Songbird ecology in southwestern ponderosa pine forests: A literature review

Abstract

This publication reviews and synthesizes the literature about ponderosa pine forests of the Southwest, with emphasis on the biology, ecology, and conservation of songbirds. Critical bird-habitat management issues related to succession, snags, old growth, fire, logging, grazing, recreation, and landscape scale are addressed. Overviews of the ecology, current use, and history of Southwestern ponderosa pine forests are also provided. This report is one of the outcomes of the Silver vs ~hom'as court-settlement agreement of 1996. It is intended for planners, scientists, and conservationists in solving some of the controversies over managing forests and birds in the Southwest.Keywords: ponderosa pine, Southwest, songbirds Technical Editors:The order of editorship was determined by coin toss. William M. Block is project leader and research wildlife biologist with the Southwestern Terrestrial Ecosystem research work unit, Southwest Forest Sciences Complex, 2500 S. Pine Knoll, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Deborah M. Finch is project leader and research wildlife biologist with the Southwestern Grassland and Riparian research work unit, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 2205 Columbia SE, Albuquerque, NM 871 06.Publisher: Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station Fort Collins, ColoradoYou may order additional copies of this publication by sending your mailing information in label form through one of the following media. Please send the publication title and number. Thomas (1996) litigation, the Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station agreed to summarize the current knowledge on songbirds inhabiting ponderosa pine forests in the Southwest. This review represents the state-of-knowledge of songbird ecology in Southwestern ponderosa pine forests.Ponderosa pine is the major forest type in the Southwest, encompassing over 3 million hectares. rhe forest belt extending above the Mogollon Rim is the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the world. These forests have been occupied by humans for thousands of years, during which time humans derived multiple benefits from a variety of resources. Not only have these forests provided human needs, but they also provide for the needs of numerous plants and animals.A group of animals of particular interest are the songbirds, which occupy numerous habitats and stages. Each species uses a unique combination of habitat conditions, and changes to the forest may influence that species' population status. To a certain extent, birds can act as indicators of environmental conditions. By examining trends in bird populations, one might hope to index forest health, and vice versa.Thus, understanding the ecology of birds in ponderosa pine forest, including their habitat requirements and population trends, is key to gauging health of this forested ecosystem. The chapters presented in this document summarize what we know about ponderosa pine forest ecology as well as about the birds that inhabitat those forests. They represent a compilation of numerous independent studies and provide a s...

A case for multiscale habitat selection studies of small mammals

“…We included NDVI as a variable because land cover types with conifer trees have been shown to have the greatest NDVI values in the Organ Mountains ( Frey and Kopp 2013 ) and using NDVI would help distinguish among different cover types (i.e., conifer, nonconifer, and nonvegetated areas). Drainages sometimes hold water and water provides more opportunity for drinking and might increase the production of food-producing plants ( Moir and Ludwig 1979 ; Block and Finch 1997 ). Previous studies have suggested that N. q. australis is adapted to cool climates and associated vegetation types ( Patterson 1980 ; Frey and Kopp 2013 ); we therefore hypothesized aspect and hill shade would influence habitat selection.…”

“…Previous studies have suggested that N. q. australis is adapted to cool climates and associated vegetation types ( Patterson 1980 ; Frey and Kopp 2013 ); we therefore hypothesized aspect and hill shade would influence habitat selection. Areas with a southwest-facing aspect and decreased hill shade are expected to have more sunlight across the year, hence will not be as likely to support conifers and other cryomesic vegetation ( Moir and Ludwig 1979 ; Block and Finch 1997 ). Topographic position can influence ecological characteristics of a site, and N. q. australis is thought to be associated with steep slopes ( Rivieccio et al 2003 ); we therefore hypothesized that slope, VRM, TPI, and cliff would influence habitat selection.…”

Wildlife responses to thinning and burning treatments in southwestern conifer forests: A meta-analysis

“…Studies of wildlife responses to thinning and burning treatments vary widely in species studied, response variable (e.g., density, abundance) measured, treatment (e.g., thinning, burning) examined, and temporal and spatial extent of the study design. Existing reviews include summaries of impacts of thinning and burning treatments on birds (Block and Finch, 1997;Sallabanks et al, 2000;Bock and Block, 2005a,b) and qualitative reviews that described effects of thinning and fire on multiple wildlife species (Lyon et al, 2000;Chambers and Germaine, 2003;Pilliod and Bull, 2006). A recent meta-analysis examined the impacts of forest treatments on small mammals in North American forests, but focused on clearcutting as a management tool (Zwolak, 2009).…”