Long-term responses of ecosystem components to stand thinning in young lodgepole pine forest: IV. Relative habitat use by mammalian herbivores

摘要: Pre-commercial thinning (PCT) is a silvicultural practice that can provide diverse understory and overstory vegetation conditions. We tested the hypothesis relative habitat use by snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), moose (Alces alces) would increase in response to enhanced abundance of herbs shrubs, species diversity structural conifers, heavily thinned (1000 stems/ha) stands, at 12–15 years post-thinning. Replicate study areas were located near Penticton, Kamloops, Prince George southcentral British Columbia, Canada. Each area had three young pine stands densities 500 stems/ha (low), 1000 (medium), 2000 (high), with an unthinned old-growth stand for comparison. Relative use, based on counts fecal pellets pellet-groups, was similar among five treatment hares (P = 0.24), 0.23), 0.16). However, low-density (500 ca. 3–20 times as many 2–4 than other stands. Low-density significantly greater canopy openness, volume shrubs <2 m, horizontal hiding cover <1.6 m treatments. positively related characteristics such forage security cover. These results support our responded well conifers overall Our suggest ungulate management be if emphasis placed enhancement throughout year, which differs from current recommendations tend focus winter range snow-interception # 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.