Source: WASHINGTON OFFICE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT submitted to
HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF SELECT WILDLIFE SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH MATURE AND OLD-GROWTH FORESTS AND THEIR RESPONSE TO DISTURBANCE
Sponsoring Institution
Forest Service/USDA
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
USDA INHOUSE
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0197188
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
PSW-4251-1
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jun 5, 1998
Project End Date
Jun 30, 2005
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Zielinski, W. J.
Recipient Organization
WASHINGTON OFFICE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
1601 N. KENT ST., 4TH FLR, RP-C
ARLINGTON,VA 22209
Performing Department
REDWOOD SCIENCE LAB - ARCATA, CA
Non Technical Summary
(N/A)
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
70%
Developmental
30%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
13508501070100%
Knowledge Area
135 - Aquatic and Terrestrial Wildlife;

Subject Of Investigation
0850 - Wildlife habitats;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;
Goals / Objectives
There is a need to understand the habitat requirements of select wildlife species associated with mature and old-growth forests and how they respond to habitat disturbance and fragmentation.
Project Methods
To determine the habitat requirements of wildlife species requires a comparative approach. Research to be conducted in northern California and southern Oregon will take place in forest stands of all ages. Building on the results of previous research, the major focus will be on the vertebrate species most strongly associated with mature and old-growth forests using methods appropriate to individual species or assemblages of species. We will develop a conceptual framework for the development and testing of species habitat models at a variety of spatial scales. At this time there is no standard procedure to assess and interpret species-habitat relationships at landscape and metapopulation scales. Therefore, there may first be a need to develop sound theoretical concepts and empirical tools as a basis for exploring population-landscape relationships. Once developed, this approach should be generally applicable to other wildlife habitat investigations. The following research areas will be specifically addressed: 1) Predictive qualitative and quantitative models relating variation in a species' abundance to habitat variation will be developed based on existing data bases. 2) The ability of these vegetation models to predict the abundance of specific species will be tested in forest stands not used in the construction of the original models. To the extent that the models fail, they will be changed to incorporate new information. 3) For selected species, we will test how well these vegetation models predict observed changes in abundance which accompany changes in habitat structure. This will be accomplished by studying selected forest stands both before and after habitat disturbance. We will specifically investigate whether a species response to habitat change is characterized by time-lags. 4) Preliminary investigations into fragmentation effects will focus on the distribution patterns of selected species in forest stands that are as similar as possible in all aspects except degree of isolation. 5) We will continue survey efforts to determine the geographical range and specific habitat distribution patterns of marbled murrelets in California.

Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06

Outputs
Researchers at the Redwood Sciences Laboratory continue to focus on important species found within California and the western United States. This research has expanded understanding of habitat requirements of several species of forest birds, carnivores, reptiles, bats, amphibians, and mollusks. For example: (1) local and regional features combine to predict the occurrence of terrestrial snails, (2) micro-environmental features within forest stands often determine the presence of several amphibians; and (2) forest landscape factors such as stand size and composition influence small carnivores (marten and fisher), marbled murrelets, and landbirds. The unit has developed and published a wide variety of cost-effective and reliable methods to inventory and monitor many vertebrate species, including the above species and groups. These have been adopted as standard methods, both nationally and internationally. Increasingly these methods are exploiting the availability of national inventory data and sampling systems, in particular the Forest Inventory and Analysis program. Unit researchers have lead in editing and publishing multi-authored monographs on landbird monitoring, marbled murrelets, and mammalian carnivores, and a bat survey protocol is in development. The unit is contributing significantly to the new science used to manage the Trinity River system in northern California. The unit's scientists have contributed to evaluating the effects of fire and fuels management on the habitats of aquatic and terrestrial species as well as developing conceptual models for considering uncertainty in the application of fire and fuels management to forests in the western United States. Another new accomplishment is the unit's contributions to the development of tools to help evaluate the effects of roads on wildlife and wildlife habitats.

Impacts
Information derived from research on the needs of species at risk helps managers of both public and private lands make better and more cost effective decisions to maintain viable populations of native species. Monitoring approaches developed by the unit provides cost effective means for determining the distribution and abundance of species of concern. Decision-support tools developed by the unit are being integrated into land use planning exercises on western national forests.

Publications

  • Miller, S.L.; Ralph, C.J. 2005. A watershed-scale survey for stream-foraging birds in northern California. In: Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D., eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA. Volume 1. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 537-540.
  • Nelson, S.K.; Huff, M.H.; Miller, S.L.; Raphael, M.G. 2006. Chapter 2: Marbled Murrelet biology: Habitat relations and populations. In: Huff, M.H.; Raphael, M.G.; Miller, S.L.; Nelson, S.K.; Baldwin, J., technical coordinators. 2006. Northwest Forest Plan-The first 10 years (1994-2003): Status and trends of populations and nesting habitat for the Marbled Murrelet. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-650. Portland, OR: Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 9-30.
  • Miller, S.L.; Ralph, C.J.; Raphael, M.G.; Strong, C.; Thompson, C.W.; Baldwin, J.; Huff, M.H.; Falxa, G.A. 2006. Chapter 3: At-sea monitoring of Marbled Murrelet population status and trend in the Northwest Forest Plan Area. In: Huff, M.H.; Raphael, M.G.; Miller, S.L.; Nelson, S.K.; Baldwin, J., technical coordinators. 2006. Northwest Forest Plan-The first 10 years (1994-2003): Status and trends of populations and nesting habitat for the Marbled Murrelet. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-650. Portland, OR: Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 31-60.
  • Carlisle, J.D.; Ralph, C.J. 2005. Towards the establishment of landbird migration monitoring networks in the United States. In: Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D., eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA. Volume 2. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 698-700.
  • Dunk, J.R.; Zielinski, W.J.; Welsh, H. H., Jr. 2006. Evaluating reserves for species richness and representation in northern California. Diversity and Distributions 12: 434-442.
  • Garwood, J. M. 2006. Rana cascadae (Cascades frog). Tadpole predation. Herpetological Review 37: 76.
  • Huff, M.H.; Raphael, M.G.; Miller, S.L.; Nelson, S.K.; Baldwin, J., technical coordinators. 2006. Northwest Forest Plan-The first 10 years (1994-2003): Status and trends of populations and nesting habitat for the Marbled Murrelet. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-650. Portland, OR: Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 149.
  • Huff, M.H.; Raphael, M.G.; Miller, S.L.; Nelson, S.K.; Baldwin, J.; Young, R.D.; Brown, M.; Evans-Mack, D. 2006. Chapter 4: Estimating the amount of Marbled Murrelet nesting habitat on federal lands by using a systematic grid sampling strategy. In: Huff, M.H.; Raphael, M.G.; Miller, S.L.; Nelson, S.K.; Baldwin, J., technical coordinators. 2006. Northwest Forest Plan-The first 10 years (1994-2003): Status and trends of populations and nesting habitat for the Marbled Murrelet. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-650. Portland, OR: Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 61-96.
  • Huff, M.H.; Raphael, M.G.; Miller, S.L.; Nelson, S.K.; Baldwin, J. 2006. Chapter 6: What we have learned. In: Huff, M.H.; Raphael, M.G.; Miller, S.L.; Nelson, S.K.; Baldwin, J., technical coordinators. 2006. Northwest Forest Plan-The first 10 years (1994-2003): Status and trends of populations and nesting habitat for the Marbled Murrelet. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-650. Portland, OR: Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 147-149.
  • Hutto, R.L.; Ralph, C.J. 2005. Introduction Regional Monitoring Programs. In: Ralph, C. J.; Rich, T.D., eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA. Volume 2. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 924-925.
  • Jacobson, S.L. 2005. Mitigation measures for highway-caused impacts to birds. In: Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D., eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA. Volume 2. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 1043-1050.
  • Karraker, N.E.; Welsh, H.H., Jr. 2006. Long-term impacts of even-aged timber management on abundance and body condition of terrestrial amphibians in Northwestern California. Biological Conservation 131: 132-140.
  • Karraker, N. E.; Pilliod, D.S.; Adams, M.J.; Bull, E.L.; Corn, P.S.; Diller, L.V.; Dupius, L.A.; Hayes, M.P.; Hossack, B.R.; Hodgson, G.R.; Hyde, E.J.; Lohman, K.; Norman, B.R.; Ollivier, L.M.; Pearl, C.A.; Peterson, C.R. 2006. Taxonomic variation in oviposition by tailed frogs (Ascaphus spp.). Northwestern Naturalist 87: 87-97.
  • Latta, S.C.; Ralph, C.J.; Geupel, G.R. 2005. Strategies for the conservation monitoring of resident landbirds and wintering Neotropical migrants in the Americas. Ornitologia Neotropical 16: 163-174.
  • Solano, A.; Herrera, P.A. 2005. Segundo registro de la Pardela Cenicienta Calonectris diomedea (Procellaridae: Aves) en las costas caribenas de Centroamerica. Zeledonia 9(1): 57-59. http://www.zeledonia.org/files/revista/zeledonia_9_1/pardela.htm
  • Spickler, J.C.; Sillett, S.C.; Marks, S.B.; Welsh, H.H., Jr. 2006. Evidence of a new niche for a North American salamander: Aneides vagrans residing in the canopy of old-growth redwood forest. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 1: 16-27.
  • Stauffer, H. B.; Zabel, C.J.; Dunk, J.R. 2005. Application of empirical Bayesian statistical analysis to habitat association modeling of the northern spotted owl in California: new statistical methods for wildlife research. In: Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D., eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. U.S. Departement of Agriculture, Forest Service General Technical Report PSW-GTR-191; 787-794.
  • Welsh, H. H., Jr.; Pope, K.L.; Boiano, D. 2006. Sub-alpine amphibian distributions related to species palatability to non-native salmonids in the Klamath mountains of northern California. Diversity and Distributions 12: 298-309.
  • Welsh, H. H., Jr.; Dunk, J.R.; Zielinski, W.J. 2006. Developing and applying habitat models using forest inventory data: an example using a terrestrial salamander. Journal of Wildlife Management 70: 671-681.
  • Panjabi, A. O.; Dunn, E.H.; Blancher, P.J.; Hunter, W.C.; Altman, B.L.; Bart, J.; Beardmore, C.J.; Berlanga, H.; Butcher, G.S.; Davis, S.K.; Demarest, D.W.; Dettmers, R.; Easton, W.; Gomez de Silva Garza, H.; Inigo-Elias, E.E.; Pashley, D.N.; Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D.; Rosenberg, K.V.; Rustay, C.M.; Ruth, J.M.; Wendt, J.S.; Will, T.C. 2005. The Partners in Flight handbook on species assessment. Version 2005. Partners in Flight Technical Series No. 3. Available at Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory website: http://www.rmbo.org/pubs/downloads/Handbook2005.pdf
  • Pilgrim, K. L.; Zielinski, W.J.; Mazurek, M.J.; Schlexer, F.V.; Schwartz, M.K. 2006. Development and characterization of microsatellite markers in the Point Arena Mountain beaver Aplodontia rufa nigra. Molecular Ecology Notes 6: 800-802.
  • Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D., eds. 2005. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA. Volume 1. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 651.
  • Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D., eds. 2005. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA. Volume 2. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 643.
  • Ralph, C.J.; Widdowson, M.J.; Frey, R.I.; Herrera, P.; O'Donnell, B.P. 2005. An overview of a Landbird Monitoring Program at Tortuguero, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. In: Ralph, C.J. Rich, T.D., eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA. Volume 2. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 831-843.
  • Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D. 2005. The state of the art and the state of the science: Partners in Flight in the 21st century. In: Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D., eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA; Volume 1. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 1-3.
  • Raphael, M.G.; Galleher, B.; Huff, M.H.; Miller, S.L.; Nelson, S.K.; Young, R.D. 2006. Chapter 5: Spatially-explicit estimates of potential nesting habitat for the Marbled Murrelet. In: Huff, M.H.; Raphael, M.G.; Miller, S.L.; Nelson, S.K.; Baldwin, J., technical coordinators. 2006. Northwest Forest Plan-The first 10 years (1994-2003): Status and trends of populations and nesting habitat for the Marbled Murrelet. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-650. Portland, OR: Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 97-146.
  • Seavy, N.E.; Quader, S.; Alexander, J.D.; Ralph, C.J. 2005. Generalized linear models and point count data: Statistical considerations for the design and analysis of monitoring studies. In: Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D., eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA. Volume 2. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 744-753.
  • Solano, A.; Ralph, C.J.; Herrera, P.A. 2005. El Proyecto Integrado de Monitoreo de Aves de Tortuguero: mas de 10 anos en el estudio y conservacion de aves migratorias y residentes neotropicales. Zeledonia 9(2): 76-82. http://www.zeledonia.org/files/revista/zeledonia_9_2/proyecto.htm.
  • Zielinski, W. J.; Truex, R.L.; Dunk, J.R.; Gaman, T. 2006. Using forest inventory data to assess fisher resting habitat suitability in California. Ecological Applications 16: 1010-1025.
  • Zielinski, W.J; Truex, R.L.; Schlexer, F.V.; Campbell, L.A.; Carroll, C. 2005. Historical and contemporary distributions of carnivores in forests of the Sierra Nevada, California, U.S.A. Journal of Biogeography 32: 1385-1407.
  • Alexander, J.D.; Seavy, N.E.; Ralph, C.J.; Hogoboom, B. 2006. Vegetation and topographical correlates of fire severity from two fires in the Klamath-Siskiyou region of Oregon and California. International Journal of Wildland Fire 15: 237-245.
  • Ashton, D.T.; Marks, S.B.; Welsh, H.H., Jr. 2006. Evidence of continued effects from timber harvesting on lotic amphibians in redwood forests of northwestern California. Forest Ecology and Management 221: 183-193.
  • Bart, J.; Ralph, C.J. 2005. Suggestions for establishing a network of landbird migration monitoring sites. In: Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D., eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA. Volume 2. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 701-704.
  • Bart, J.; Ralph, C.J. 2005. The need for a North American coordinated bird monitoring program. In: Ralph, C.J.; Rich, T.D., eds. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, CA. Volume 2. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 982-984.


Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05

Outputs
Researchers at the Redwood Sciences Laboratory continue to focus on important species found within California and the western United States. This research has expanded understanding of habitat requirements of several species of forest birds, carnivores, reptiles, bats, amphibians, and mollusks. For example: (1) local and regional features combine to predict the occurrence of terrestrial snails, (2) micro-environmental features within forest stands often determine the presence of several amphibians; and (2) forest landscape factors such as stand size and composition influence small carnivores (marten and fisher), marbled murrelets, and landbirds. The unit has developed and published a wide variety of cost-effective and reliable methods to inventory and monitor many vertebrate species, including the above species and groups. These have been adopted as standard methods, both nationally and internationally. Unit researchers have lead in editing and publishing multi-authored monographs on landbird monitoring, marbled murrelets, and mammalian carnivores, and a bat survey protocol is in development. The unit is contributing significantly to the new science used to manage the Trinity River system in northern California. The unit's scientists have contributed to evaluating the effects of fire and fuels management on the habitats of aquatic and terrestrial species as well as developing conceptual models for considering uncertainty in the application of fire and fuels management to forests in the western United States. Another new accomplishment is the unit's contributions to the development of tools to help evaluate the effects of roads on wildlife and wildlife habitats.

Impacts
Information derived from research on the needs of species at risk helps managers of both public and private lands make better and more cost effective decisions to maintain viable populations of native species. Monitoring approaches developed by the unit provides cost effective means for determining the distribution and abundance of species of concern. Decision-support tools developed by the unit are being integrated into land use planning exercises on western national forests.

Publications

  • Welsh, H. H., Jr.; Karracker, N. E. 2005. Rhyacotriton variegatus Stebbins and Lowe 1951. Southern torrent salamander. In: Lannoo, M. editor. Amphibian declines: the conservation status of United States species. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA: 882-884.
  • Ralph, C. J.; Dunn, E. H.; Peach, W. J.; Handel, C. M. 2004. Recommendations for the use of mist nets in monitoring bird populations. In: Ralph, C. J.; Dunn, E. H., editors. Monitoring Bird Populations Using Mist Nets, Studies in Avian Biology, Cooper Ornithological Society, Camarillo, CA; 187-196.
  • Slauson, K. M. and W. J. Zielinski. 2004. Conservation status of American martens and fishers in the Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion. In: Mergenthaler, K. L.; Williams, J. E.; Jules, E. S., eds. Proceedings of the second conference on Klamath-Siskiyou ecology; 2003 May 29-31; Cave Junction, OR. Siskiyou Field Institute: 41-52.
  • Stauffer, H.B.; Ralph, C.J.; Miller, S.L. 2004. Ranking habitat for Marbled Murrelets: New conservation approach for species with uncertain detection. Ecological Applications 14(5): 1374-1383.
  • Welsh, H. H., Jr.; Bury, R. B. 2005. Plethodon elongatus Van Denburgh 1916. Del Norte salamander. In: Lannoo, M. editor. Amphibian declines: the conservation status of United States species. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA: 806-807.
  • Welsh, H. H., Jr.; Hodgson, G. R.; Lind, A. J. 2005. Ecogeography of the herpetofauna of a northern California watershed: linking species patterns to landscape processes. Ecography 28:521-536.
  • Welsh, H. H., Jr.; Hodgson, G. R.; Karraker, N. E. 2005. Influences of the vegetation mosaic on riparian and stream environments in a mixed forest-grassland landscape in 'Mediterranean' California. Ecography 28:537-551.
  • Zielinski, W. J. 2004. The status and conservation of mesocarnivores in the Sierra Nevada. In: Murphy, D.; Stine, P. editors. Proceedings of the Sierra Nevada Science Symposium: 2002 October 7-10; Kings Beach, CA. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-193. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture: 185-195.
  • Zielinski, W.J.; Truex, R. L.; Schlexer, F. V.; Campbell, L. A.; Carroll, C. 2005. Historical and contemporary distributions of carnivores in forest of the Sierra Nevada, California, U.S.A. Journal of Biogeography 32:1385-1407.
  • Alexander, J. D.; Ralph, C. J.; Hogoboom, B.; Seavy, N. R.; Janes, S. 2004. Understanding effects of fire suppression, fuel treatment, and wildfire on bird communities in the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion. In: Mergenthaler, K. L.; Williams, J. E.; Jules, E. S., eds. Proceedings of the second conference on Klamath-Siskiyou ecology; 2003 May 29-31; Cave Junction, OR. Siskiyou Field Institute: 42-46.
  • Bart, J.; Burnham, K.P.; Dunn, E.H.; Francis, C.M.; Ralph, C.J. 2004. Goals and strategies for estimating trends in landbird abundance. Journal of Wildlife Management 68:611-626.
  • Bury, R. B.; Welsh, Jr., H. H. 2005. Plethodon stormi Highton and Brame 1965. Siskiyou Mountains salamander. In: Lannoo, M. editor. Amphibian declines: the conservation status of United States species. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA: 842-843.
  • Feral, D.; Camann, M. A.; Welsh, Jr., H. H. 2005. Dicamptodon tenebrosus larvae with hyporheic zones of intermittent streams in California. Herpetological Review 36:26-27.
  • Huff, M. H.; Seavy, N. E.; Alexander, J. D.; Ralph, C. J. 2005. Fire and birds in the maritime Pacific Northwest. In: Saab, V.; Powell, H. eds. Fire and avian ecology. Studies in Avian Biology no. 30:46-62.
  • Hussell, D. J. T.; Ralph, C. J. 2005. Recommended methods for monitoring change in bird populations by counting and capture of migrants. North American Bird Bander 30(1): 6-20.
  • Jones, L. L. C.; Welsh, H. H., Jr. 2005. Dicamptodon tenebrosus (Baird and Girard 1852). Coastal giant salamander. In: Lannoo, M. editor. Amphibian declines: the conservation status of United States species. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA: 654-656.
  • Karracker, N.; Ollivier, L. M.; Hodgson, G. H. 2005. Oviposition site of the southern torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton vareigatus) in northwestern California. Northwestern Naturalist 86:34-36.
  • Lind, A. L.; Welsh, Jr., H. H.; Talmon, D. R. 2005. Garter snake population dynamics from a 16-year study: considerations for ecological monitoring. Ecological Applications 15:294-303.
  • Mazurek, M.J. 2004. A maternity roost of Townsend's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii) in coast redwood basal hollows in northwestern California. Northwestern Naturalist 85:60-62.
  • Ralph, C.J. 2005. The body grasp technique: a rapid method of removing birds from mist nets. North American Bird Bander 30(2): 65-70.


Progress 06/05/98 to 06/30/05

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The research at the Redwood Sciences Laboratory focused on important species found within California and the western United States. Over the life of this problem, the unit developed and published a wide variety of cost-effective and reliable methods to inventory and monitor many vertebrate species. These methods were adopted as standard methods, both nationally and internationally. These methods exploit the availability of national inventory data and sampling systems, in particular the Forest Inventory and Analysis program. The unit contributed significantly to the new science used to manage the Trinity River system in northern California PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: This problem has been closed and terminated.

Impacts
Information derived from research on the needs of species at risk helped managers of both public and private lands make better and cost effective decisions to maintain viable populations of native species.

Publications


    Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

    Outputs
    Researchers at the Redwood Sciences Laboratory continue to focus on important species found within California and the western United States. This research has expanded understanding of habitat requirements of several species of forest birds, carnivores, reptiles, bats, amphibians, and mollusks. For example: (1) local and regional features combine to predict the occurrence of terrestrial snails, (2) micro-environmental features within forest stands often determine the presence of several amphibians; and (2) forest landscape factors such as stand size and composition influence small carnivores (marten and fisher), marbled murrelets, and landbirds. The unit has developed and published a wide variety of cost-effective and reliable methods to inventory and monitor many vertebrate species, including the above species and groups. These have been adopted as standard methods, both nationally and internationally. Unit researchers have lead in editing and publishing multi-authored monographs on landbird monitoring, marbled murrelets, and mammalian carnivores, and a bat survey protocol is in development. The unit is playing a lead role in the design and implementation of effectiveness monitoring for both marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls for the Northwest Forest Plan. Recently, the unit's scientists have contributed to evaluating the effects of fire and fuels management on the habitats of aquatic and terrestrial species as well as developing conceptual models for considering uncertainty in the application of fire and fuels management to forests in the western United States. Another new accomplishment is the unit's contributions to the development of tools to help evaluate the effects of roads on wildlife and wildlife habitats.

    Impacts
    Information derived from research on the needs of species at risk helps managers of both public and private lands make better and more cost effective decisions to maintain viable populations of native species. Monitoring approaches developed by the unit provides cost effective means for determining the distribution and abundance of species of concern. Decision-support tools developed by the unit are being integrated into land use planning exercises on western national forests.

    Publications

    • Buskirk, S. W.; Zielinski, W. J. 2004. Small and mid-sized carnivores. In: C. Zabel and B. Anthony, editors. Mammal community dynamics and forest management in western coniferous forests; Island Press; 207-249.
    • Davic, R. D.; Welsh, Jr., H. H. 2004. On the ecological roles of salamanders. The Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 35:405-434.
    • Dunk, J. R.; Zielinski, W. J.; Preisler, H. K. 2004. Predicting the occurrence of rare mollusks in northern California forests. Ecological Applications 14:713-729.
    • Manley, P.N.; Zielinski, W.J.; Schlesinger, M.D.; Mori, S.R. 2004. Evaluation of a multiple-species approach to monitoring species at the ecoregional scale. Ecological Applications 14(1): 296-310.
    • Zielinski, W. J.; Truex, R. L.; Schmidt, G.; Schlexer, R.; Barrett, R. H. 2004. Home range characteristics of fishers in California. Journal of Mammalogy 85:649-657.
    • May, C. L.; Lee, D. C. 2004. The relationships among in-channel sediment storage, pool depth, and summer survival of juvenile salmonids in Oregon coast range streams. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 24: 761-774.
    • Mazurek, M. J.; Zielinski, W. J. 2003. Individual legacy trees influence vertebrate diversity in commercial forests. Forest Ecology and Management 193:321-334.
    • Meyer, C.B.; Miller, S.L.; Ralph, C.J. 2004. Logistic regression accuracy across different scales for a wide-ranging species, the marbled murrelet. In S. Huzurbazar, editor. Resource Selection Methods and Applications. Omipress, Madison, WI; 94-106.
    • Powell, R. A., Buskirk, S. W.; Zielinski, W. J. 2003. Fishers and martens. In: G. Feldhamer, B. Thompson, and J. Chapman, editors. Wild Mammals of North American, Second edition; Johns Hopkins Press; 635-649.
    • Proulx, G.; Aubry, K.; Birks, J.; Buskirk, S.; Fortin, C.; Frost, H.; Krohn, W.; Mayo, L.; Monakov, V.; Payer, D.; Santos-Reis, M.; Weir, R.; Zielinski, W. 2004. World distribution and status of the genus Martes. In: D. Harrison and A. Fuller, editors. Martes in Managed Landscapes, University of Maine Press.
    • Welsh, H. H., Jr. 2004. LifePlace: Bioregional thought and practice by Robert L. Thayer, Jr. Book review. The Quarterly Review of Biology 79: 227-228.
    • Wisely, S. M.; Buskirk, S. W.; Russell, G. A.; Aubry, K. B.; Zielinski, W. J. 2004. Phylogeography and genetic diversity of the fisher (Martes pennanti) in a peninsular and peripheral metapopulation. Journal of Mammalogy: 85:640-648.
    • Zielinski, W. J.; Duncan, N. E. 2004. Diet of sympatric fishers and American martens in California. Journal of Mammalogy 85:470-477.
    • Zielinski, W. J.; Truex, R. L.; Schmidt, G.; Schlexer, R.; Barrett, R. H. 2004. Resting habitat selection by fishers in California. Journal of Wildlife Management 68:475-492.


    Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03

    Outputs
    Researchers at the Redwood Sciences Laboratory continue to focus on important species found within California and the western United States. This research has expanded understanding of habitat requirements of several species of forest birds, carnivores, reptiles, bats, amphibians, and mollusks. For example: (1) local and regional features combine to predict the occurrence of terrestrial snails, (2) micro-environmental features within forest stands often determine the presence of several amphibians; and (3) forest landscape factors such as stand size and composition influence small carnivores (marten and fisher), marbled murrelets, and landbirds. The unit scientists have developed and published a wide variety of cost-effective and reliable methods to inventory and monitor many vertebrate species, including the above species and groups. These have been adopted as standard methods, both nationally and internationally. Unit researchers have lead in editing and publishing multi-authored monographs on landbird monitoring, marbled murrelets, and mammalian carnivores, and a bat survey protocol is in development. The unit is playing a lead role in the design and implementation of effectiveness monitoring for both marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls for the Northwest Forest Plan. The unit researchers' work on red tree voles resulted in service as species experts on the team formed to evaluate the effects of forest management on these species under the Northwest Forest Plan. We have made contributions to evaluating the effect of land allocations under the Northwest Forest Plan on mollusks, salamanders, fishers and owls. Recently, the unit's scientists have contributed to evaluating the effects of fire and fuels management on the habitats of aquatic and terrestrial species as well as developing conceptual models for considering uncertainty in the application of fire and fuels management to forests in the western United States. Another new accomplishment is the contributions to the development of tools to help evaluate the effects of roads on wildlife and wildlife habitats. As the RWUD is revised this fiscal year, the unit is evolving into several new and relevant emerging issues, emphasizing the application of research implications of past and ongoing research in larger and more integrated ecosystem contexts.

    Impacts
    The economic impacts from this year's research attainments fall into the realm of avoiding the cost of continued environmental degradation through lack of information. Information derived from research on the needs of species at risk helps managers make better and more cost effective decisions to maintain viable populations of the species that the public has expressed a strong desire to maintain on public lands.

    Publications

    • May, C.L.; Lee, D.C. [In press]. Debris flow occurrence in the immediate post-fire and inter-fire time periods, and associated effects on channel aggradation in the Oregon Coast Range. Proceedings of the 2002 Pacific Southwest Fire Conference, 2002, December 2-5; San Diego, CA. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR. Albany, CA: Pacific southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
    • Adair, S.; Dereske; M. L.; Doyle, J.; Edwards, A.; Jacobson, S.; Jemison, R.; Lewis, L.; Melgin, W.; Napper, C.; Ratcliff, T.; Warhol, T. 2002. Management and techniques for riparian restoration: roads field guide, volumes I and II. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMS-GTR-102. Fort Collins, CO: Rocky Mountain Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 54 p.
    • Bisson P. A.; Rieman, B. E.; Luce, C.; Hessburg, P. F.; Lee, D. C.; Kershner, J. L; Reeves, G. H.; Gresswell, R. E. 2003. Fire and aquatic ecosystems of the western USA: Current knowledge and key questions. Forest Ecology and Management 178: 213-229.
    • Borchers, J. G.; Kusel, J. 2003. Toward a civic science for community forestry. Chapter 8 in Community-based forestry in the united states: evolution, learning from the past, crafting the future. Island Press, Washington; 247 p.
    • Burton, K. M. 2002. Primary-covert replacement in the Eastern Wood-Pewee. North American Bird Bander 27(1): 12-14.
    • Drew, R. E.; Hallett, J. G.; Aubry, K. B.; Cullings, K. W.; Koepf, S. M.; Zielinski, W. J. 2003. Conservation genetics of the fisher, Martes pennanti, based on mitochondrial DNA-sequencing. Molecular Ecology 12:51-62.
    • Herman, A. E. 2003. Aspects of the ecology of the Shasta salamander, Hydromantes shastae, near Samwell Cave, Shasta County, California. Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA; M.S. thesis.
    • Jones, J. M. 2003. Habitat associations and ecology of the Sonoma tree vole (Arborimus pomo) in northwestern California. Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA; 55 p. M.S. thesis.
    • Kirk, T.; Zielinski, W. J. 2003. Landscape pattern and American marten distribution in the Cascade Range of northeastern California. Martes Newsletter 11: 7.
    • Long, L.L.; Ralph, C.J.; Miller, S. 2002. A new method for ageing Marbled Murrelets and the effect on productivity estimates. Pacific Seabirds 28(2): 82-91.
    • Norman, S. P.; Taylor, A. H. 2002. Variation in fire return intervals across a mixed-conifer landscape. In: Sugihara, N. G.; Morales, M.; Morales, T., eds. The Association for Fire Ecology Miscellaneous Publication No. 1: 170-179.
    • Norman, S. P.; Taylor, A. H. 2003. [In press]. Tropical and north Pacific teleconnections influence fire regimes in pine-dominated forests of northeastern California, U.S.A. Journal of Biogeography. 30.
    • Zabel, C. J.; Anthony, R. G. 2003. [In press]. Introduction and historical perspective. In: Zabel, C. J.; Anthony, R. G., eds. Mammal community dynamics: management and conservation in the coniferous forests of western North America. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK; 3-8.
    • Ralph, C.J.; Hollinger, K. 2003. The status of the Willow and Pacific-slope flycatchers in northwestern California and southern Oregon. In Ecology and Conservation of the Willow Flycatcher. Sogge, M.; Kus, B.; Whitfield, M.; Sferra, S., eds. Studies in Avian Biology 26:104-117.
    • Rieman, B.; Lee, D.; Burns, D.; Gresswell, R.; Young, M.; Stowell, R.; Rinne, J.; Howell, P. 2003. Status of native fishes in the western United States and issues for fire and fuels management. Forest Ecology and Management 178:197-211.
    • Sakai, W. H.; Ralph, C. J.. 2002. A tabular format of Pyle's ageing and sexing methods for landbirds. North American Bird Bander 27(3): 77-90.
    • Schlexer, R. V.; Zielinski, W. J. 2003. Efficacy of two new hair-snaring devices to survey and identify mesocarnivores using DNA analysis. Martes Newsletter 11:7.
    • Slauson, K. 2003. Habitat selection by American martens (Martes americana) in coastal northwestern California. Department of Forest Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR; 74 p. MS thesis.
    • Slauson, K. M. 2003. Habitat selection by American martens in coastal northwestern California. Martes Newsletter 11:9.
    • Slauson, K. M.; Zielinski, W. J. 2003. Distribution and habitat associations of the Humboldt marten (Martes americana humboldtensis) and Pacific fisher (M. pennanti pacifica) in Redwood National and State Parks. Martes Newsletter 11:9.
    • Smith, R. N.; Anderson, S. H.; Dunk, J. R.; Cain, S. L. 2003. Nest-site selection and reproductive success of red-tailed hawks. Journal of Raptor Research 37:219-227.
    • Widdowson, W. P.; Widdowson, M. J., compilers. 2000. Checklist to the Birds of Tortuguero, Costa Rica. 12 pp. Pamphlet available from U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Redwood Sciences Laboratory, 1700 Bayview Dr., Arcata, CA 95521.
    • Anthony, R. G.; Zabel, C. J. 2003. [In press]. Synopsis and future perspective. In: Zabel, C. J.; Anthony, R. G.; eds. Mammal Community Dynamics: Management and Conservation in the Coniferous Forests of Western North America. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK: 665-678.
    • Herzog, C. 2003. [In press]. The use of track plates to identify individual free-ranging fishers. Department of Wildlife Ecology, Prescott College, Prescott, AZ; 58 p. MA thesis.
    • Lind, A. J.; Bettaso, J. B.; Yarnell, S. M. 2003. [In press]. Rana boylii. Herpetological Review 34.
    • Ollivier, L.; Welsh, Jr., H. H. 2003. [In press]. Determining sex and life stage of Del Norte salamanders from external cues. Northwestern Naturalist. Vol. 84.
    • Smith, W. P.; Waters, J. R.; Anthony, R. G.; Dodd, N. L.; Zabel, C. J. 2003. [In press]. Ecology and conservation of arboreal rodents of western coniferous forests. In: Zabel, C. J.; Anthony, R. G., eds. Mammal community dynamics: management and conservation in the coniferous forests of western North America. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK; 157-206.
    • Wheeler, C. A.; Welsh, Jr., H. H.; Heise, L. L. 2003. [In press]. Rana boylii. Oviposition Behavior. Herpetological Review 34: 234.
    • Zabel, C. J.; Anthony, R. G., eds. 2003. [In press]. Mammal community dynamics: management and conservation in the coniferous forests of western North America. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 678 pp.


    Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/02

    Outputs
    Researchers continue to focus on important species found within California and the western United States. This research has expanded understanding of habitat requirements of several species of forest birds, carnivores, reptiles, bats, and amphibians. For example, (1) micro-environmental features within forest stands have been found to often determine the presence of several amphibians; and (2) forest landscape factors such as stand size and composition influence small carnivores (marten, fisher, lynx, and wolverine), marbled murrelets, and landbirds. The unit has developed and published a wide variety of cost-effective and reliable methods to inventory and monitor many vertebrate species, including the above species and groups. These have been adopted as standard methods, both nationally and internationally. Unit researchers have led in editing and publishing multi-authored monographs on landbird monitoring, marbled murrelets, and furbearers. The unit is playing a lead role in the design and implementation of effectiveness monitoring for both marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls for the Northwest Forest Plan. The unit's work on red tree voles resulted in a proposal to add the Sonoma tree vole to the Survey and Manage list for the Northwest Forest Plan.

    Impacts
    (N/A)

    Publications

    • Alexander, J.D.; Detweiler, L.; Ralph, C.J. 2001. Black tern surveys in the upper Klamath basin, Oregon, 1977-2001. Report available from the Klamath Bird Observatory. P.O. Box 758, Ashland, OR 97520.
    • May, C.L. 2002. Debris flows through different forest age classes in the central Oregon coast range. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 38(4): 1-17.
    • May, C.L.; Gresswell, R E. 2001. Processes and rates of sediment and wood accumulation in headwater streams of the Oregon coast range, U.S.A. In: Transactions of the American Geophysical Union fall meeting; 2001 December 10-14; San Francisco, CA. Eos. Trans. AGU 82(47), Fall Meeting Supplement, Abstract H411-09.
    • Mazurek, M.J. 2001. A comparison of bat activity among thinned and unthinned second growth and old-growth redwood stands in northwestern California. Arcata, CA: California State University, Humboldt; 37 p. M.S. thesis.
    • Preisler, H.K. 2001. Stochastic models. In: El-Shaarawi, A.H.; Piegorsch, W.W., editors. Encyclopedia of Environmentrics. Vol. 4. Sussex, England: John Wiley and Sons: 2133- 2137.
    • Ralph, C.J.; Miller, S.L.; Long, L.L. 2001. Abundance, distribution, and productivity of marbled murrelets along the northern California coast and southern Oregon in 2000. Final report to the Marbled Murrelet Study Trust. Report available from the U.S. Forest Service, Redwood Sciences Laboratory, 1700 Bayview Drive, Arcata, California 95521.
    • Ralph, C.J.; Alexander, J.D. 2002. Comprehensive bird monitoring in the Klamath river region: A joint effort of the Klamath Bird Observatory and various cooperators. In: Everett, Y.; George, M.; King, A., editors. Proceedings of the 2001 Klamath basin fish and water management symposium; 3: 3-8. Available on CD-ROM.
    • Stauffer, H.B.; Ralph, C.J.; Miller, S. L. 2002. Incorporating detection uncertainty into presence-absence surveys for marbled murrelet. In: Scott, J.M.; Heglund, P.J.; Morrison, M.L., compiling editors. Predicting species occurrences: Issues of scale and accuracy. Covello, CA: Island Press: 357-365.
    • Weller, T.J.; Zabel, C.J. 2002. Variation in bat detections due to detector orientation in a forest. Wildlife Society Bulletin 30(3): 1-9.
    • Zabel, C.J.; Roberts, L.M.; Mulder, B.S.; Stauffer, H.B.; Dunk, J.R.; Wolcott, K.; Solis, D.; Gertsch, M.; Woodbridge, B.; Wright, A.; Goldsmith, G.; Keckler, C. 2002. A collaborative approach in adaptive management at a large-landscape scale. In: Scott, J.M.; Heglund, P.J.; Morrison, M.L.; Haufler, J.B.; Raphael, M.G.; Wall, W.A.; Sampson, F.B., editors. Predicting species occurrences: Issues of accuracy and scale. Covelo, CA: Island Press; 241-253.
    • Ashton, D.T. 2002. A comparison of abundance and assemblage of lotic amphibians in late-seral and second-growth redwood forests in Humboldt County, California. Arcata, CA: California State University, Humboldt; M.S. thesis.
    • Bentivoglio, N.; Baldwin, J.; Jodice, P.G.R.; Mack, D.E.; Max, T.; Miller, S.; Nelson, S. K.; Ostrom, K.; Ralph, C.J.; Raphael, M.; Strong, C.; Thompson, C.; Wilk, R. 2002. Northwest Forest Plan, marbled murrelet effectiveness monitoring, 2000 annual report; Portland, Oregon: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 76 p.
    • Bettaso, J.B.; Welsh, H.H., Jr.; Palmer, B.D. 2002. Northern red-legged frogs and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Frog Log-Newsletter of the Declining Amphibians Population Task Force 52: 1-2.
    • Dunk, J.R.; Zielinski, W.J.; West, K.; Schmidt, K.; Baldwin, J.; Perrochet, J.; Schlick, K.; Ford, J. 2002. Distributions of rare mollusks relative to reserved lands in northern California. Northwest Science 76(3): 249-256.
    • Karraker, N.E. 2001. Ascaphus truei (tailed frog) predation. Herpetological Review 32(2): 100.
    • Karraker, N.E. 2001. String theory: Reducing mortality of mammals in pitfall traps. Wildlife Society Bulletin 29(4): 1158-1162.
    • Karraker, N.E. 2002. Effects of silvicultural edges on terrestrial amphibian abundance and microclimate in northwestern California. Arcata, CA: California State University, Humboldt;M.S. thesis.
    • Meyer, C.B.; Miller, S.L. 2002. Use of fragmented landscapes by marbled murrelets for nesting in southern Oregon. Conservation Biology 16(3):755-766.
    • Meyer, C.B.; Miller, S.L.; Ralph, C.J. 2002. Multi-scale landscape and seascape patterns associated with marbled murrelet nesting areas on the U.S. west coast. Landscape Ecology 17: 95-115.
    • Miller, S.L.; Meyer, C.B.; Ralph, C. J. 2002. Land and seascape patterns associated with marbled murrelet abundance offshore. Waterbirds 25(1):100-108.
    • Purdy, Danielle. 2002. Bat use of old-growth redwood basal hollows: A study of capture methods and species use of redwoods. Arcata, CA: California State University, Humboldt; 51 p. M.S. thesis.
    • Welsh, H.H. Jr.; Lind, A.J. 2002. Multiscale habitat relationships of stream amphibians in the Klamath-Siskiyou region of California and Oregon. Journal of Wildlife Management 66(3): 581-602.
    • Andelman, S.J.; Beissinger, S.; Cochrane, J.F.; Gerber, L.; Gomez-Priego, P.; Groves, C.; Haufler, J.; Holthausen, R.; Lee, D.; Maguire, L.; Noon, B.; Ralls, K.; Regan, H. 2001. Scientific standards for conducting viability assessments under the National Forest Management Act: Report and recommendations of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis Working Group. Unpublished Report by the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA. 160 p.
    • Brillinger, D.R.; Preisler, H.K.; Ager, A.A.; Kie, J.G.; Stewart, B.S. 2002 Employing stochastic differential equations to model wildlife motion. Bulletin of the Brazilian Mathematical Society 33(3) 93-116.
    • Preisler, H.K.; Brillinger, D.R.; Ager, A.A.; Kie, J.G.; Akers, R.P. 2002. Stochastic differential equations: A tool for studying animal movements. In: Proceedings, International Union of Forest Research Organization [IUFRO] 4.11: Conference on forest biometry, modeling, and information science; 2001, June 25-29; Greenwich, England. Greenwich, England: University of Greenwich; 1-9.
    • Thompson, W.L.; Lee, D.C. 2002. A two-stage information-theoretic approach to modeling landscape-level attributes and maximum recruitment of Chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin. Natural Resources Modeling 15(2): 227-257.