Experimental natural disturbance-based silviculture systems maintain mature forest bird assemblage long-term in Maine (USA)

Pohlman, Carl K.; Roth, Amber M.; Hartley, M.J.; Hunter, Malcolm L.; McGill, Brian J.; Seymour, Robert S.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120630

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Old forests provide unique habitat for forest birds, and the loss of that habitat in the Acadian Forest of New Brunswick has been linked directly to the long-term decline in old forest associates [56]. There is an inevitable trade-off between generating wood products from the forest and the provision of older forest habitat, although balance may be achievable through natural disturbance-based silvicultural systems that can better support mature forest birds [72]. Research on forest birds can provide some of the necessary information to assess the size and shape of those trade-offs and help to inform the conversation about the desired structure, function and composition of those forests.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of Forest Bird Communities to Managed Landscapes in the Acadian Forest

Venier,

Porter,

Adams

et al. 2024

Forests

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The loss of mature forests is a known stressor of forest management on biodiversity. Mature forests provide unique habitat for forest birds. Here, we examine the capacity of mature forest stands embedded in an intensively managed landscape to provide habitat for landbird species that are associated with mature, unfragmented habitats. We carry this out by comparing bird communities in forest stands in three landscapes with a gradient of management activity. We examined community-level indicators (richness, diversity, abundance and community structure), and trait-level indicators (species groups associated with cavity nesting, mature forests, interior forests and area sensitivity). We found no obvious negative effects on bird communities, species and trait groups in forest stands in the most intensively managed landscape relative to the less intensively managed landscapes. Our ability to draw inferences about the influence of management intensity is limited due to lack of replication; however, these results do provide evidence that mature forest stands within intensively managed landscapes can provide valuable habitat to mature forest associates. There are often trade-offs between generating wood products from the forest and the provision of mature forest habitats. Research on forest birds can provide some of the necessary information for assessing the size and shape of those trade-offs and help to inform the conversation about the desired structure, function and composition of forests.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%