Burning and mowing as habitat management for capercaillie Tetrao urogallus: An experimental test

Hancock, Mark H.; Amphlett, Andy; Proctor, R.; Dugan, D.; Willi, Johanna; Harvey, Peter; Summers, Ron W.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.04.019

Cited by 28 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Given the importance of Vaccinium for the conservation of endangered species (Storch 1993;Baines et al 1994;Rodríguez et al 2007), the cutting of Calluna to avoid competition and to promote diversity of vegetation has been recommended (Calvo et al 2007). In the same vein, Hancock et al (2010Hancock et al ( , 2011 found a consistent pattern of Vaccinium increase following Calluna loss, for a wide range of causes of Calluna loss (cattle trampling, burning, mowing or natural heather die-back) in open pinewoods, and they explained their results in terms of the 'dominance reduction' effect (Wohlgemuth et al 2002). However, this does not take into consideration that, according to the 'stress-gradient hypothesis', plant-plant interactions may range from negative to positive, depending on environmental conditions such as abiotic stress (Bertness and Callaway 1994;Maestre et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Vaccinium is included in the diet of wild and domestic ungulates, and also of several endangered species such as the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) and the brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) (Storch et al 2006;Rodríguez et al 2007;Blanco-Fontao et al 2010). Moreover, it maintains an abundant, diverse arthropod community that also benefits the development of the young chicks of capercaillie (Hancock et al 2011). Given the importance of Vaccinium for the conservation of endangered species (Storch 1993;Baines et al 1994;Rodríguez et al 2007), the cutting of Calluna to avoid competition and to promote diversity of vegetation has been recommended (Calvo et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Experimental evidence from Cantabrian mountain heathlands suggests new recommendations for management of Vaccinium myrtillus L

Pato

Obeso

Ploquin

et al. 2016

Plant Ecology & Diversity

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Background: Management actions in mountain heathlands oriented to increasing the cover of Vaccinium myrtillus promote mowing of Calluna vulgaris to avoid competition. However, such action ignores the fact that plant-plant interactions range from competition to facilitation under different stress conditions. Aims: To test whether the interactions between these two species are related to competition or facilitation, which would change the perspective for their management in mountain heathlands. Methods: A total of 40 experimental plots located in a montane heathland (northern Spain) were selected. Calluna or Vaccinium plants were either cut at ground level or not cut, and plots were fertilized with nitrogen or not in a three-factorial design. Vegetative and reproductive shoot mass and length of the current year's shoots were estimated in two consecutive years for both species. Herbivory on Vaccinium by browsing ungulates was compared in control plots and plots where Calluna had been cut 2 yrs ago. Results: The two study species co-occurred in 72.4% of the sampled plots, although Calluna was more abundant. Vaccinium growth was greater in plots with Calluna than in plots where Calluna had been cut. Browsing on Vaccinium was also higher in plots were Calluna had been cut, and the effect of fertilization was only significant on the reproductive biomass of Calluna.Conclusions: Contrary to initial proposals, our results suggest that Vaccinium does not always benefit from the cutting of Calluna in heathlands. Thus, the management of Cantabrian mountain heathlands should consider maintaining Calluna in order to facilitate the growth of Vaccinium.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental evidence from Cantabrian mountain heathlands suggests new recommendations for management of Vaccinium myrtillus L

Pato

Obeso

Ploquin

et al. 2016

Plant Ecology & Diversity

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“…that bilberry is an important habitat component (eg. Wegge and Rolstad, 2011;Hancock et al, 2011;Storch, 2002Storch, , 1993. At the landscape scale, the proportion of clearcuts surrounding the lek centres had an exponential negative effect on capercaillie numbers (Fig.…”

Section: Capercaillie and Forest Harvestingmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…In addition, the typical management practices in central Europe do not enable creation of open canopy forest structure suitable as capercaillie habitat . Plantation establishment after clearcutting is mandatory in central Europe; the result is very dense forest canopies with very little ground vegetation, particularly critical bilberry cover (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), which provides food for adults, invertebrates for chicks, and hiding and thermal cover (Hancock et al, 2011;Storch, 1993).…”

Section: Capercaillie and Forest Harvestingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Carpathian Mountains possess one of the largest areas of old-growth and natural forests in Europe with thriving populations of brown bears (Ursus arctos), lynx (Lynx lynx), grey wolves (Canis lupus), european bison (Bison bonasus) (Veen et al, 2010), and, historically, a stable and self-sustainig capercaillie population. Historic land uses, such as grazing and selective logging, maintained habitat conditions suitable for capercaillie (Hancock et al, 2011;Klaus et al, 1989). However, management practices have changed in the last few decades, with more large scale clearcuts and associated landscape fragmentation taking place, mainly due to new post-communist forest restitution laws (privatization of forest lands) and increasing accessibility by new forest roads (Knorn et al, 2012a,b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating forest management intensity on an umbrella species: Capercaillie persistence in central Europe

Mikoláš

Svitok

Tejkal

et al. 2015

Forest Ecology and Management

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Response of greater sage‐grouse to sagebrush reduction treatments in Wyoming big sagebrush

Smith,

Levan,

Chalfoun

et al. 2023

Wildlife Monographs

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Vegetation treatments have been widely implemented in efforts to enhance conditions for wildlife populations. Yet the effectiveness of such efforts often lack rigorous evaluations to determine whether these practices are effective for targeted species. This is particularly important when manipulating wildlife habitats in ecosystems that are faced with multiple stressors. The sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem has been altered extensively over the last century leading to declines of many associated species. Wyoming big sagebrush (A. tridentata wyomingensis) is the most widely distributed subspecies, providing important habitats for sagebrush‐obligate and associated wildlife. Sagebrush often has been treated with chemicals, mechanical treatments, and prescribed burning to increase herbaceous forage species released from competition with sagebrush overstory. Despite many studies documenting negative effects of sagebrush control on greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) habitat, treatments are still proposed as a means of improving habitat for sage‐grouse and other sagebrush‐dependent species. Furthermore, most studies have focused on vegetation response and none have rigorously evaluated the direct influence of these treatments on sage‐grouse. We initiated a 9‐year (2011–2019) experimental study in central Wyoming, USA, to better understand how greater sage‐grouse respond to sagebrush reduction treatments in Wyoming big sagebrush communities. We evaluated the influence of 2 common sagebrush treatments on greater sage‐grouse demography and resource selection. We implemented mowing and tebuthiuron application in winter and spring 2014 and evaluated the pre‐ (2011–2013) and post‐treatment (2014–2019) responses of sage‐grouse relative to these management actions. We evaluated responses to treatments using demographic and behavioral data collected from 620 radio‐marked female greater sage‐grouse. Our specific objectives were to evaluate how treatments influenced 1) sage‐grouse reproductive success and female survival; 2) sage‐grouse nesting, brood‐rearing, and female resource selection; 3) vegetation responses; and 4) forbs and invertebrates. Our results generally suggested neutral demographic responses and slight avoidance by greater sage‐grouse in response to Wyoming big sagebrush treated by mowing and tebuthiuron. Neither mowing nor tebuthiuron treatments influenced nest survival, brood survival, or female survival. Selection for nest and brood‐rearing sites did not differ before and after treatments. Females selected habitats near treatments before and after they were implemented; however, the strength of selection was lower after treatments compared with pre‐treatment periods, which may be explained by a lack of response in vegetation and invertebrates following treatments. Perennial grass cover and height varied temporally yet did not vary systematically between treatment and control plots. Forb cover and species richness varied annually but not in relation to either treatment type. Perennial gr...

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Burning and mowing as habitat management for capercaillie Tetrao urogallus: An experimental test

Cited by 28 publications

References 54 publications

Experimental evidence from Cantabrian mountain heathlands suggests new recommendations for management of Vaccinium myrtillus L

Experimental evidence from Cantabrian mountain heathlands suggests new recommendations for management of Vaccinium myrtillus L

Evaluating forest management intensity on an umbrella species: Capercaillie persistence in central Europe

Response of greater sage‐grouse to sagebrush reduction treatments in Wyoming big sagebrush

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