1 / 17

Mark Wilson,Tom Gittings, Josephine Pithon, John O’Halloran, Tom C. Kelly, Paul Giller

Bird Assemblages of Irish Plantation Forestry: Effects of Growth Stage and Tree Species. Mark Wilson,Tom Gittings, Josephine Pithon, John O’Halloran, Tom C. Kelly, Paul Giller . Correspondence address: BIOFOREST Project, Dept. ZEPS, UCC, Cork. mark.wilson@ucc.ie. University College Cork.

johana
Télécharger la présentation

Mark Wilson,Tom Gittings, Josephine Pithon, John O’Halloran, Tom C. Kelly, Paul Giller

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Bird Assemblages of Irish Plantation Forestry: Effects of Growth Stage and Tree Species Mark Wilson,Tom Gittings, Josephine Pithon, John O’Halloran, Tom C. Kelly, Paul Giller Correspondence address: BIOFOREST Project, Dept. ZEPS, UCC, Cork. mark.wilson@ucc.ie

  2. University College Cork Trinity College Dublin PROJECT RESEARCHERS Researchers based in:

  3. PROJECT STRUCTURE • Three sub-projects: 1. Afforestation of open habitats 2. Contribution of open space within plantations 3. Effect of tree species and stage of forest cycle

  4. Mature    Mid-rotation  Thicket    Pre-thicket    2 species:Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis ash Fraxinus exelsior 4 ages:pre-thicket (<9 years) thicket (9-17 years) mid-rotation (23-30 years) mature (>35 years) Pure spruce Pure ash Spruce/ Ash mix

  5. POINT COUNT METHODOLOGY • 4-9 points located in each site • 1-3 visits, 2001 and 2002 • distance and identity of all birds < 50m • habitat variables: • canopy height • tree spacing • % cover of canopy, shrub and ground vegetation

  6. DATA PREPARATION • densities estimated using Distance v.4 • computer package • site species richness calculated for: • all bird species detected (total species richness) • amber and red listed birds • birds typical of forests, open habitats, and generalists

  7. DATA ANALYSES • cluster analysis and ordination of sites by • habitat variables, to derive forest structural types • ordination of sites by bird species composition • and densities • indicator analysis, to identify species typical of • different forest structural types • correlation of species richness values with • environmental variables

  8. STRUCTURAL HABITAT GROUPS Variation represented by ordination axes: • tree height • tree spacing • canopy cover • ground vegetation cover

  9. Variation represented by ordination axes: ASH SPRUCE • occurrence and abundance • of 47 species of birds within • each site MIXED ORDINATION BY BIRD ASSEMBLAGES

  10. TYPICAL BIRD SPECIES OF EACH STRUCTURAL GROUP • Young sites • Stonechat, Whitethroat, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, • Reed Bunting, Redpoll • Intermediate sites • Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff • Mature sites • Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, • Sparrowhawk

  11. BIRD SPECIES RICHNESS • no significant difference between pure spruce, pure • ash, or spruce/ash mixed sites • negatively correlated with growth stage-related variables and distance from forest edge ESPECIALLY FOR OPEN HABITAT AND AMBER/RED SPECIES • positively correlated with shrub cover • positively correlated with densities of Dunnocks, • Blackbirds and Wrens

  12. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1. • This study found no difference in species richness • between tree species • Other studies found broadleaved semi-natural forests in Ireland better for birds • Broadleaved plantation not the same as semi-natural woodland • Only one species of broadleaf in this study

  13. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 2. • Species richness decreases with distance from the forest edge, increases with shrub layer • Species richness positively correlated with densities of Dunnocks, Blackbirds and Wrens • Encourage development of understorey by preventing canopy closure, and by management of open space within and around forests

  14. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 3. • Bird species richness, especially of bird species of conservation concern was negatively correlated with growth stage-related variables • Elements of scrub shaded out as forests mature • Open habitat species, including nearly all Amber/Red species, are lost as canopy closes • Avoid planting habitats with bird assemblages that are intolerant of afforestation

  15. State body for promoting forestry research Environmental Protection Agency National Development Plan PROJECT FUNDING

  16. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Thanks to Coillte for allowing us to work on their land. • Thanks to Dr. Stuart Newson and Dr. David Noble of the BTO in Thetford, England, for advice on data analysis. • Thankyou for listening.

More Related