Response of the dominant rodent species to close-to-nature logging practices in a temperate mixed forest

Abstract

Lešo P., Lešová A., Kropil R., Kanuch P., 2016. Response of the dominant rodent species to close-to-nature logging practices in a temperate mixed forest. Ann. For. Res. 59(1): 259-268.Abstract. The paper aims to answer the question whether differences exist in microhabitat preferences of the yellow-necked mouse and the bank vole between the natural forest and close-to-nature managed forest in the phase of stand regeneration. The two species were live-trapped during two periods in 2006 and 2007 on a square trapping grid established in a managed forest and a natural one. Ten microhabitat variables of each trapping point were measured to analyse their influence on the spatial distribution of the two species. At trapping points, the number of capture records for each species as a dependent variable was modelled using Generalised Linear Models. The herbal cover and a distance to the nearest woody debris were the most important measured microhabitat variables which affect the spatial distribution of both species. In the natural forest, the number of captures in both species increased significantly (p < 0.05) with a decreasing number of trees, increasing undergrowth coverage and decreasing distance to the nearest woody debris. In the managed forest, an increasing distance to the nearest tree and increasing herbal cover had a negative effect on the yellow-necked mouse occurrence (p < 0.001), while in contrast, the increase in values of the same variables increased frequency of occurrence of the bank vole (p < 0.001). Moreover, the bank vole was more frequent in the presence of woody debris (p < 0.002). The study demonstrated clearly that these species modify their spatial activity depending on the management of the woodland.

Abundance of bank vole (Myodes glareolus Schreb.) as an indicative factor of different forest structure and management in the Drava plain region

“…Numerous studies reported that the bank vole occurs in all forest age classes (Ecke et al, 2002;Bryja et al, 2002;Margaletić et al, 2005). However, the abundance of this species varied considerably depending on the forest structure and forestry management (Ecke et al, 2002;Bogdziewicz & Zwolak, 2014;Lešo et al, 2016). Our result suggested that the survival and abundance of the bank vole were influenced by the difference in forest age and stand structure, despite its general eudominant character.…”

“…Numerous studies demonstrated that the high density of bank vole was associated with dense and structurally complex understorey vegetation (Mazurkiewicz & Rajska-Jurgiel, 1989;Chetnicki & Mazurkiewicz, 1994;Miklós & Žiak, 2002;Lešo et al, 2014;Suchomel et al, 2014) where it finds better food availability, shelters and nest sites (Chetnicki & Mazurkie-wicz, 1994;Buesching et al, 2008). In addition, many studies highlighted that the cover of dead wood was an important environmental factor for the bank vole's microhabitat selection, spatial distribution and abundance (Miklós & Žiak, 2002;Lešo et al, 2016;Zwolak et al, 2016). On the other hand, several studies focused on the survey of the difference between demographical parameters to investigate the response of small mammals to forestry practices (e.g.…”

Determining the Homogeneity and Stand Quality Values in Pure Oriental Spruce (Picea orientalis (L.) Link.) Grown in Turkey

“…During the management of the existing forests that are populated with various ages of trees, it is necessary to reserve the thick individuals to produce high-quality wood [36][37][38][39], but as a result of the natural regeneration, the thin individuals are substituted with thick ones [40][41][42]. Nevertheless, tree quality is reduced when the basal area increased [43][44][45][46][47] and as a result of changes the biodiversity of the forest, stand structure, and quality classification are also continuously changed.…”

Impacts of close-to-nature management on the stand states of Masson pine forests

“…The performance of stand parameters under CTNM (Tables 4-5, Figure 3) indirectly supported this viewpoint because more heterogeneous stand parameters were found where CTNM practices had rapidly modified the stand state. Multiple studies have verified that the greater the heterogeneity, the better the stand quality (de Leso et al 2016, Rehush and Waser 2017, Wan et al 2019 and CTNM is an effective method for improving the quality of plantation forests (He et al 2018). The main reason for our finding was that in Masson pine forest after CTNM, the stand density decreased and, therefore, competition was reduced among the remaining trees for water, nutrients and living space.…”