Open forest management for early successional birds

Hanberry, Brice B.; Thompson, Frank R.

doi:10.1002/wsb.957

Cited by 33 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Shortleaf pine woodlands are a disturbance-driven community, in which prescribed burns are necessary to sustain the understory in early successional conditions (Guldin and Loewenstein, 1999;Reynolds-Hogland et al, 2006;Hanberry and Thompson, 2019). Many of the fruiting species we observed are closely associated with early to midseral succession forests within open or relatively open-canopies (Halls, 1977;Martin et al, 1951).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Temporal changes in fruit production between recurrent prescribed burns in pine woodlands of the Ouachita Mountains

Wood

Comer

Perry

et al. 2019

Forest Ecology and Management

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The use of prescribed fire is integral to the restoration of open woodlands and savannas, including shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) woodlands in the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma and Arkansas. Fire offers many potential benefits to numerous wildlife; however, short-term implications for understory fruit production are not fully understood, especially in stands subjected to frequent, recurrent burns. We examined the effects of dormantseason prescribed burns on woody fruit production (kg ha −1 ) and fruit producing vegetative cover in the understory of restored pine woodlands. We inventoried 32 stands during four temporal periods after dormant season prescribed fires: 1, 2, 3, and 5 growing seasons post-burn. We counted fruit (< 2m above the ground) throughout the summer and visually estimated vegetative cover of fruit producing plants. Fruit production was greatest in the 3rd year (18.2 kg ha −1 ), followed by 5th (10.9 kg ha −1 ) and 2nd (9.8 kg ha −1 ) years after burns. Overall, 87% of total production consisted of three genera: American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana [38%]), Vitis spp. (summer grapes [Vitis aestivalis; 11%] and muscadine grape [V. rotundifolia; 10%]), and Rubus spp. (blackberry [20%] and dewberry [R. flagellaris; 8%]). Production was recorded in 13 of the 14 fruit producing species present during the 5th year post-burn, indicating that production diversity increased over time. Percent cover and species richness (26 taxa) of fruit producing taxa were greatest in the 3rd year post-burn. Taxa such as poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) and sumac (Rhus spp.) comprised a sizable percent of coverage (> 7% each), but this did not translate into substantial fruit production. American beautyberry and summer grape had both substantial coverage and production. Results suggest that burning on a 3-year rotation maximizes and prolongs fruit production; however, occasional burning on a 5-year rotation will promote a higher diversity of woody mast-producing understory species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Temporal changes in fruit production between recurrent prescribed burns in pine woodlands of the Ouachita Mountains

Wood

Comer

Perry

et al. 2019

Forest Ecology and Management

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“…Importantly, the transition to closed forests of fire-sensitive species is exacerbated by the resulting positive feedbacks whereby these species further reduce the flammability and abundant establishment of fire-sensitive species, which results in difficulty in applying prescribed burns and removal of fire-sensitive species (Mitchell et al, 2009;Ryan et al, 2013;Stambaugh et al, 2015;Dickinson et al, 2016;Kreye et al, 2018;Babl et al, 2020). Beyond the loss of overstory oak and pine dominance, there are consequences for regional biodiversity with the corresponding losses of a diversity of herbaceous plants and vertebrate and invertebrate animals linked to open ecosystems and their diverse understory now monopolized by trees in the absence of fire (Hanberry and Thompson, 2019). We have provided compelling evidence that exclusion of a keystone process, repetitive fire, is the primary cause of the observed transition in forest structure and composition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reviewing Fire, Climate, Deer, and Foundation Species as Drivers of Historically Open Oak and Pine Forests and Transition to Closed Forests

Hanberry

Abrams

Arthur

et al. 2020

Front. For. Glob. Change

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Historically open oak and pine savannas and woodlands have transitioned to closed forests comprised of increased numbers of tree species throughout the eastern United States. We reviewed evidence for and against a suite of previously postulated drivers of forest transition focused on (1) change in fire regimes, (2) increased precipitation, (3) increased white-tailed deer densities, and (4) loss of American chestnut. We found that fire and fire exclusion provide a parsimonious mechanism for historical dominance by open forests of fire-tolerant oak and/or pine species and subsequent transition to closed forests with fire-sensitive tree species that fill the vertical profile. Based on statistical tests, increased precipitation during the past century was within historical ranges and thus fails to provide an explanation for forest change; additionally, precipitation variability is incongruent with tree traits (i.e., both drought-tolerant and drought-intolerant species have increased and decreased) and patterns of tree establishment. Similarly, current deer densities fail to provide a statistical relationship to explain tree densities at regional scales, species trends are unrelated to deer browse preferences, and both historically open forests and contemporary closed forests contained high deer densities. Functional extinction of the American chestnut had localized impacts but chestnut was not abundant compared to oak or widespread enough in distribution to match forest transitions throughout the eastern United States. Although Euro-American settlement affected many processes, not all changes were consistent enough to cause transitions in forest composition and structure that generally trailed westward expansion by Euro-American settlers. Evidence about these drivers continues to mount and we recognize the need for further research and continual re-evaluation of drivers of historical forests and forest change due to importance for understanding and management of these ecosystems.

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“…Trees replace the herbaceous groundlayer in the understory of open forests, through capture of the growing space by development of multiple vertical layers and overstory canopy coverage in closed forests. In open forests, the herbaceous layer adds a grassland component, which is critical for declining pollinators and birds (e.g., Hanberry and Thompson 2019). The grassland layer may have been better adapted to grazing pressure than herbs of closed forests.…”

Section: Tree Species Composition and The Herbaceous Understorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, a question to consider may be whether deer densities great enough to prevent tree regeneration are an ecological problem or a helpful tool for management and restoration (Fløjgaard et al 2018). Loss of open forests probably has resulted in declines in associated species, such as herbaceous plants, pollinators, and birds (e.g., Hanberry and Thompson 2019). Prevention of tree regeneration to maintain or restore open forests is a difficult task that requires a great investment in management resources, and deer may provide assistance in controlling tree regeneration through tree consumption (e.g., Hanberry and Thompson 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does white-tailed deer density affect tree stocking in forests of the Eastern United States?

Hanberry

Abrams

2019

Ecol Process

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Background: White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have increased during the past century in the USA. Greater deer densities may reduce tree regeneration, leading to forests that are understocked, where growing space is not filled completely by trees. Despite deer pressure, a major transition in eastern forests has resulted in increased tree densities. Methods: To reconcile conflicting trends, we applied generalized linear mixed models to compare deer densities during 1982 and then 1996 to tree stocking after about 30 years and 15 years of potential reductions of small trees by deer, for the entire eastern US and 11 ecological provinces. We also compiled deer browse preferences and compared preferred browse with trends in tree species composition from historical (1620-1900) and current tree surveys. Results: The forested area of the eastern US, including a prairie ecological province, was equally well-stocked (52%) and understocked (48%) during 2011-2017 tree surveys. For 1982 deer densities, 38% of area had deer densities > 5.8 deer/km 2 and for 1996, 66% of area had deer densities > 5.8 deer/km 2. Deer densities and tree stocking were not related significantly for the entire eastern US. Deer may reduce tree stocking in the Laurentian Mixed Forest; however, this province had both lower deer densities and greater tree stocking than other provinces. Furthermore, major tree species trends did not match tree browse preferences. Conclusions: Rather than too few trees, too many trees is an ecological problem where historical open oak and pine forests had herbaceous understories, and currently, trees have captured growing space. We attribute other drivers than deer to explain this transition.

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Open forest management for early successional birds

Cited by 33 publications

References 52 publications

Temporal changes in fruit production between recurrent prescribed burns in pine woodlands of the Ouachita Mountains

Temporal changes in fruit production between recurrent prescribed burns in pine woodlands of the Ouachita Mountains

Reviewing Fire, Climate, Deer, and Foundation Species as Drivers of Historically Open Oak and Pine Forests and Transition to Closed Forests

Does white-tailed deer density affect tree stocking in forests of the Eastern United States?

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