Influence of headwater site conditions and riparian buffers on terrestrial salamander response to forest thinning.

摘要: Although thinning of young, even-aged forests may accelerate the development characteristics associated with mature forests, in short term it negatively affect some taxa, including terrestrial salamanders. Preexisting site conditions, down wood, and forest management measures, such as riparian buffers, moderate these effects, but relationships are poorly understood. To explore whether wood buffer widths might influence short-term responses to thinning, we sampled salamanders using ground searches before during first 2 years after experimental at two 45to 65-year-old headwater sites western Oregon that differed volume. Prethinning distributions overlapped oneand two-tree height except for red-backed salamanders, very little narrower streamside or variable-width buffers. At where volume was low, captures ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii Gray) (Plethodon vehiculum Cooper) both declined by 40% thinned areas. In contrast, slender (Batrachoseps wrighti Bishop) were not significantly affected high. Our results suggest volume, buffers effect on demonstrate tight linkage among aquatic, riparian, upslope resources forests. FOR. SCI. 53(2):320–330.