Mid-term effects of windfall on bird use of riparian forest strips

摘要: W designed an experiment to assess the value of riparian forest strips as refuges for forest-dwelling birds in the boreal forest (5 replicates of 20 m, 40 m, 60 m, control> 300 m wide intact strips, and 20 m wide thinned strips). Although strip width explained much of the variation in bird numbers among plots, there was considerable variation within treatments. Over the same period, windfall caused 5-67% of tree mortality in the experimental strips compared to 3-16% in control plots. We found a correlation between variation in bird numbers within treatments and windfall intensity. In regions where 1) hilly relief may induce wind corridors along streams and 2) tree species such as balsam fir (Abies balsamea) are susceptible to windfall, narrow strips may have only a short-term value as refuges for forest-interior wildlife.