree with previous studies that grass height combined with grass cover are the most important habitat features that managers should manipulate in order to increase the density of target species. The regression splines show that the effect of these two habitat variables on density is well described by linear relationships for most species. Conclusions: This study supports previous studies suggesting that grazing and fire are important tools for management to use in order to create a mosaic of grass height and cover that would support high densities of desired species. We suggest that conservation managers of these grasslands combine fire and grazing as management tools to create suitable habitats for grassland birds in general.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

et al. 2017

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“…Apfelbaum and Haney (1981) sampled birds before and after crown fire in a 73-year-old jack pine/black spruce forest. The fire burned severely in an upland pine-dominated area while only lightly burning the hardwood draws.…”

Section: Forests and Woodlandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wildland fire in ecosystems: effects of fire on fauna

Smith¹

2000

122

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_____________________________________Fires affect animals mainly through effects on their habitat. Fires often cause short-term increases in wildlife foods that contribute to increases in populations of some animals. These increases are moderated by the animals' ability to thrive in the altered, often simplified, structure of the postfire environment. The extent of fire effects on animal communities generally depends on the extent of change in habitat structure and species composition caused by fire. Stand-replacement fires usually cause greater changes in the faunal communities of forests than in those of grasslands. Within forests, standreplacement fires usually alter the animal community more dramatically than understory fires. Animal species are adapted to survive the pattern of fire frequency, season, size, severity, and uniformity that characterized their habitat in presettlement times. When fire frequency increases or decreases substantially or fire severity changes from presettlement patterns, habitat for many animal species declines.

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“…In Florida, towhee densities were highest about 4 yr following fire in scrub and pinelands, followed by declines afterward in areas where fire was excluded and the understory became less complex [34]. In the old-growth mixed deciduous-coniferous forests of Minnesota, Dark-eyed Juncos, which were absent prior to fire, were considered important breeders 1 year following a wildfire that reduced tree numbers by 50% and greatly increased herb and forb cover [35].…”

Section: Ground Nestersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short-Term Effects of Fire and Fire-Surrogate Treatments on Avian Nest Survival: A National-Scale Analysis

Farris¹,

Converse²,

Zack³

et al. 2010

TOENVIRSJ

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Abstract:We examined the initial response of avian nest success to mechanical thinning, prescribed fire, and thinning/ prescribed fire combination treatments, designed to reduce fuel loads, at study sites throughout the continental USA as part of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate (FFS) Project. We modeled the daily nest survival of ground-, shrub-, tree-, and snag-nesting bird species to test for effects of: (1) overall treatment (2) specific treatment category (i.e., burn, thin, thin/burn); (3) time since treatment; and (4) study site. Of the 7 species examined, only 2 had top models that included effects of the FFS treatments, the remainder had either constant survival rates, or rates that varied only by study site. The Eastern Towhee had top models that included effects of treatment and study site, while the Red-bellied Woodpecker had top models that included effects of treatment category, time since treatment, and study site. All estimates of treatment, treatment category, and study site were statistically weak with confidence intervals including zero. The lack of clear response patterns observed in this study is likely a consequence of the variability inherent across forest types and taxonomic groups we examined. Forest managers should use our results cautiously and also be encouraged to facilitate opportunities for studies of avian nest survival as a function of fire-surrogate treatments that are regional specific, encompass longer time frames and larger spatial scales.

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Bird Populations before and after Wildfire in a Great Lakes Pine Forest

Cited by 60 publications

References 28 publications

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

Management factors affecting densities of common grassland birds of high elevation grasslands of eastern South Africa: Ingula as a case study

Wildland fire in ecosystems: effects of fire on fauna

Short-Term Effects of Fire and Fire-Surrogate Treatments on Avian Nest Survival: A National-Scale Analysis

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