Vertebrate Faunal Diversity of Longleaf Pine Ecosystems

Means, D. Bruce

doi:10.1007/978-0-387-30687-2_6

Cited by 51 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 108 publications

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“…Greater numbers of flowervisiting insects following burn events in Longleaf Pine habitats may increase the abundance of some robber fly species. Means (2006) emphasized the value of dead trees, stumps, and prescribed fire, for vertebrate species in Longleaf Pine upland habitats. On Fort Stewart, we found a number of robber fly species to be strongly associated with the trunks of live Longleaf Pines and/or Longleaf Pine snags and logs (e.g., Efferia femorata, L. cinerea, L. affinus, L. saffrana, Proctacanthus heros, M. blantoni, M. maneei, and Atomosia puella).…”

Section: Robber Flies Associated With Longleaf Pine Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Robber Flies (Diptera: Asilidae) of Longleaf Pine Habitats on Fort Stewart, Georgia

Stevenson¹,

Thomas²,

Beaton³

2023

Southeastern Naturalist

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We inventoried the robber fly (Family Asilidae) fauna of 2 distinct Pinus palustris (Longleaf Pine) habitat types (mesic pine flatwoods, xeric sandhills) on a large, fire-managed landscape (Fort Stewart) located in the Coastal Plain of southeastern Georgia. We conducted aerial-net and sweep-net surveys at 30 sites on 111 dates from October 2020 to November 2022. We also sampled hardwood and mixed pine–hardwood communities. We collected a total of 380 robber flies comprising 25 genera and 62 species. We recorded 47 species from Longleaf Pine habitats, with 42 species collected from xeric Longleaf Pine sandhills and 20 species from mesic Longleaf Pine flatwoods. Thirty-two species were found in hardwood habitats. Machimus polyphemi, a poorly known obligate commensal of Gopherus polyphemus (Gopher Tortoise) burrows, was found at 5 sites. Two species that we documented from xeric Longleaf Pine sandhills, Machimus blantoni and Efferia slossonae, represent the first state records for Georgia. An Echthodopa cf. formosa population found in mesic pine flatwoods represents a significant range extension. Also, we report Stichopogon abdominalis from Georgia for the first time.

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Section: Robber Flies Associated With Longleaf Pine Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Robber Flies (Diptera: Asilidae) of Longleaf Pine Habitats on Fort Stewart, Georgia

Stevenson¹,

Thomas²,

Beaton³

2023

Southeastern Naturalist

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“…The longleaf pine savanna ecosystem is imperiled, and over the last few decades there have been extensive restoration efforts (Van Lear et al 2005). Like many other savanna systems, fire exclusion drastically reduced endemic floral and faunal diversity (Van Lear et al 2005; Means 2006; Nowacki & Abrams 2008). Restoration activities in longleaf savannas aim to reestablish vegetation structure, typically by promoting a mature pine overstory with an open canopy and reintroducing fire to maintain understory structure and composition (Van Lear et al 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental translocation for restoration of an ecosystem engineer

Pynne

Conner

Castleberry

et al. 2023

Restoration Ecology

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The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) savanna ecosystem in North America has declined by 97% from its historic range and its restoration is a conservation priority. The southeastern pocket gopher (Geomys pinetis), an ecosystem engineer in longleaf pine savannas, is absent from most of its historic range. Translocation of pocket gophers may be needed to reestablish ecosystem services of restored longleaf savannas. To determine translocation feasibility, we quantified survival, site fidelity, and homing of pocket gophers translocated using soft releases (with a starter burrow system; n = 13), hard releases (without a starter burrow system; n = 17), or released into their own burrows (control; n = 10). Naïve survival was 46 and 35% for soft-and hardreleased individuals, respectively, and 80% for controls. Most mortalities of translocated individuals (75.0%) occurred within 12 days. Including all radiotagged pocket gophers, daily survival of soft-released animals ( b S = 0.990) was intermediate between hard-released ( b S = 0.986) and controls ( b S = 0.993), and only hard-released was lower than controls. Using only individuals that survived greater than 14 days, we found no difference in daily survival. Site fidelity was low, with 70% of translocated pocket gophers making aboveground movements away from release point. However, soft-released individuals stayed at the release point three times longer than hard-released animals. No pocket gopher exhibited homing. Our results suggest translocation has potential for establishing pocket gopher populations into restored longleaf pine savannas and that mitigating mortality during establishment will increase the likelihood of success.

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“…Several studies have identified fine‐scale heterogeneity as important for maintaining bird, small mammal, invertebrate, and reptile diversity, but rarely for larger vertebrates (Batary & Baldi, 2004; Hurst et al, 2013; Lang et al, 2002; Magura, 2002; Reynolds et al, 2018). Understanding how species respond to edges at fine scales is important in maintaining diverse wildlife communities within longleaf pine ecosystems and can improve restoration efforts (Goodrich & Buskirk, 1995; Linnell & Strand, 2000; Means, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

At a fine scale, hardwood patches support wildlife diversity in longleaf pine woodlands

2023

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Restoring and maintaining biodiversity in a changing world is increasingly challenging due to the competing needs of species for suitable space and resources. One ecosystem that has seen considerable anthropogenic changes in extent and structure is the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem. Understanding how wildlife responds to restoration is important to informing forest restoration and conservation. We monitored game birds and mid-large-sized mammal occupancy in and around hardwood patches embedded within a longleaf pine woodland at The Jones Center at Ichauway in Newton, GA. We found that 11 species use the transition zone between the longleaf pine and hardwood hammocks. Gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) occupancy increased along the gradient while fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) declined. Our results suggest that oak patches and transitional zones are important to maintaining biodiversity within the longleaf pine ecosystem.

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Vertebrate Faunal Diversity of Longleaf Pine Ecosystems

Cited by 51 publications

References 108 publications

The Robber Flies (Diptera: Asilidae) of Longleaf Pine Habitats on Fort Stewart, Georgia

The Robber Flies (Diptera: Asilidae) of Longleaf Pine Habitats on Fort Stewart, Georgia

Experimental translocation for restoration of an ecosystem engineer

At a fine scale, hardwood patches support wildlife diversity in longleaf pine woodlands

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