Sylvopastoral management and conservation of the middle spotted woodpecker at the south-western edge of its distribution range

Robles, Hugo; Ciudad, Carlos; Vera, RubÃ©n; Olea, Pedro P.; Purroy, Francisco; Matthysen, Erik

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2007.01.052

Cited by 48 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Moreover, Stachura-Skierczyńska and Kosiński (2016) did not find a positive relationship between the density of snags and the occurrence and abundance of the middle spotted woodpecker in large-scale studies. Both great spotted and middle spotted woodpeckers show no preferences for foraging on dead trees (Pasinelli and Hegelbach 1997;Robles et al 2007;Smith 2007), except for in old, near-natural beech forests, where dead wood plays an essential role as a foraging substrate for both species (Hertel 2003). The preferences for dead trees have also been reported during autumn-winter when arthropod availability decreases (Pettersson 1983;Domínguez et al 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do increases in the availability of standing dead trees affect the abundance, nest-site use, and niche partitioning of great spotted and middle spotted woodpeckers in riverine forests?

Kosiński

Pluta²,

Ulanowska³

et al. 2017

Biodivers Conserv

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Standing dead trees may be a limited resource for woodpeckers in managed forests, especially for species that rely on dead wood for their nest or roost cavity, and as foraging sites. Effective conservation strategies for woodpeckers require a detailed knowledge of species' responses to dead wood availability. To investigate the importance of standing dead wood (snags) for the abundance and nest-site use of the great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos major and middle spotted woodpecker Leiopicus medius in mature riverine forests, we compared the responses of birds between two periods-before mass mortality, and during a pulse in standing dead trees. The density of standing dead trees available for cavity excavation by the great spotted woodpecker and the middle spotted woodpecker increased significantly during the study period: 37-fold and 4-fold, respectively. Temporal trends in the abundance of both woodpecker species from 2000 to 2015 were not significant. Great spotted woodpeckers were significantly more likely to use dead trees and places with wounds in species other than oak and ash during the outbreak period than in the pre-outbreak period. Middle spotted woodpeckers were significantly less likely to excavate cavities in tree species other than oak and ash in the outbreak period, but dead trees were more likely selected. An interspecific comparison suggests that the probability of a nest-hole having been excavated by a middle spotted woodpecker increased with a nest-hole sited in ash, in a dead tree, in a limb/branch, and decreased with 123Biodivers Conserv (2018) 27:123-145 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-017-1425-6 a nest-hole in a closed forest. These findings suggest that woodpecker species, especially weak excavators, may benefit from an increase in dead wood availability leading to nest niche shifts into more favorable substrates for cavity excavation. However, a strong increase in dead wood availability does not modify the general pattern of niche partitioning between great spotted and middle spotted woodpeckers. Conservation plans for the specialized middle spotted woodpecker must consider the preference for dead and decaying trees. The decreasing number of large ashes and oaks, and the lack of natural regeneration of the latter species, may negatively affect the middle spotted woodpecker in the future.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do increases in the availability of standing dead trees affect the abundance, nest-site use, and niche partitioning of great spotted and middle spotted woodpeckers in riverine forests?

Kosiński

Pluta²,

Ulanowska³

et al. 2017

Biodivers Conserv

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“…Many woodpecker species specialize in their use of the forest resources and are dependent upon large or deciduous trees for foraging and nesting (Mikusiński et al, 2001;Robles et al, 2007;Ciudad et al, 2009;Touihri et al, 2014). One of the observed species, the Middle-spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius), is highly associated with mature oak stands in the Mediterranean (Robles et al, 2007) and are often considered a suitable indicator of valuable broadleaved forests (Pasinelli, 2000;Roberge & Angelstam, 2006). Specialized birds like woodpeckers may rely on other stand structures of oak forests than examined in this paper, thus they do not necessarily follow the general patterns for bird assemblages in forest stands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many oak stands have been traditionally utilized by rural communities, either as coppices providing timber and wood fuel, or as pastures (e.g. Robles et al 2007). Due to changes in socio-economical conditions, cessations of these practises have become more frequent recently (Debussche et al, 2001;Ciancio et al, 2006, Hartel et al 2014, leaving coppices abandoned (Barbéro et al, 1990) or converted into monospecific plantations managed for timber production (Fabbio et al, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Spitzer et al, 2008;Hartel et al 2014), including highly specialized species (e.g. Robles et al, 2007). The rapid transformation of the forest landscape is of particular concern for the conservation of biodiversity associated with traditionally managed stands in the species-rich Mediterranean basin.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Limiting factors at stand-level are food resource availability (e.g. Robles et al 2007) and access to suitable nest sites (Newton, 1998;, factors partly determined by stand structural complexity. This implies that stands of higher heterogeneity create a larger niche-space, hence sustaining a higher avian diversity (Tews et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influences of forest type and habitat structure on bird assemblages of oak (Quercus spp.) and pine (Pinus spp.) stands in southwestern Turkey

Bergner

Avcı

Eryiğit

et al. 2015

Forest Ecology and Management

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The Mediterranean basin exhibits a multitude of forest habitats affected by former and current exploitation and management. Recent afforestation programs have resulted in an increase in the proportion of coniferous trees, while oak stands, formerly utilized for coppicing and grazing, are abandoned or converted into coniferous plantations. The loss of oak stands might negatively affect birds dependent upon broadleaved forests. Studies confirming or rejecting that statement are scarce, particularly in the eastern part of the region. Using a study area in southwestern Turkey we applied a guild-based approach to investigate how pine and oak stands across a chronosequence differ in their capacity to support forest bird assemblages. Variables describing the vegetation were sampled to characterize the stands and relate bird assemblages to stand structure. Bird abundance and species richness was positively associated with age for both stand types. Richness and diversity was highest in oak stands, while there were no differences in bird abundance between the two forest types. Pine stands supported a different bird species composition compared to oak stands of the same age. Stand age and structure, rather than forest type, held the highest explanatory powers for bird assembly structure. Primary cavity-nesters and ground-nesters were more abundant in oak stands, possibly reflecting differences in stand structure and resource distribution. To support these birds with suitable habitats, oaks stands need conservation. Management practices in pine stands should strive for increasing the amount of old trees and retain vegetation in the understory to benefit breeding birds.

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The Potential for Long-Term Sustainability in Seminatural Forestry: A Broad Perspective Based on Woodpecker Populations

Lõhmus

Nellis

Pullerits

et al. 2015

Environmental Management

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We assessed ecological sustainability of seminatural forestry by analyzing 80-year dynamics and the current distribution of all woodpecker species in Estonia. We found that, despite the clear-cutting-based forestry system, woodpeckers inhabited commercial seminatural forests in substantial numbers, including the species generally considered vulnerable to timber harvesting. The only negative trend, a drastic decline in the Green Woodpecker, paralleled the loss of seminatural, wooded grasslands and is mostly an issue for landscape planning and agricultural land use. Major silvicultural factors supporting other species in commercial forests include natural regeneration with multiple native tree species and deadwood abundance. In such context, the main role of protected areas is to provide ecological resilience; however, we estimated that the current strict reserves could further double their carrying capacities for woodpeckers through successional recovery and, perhaps, active restoration. The long time series used were instrumental in detecting unexpected dynamics and the impacts of climatically extreme years. We conclude that (1) seminatural forestry can serve as a basis for reconciling timber harvesting and biodiversity protection at the landscape scale, given appropriate attention to key structures and landscape zoning and (2) woodpeckers represent a biological indicator system for the sustainability of forest landscapes in Europe.

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Sylvopastoral management and conservation of the middle spotted woodpecker at the south-western edge of its distribution range

Cited by 48 publications

References 30 publications

Do increases in the availability of standing dead trees affect the abundance, nest-site use, and niche partitioning of great spotted and middle spotted woodpeckers in riverine forests?

Do increases in the availability of standing dead trees affect the abundance, nest-site use, and niche partitioning of great spotted and middle spotted woodpeckers in riverine forests?

Influences of forest type and habitat structure on bird assemblages of oak (Quercus spp.) and pine (Pinus spp.) stands in southwestern Turkey

The Potential for Long-Term Sustainability in Seminatural Forestry: A Broad Perspective Based on Woodpecker Populations

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