Survey of Songbirds during a Spruce Beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) Outbreak on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Spruce beetles and forest ecosystems in south-central Alaska: A review of 30 years of research

“…This may have been because of the widespread use of beetle-killed spruce as nest sites by tree-nesting birds in the Copper River Basin (Matsuoka et al, 2001;Matsuoka and Handel, in press) and the faster rates that beetle-killed spruce decay, fall, and become unavailable as nest sites on the Kenai Peninsula (Werner et al, 1983a;Holsten et al, 1995). Woodpeckers, such as American three-toed woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis), which feed on the larvae of bark beetles (Murphy and Lehnhausen, 1998), appeared to increase briefly in numbers during outbreaks (Yeager and Riordan, 1953;Lance and Howell, 2000;Smith and Folkard, 2001), but likely decreased quickly in abundance as infestations abated and beetle larvae became scarce (Murphy and Lehnhausen, 1998;Matsuoka et al, 2001). Tree-nesting birds bred at lower densities in an infested forest that was clear-cut than infested stands that were left untreated (Lance and Howell, 2000;Collins et al, 2001).…”

“…Boutin, University of Alberta, unpublished data). Also affected were several avian species that nest exclusively in conifers in Alaska, such as ruby-and (Regulus calendula) goldencrowned kinglets (R. satrapa), and Townsend's warblers (Dendroica townsendi) (Lance and Howell, 2000;Collins et al, 2001;Matsuoka et al, 2001). Similarly, marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus), which nest in large conifers, may have had low rates of reproduction in coastal areas affected by spruce beetle outbreaks due to losses of nesting habitat (Kuletz et al, 1997).…”

Inter-species interactions and ecosystem effects of non-indigenous invasive and native tree-killing bark beetles

“…The level of changes in community structure will depend on several factors, such as tree species composition, presence of competing tree species, abundance of suitable host trees for aggressive beetle species, climatic variables (such as drought and temperature), and species composition of plants and animals prior to the outbreak (Lance and Howell 2000;Lance et al 2006;Werner et al 2006). Community changes due to indirect effects are particularly hard to predict without specific information about the ecology and the responses and interspecific interactions of the local species.…”

“…Extensive changes in community structures (Lance and Howell 2000;Lance et al 2006;Werner et al 2006); usually with declining abundance for species depending on canopy cover and living trees (seed-eating birds and mammals) and increasing abundance for species that benefit from more dead wood (e.g. woodpeckers and cavity-nesting birds) and open habitats (e.g.…”

Effects of spruce beetle infestations on berry productivity on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

“…On the Kenai Peninsula as many as 14 species of mammals and 30 species of birds commonly feed on berries (Martin et al, 1951;Erhlich et al, 1988). The spruce beetle infestation changed the forest canopy structure and directly affected habitat use by many forest birds (Lance and Howell, 2000;Matsuoka et al, 2001). Changes in understory vegetation as a result of decreased overstory competition affected habitat used by small mammals (Williams, 1999;Matsuoka et al, 2001;Lance et al, 2006).…”