Northern bobwhite population and habitat response to pine-grassland restoration

Published source details Cram D.S., Masters R.E., Guthery F.S., Engle D.M. & Montague W.G. (2002) Northern bobwhite population and habitat response to pine-grassland restoration. Journal of Wildlife Management, 66, 1031-1039.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Thin trees within forests Action Link
	Use prescribed burning on pine forests Action Link

Thin trees within forests

A replicated study across 40 shortleaf pine Pinus echinata-hardwood stands in Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas, USA, in 1999-2000 (Cram et al. 2002) found that northern bobwhite Colinus virginianus abundances were higher in thinned stands, compared to controls. This study is discussed in more detail in ‘Use prescribed burning’.
Use prescribed burning on pine forests

A replicated study in 1999-2000 across 40 shortleaf pine-hardwood stands in Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas, USA (Cram et al. 2002), found that northern bobwhite Colinus virginianus abundances were highest in stands thinned and burned three years previously (1.5 males heard/count), but were not significantly higher than in stands which were only thinned (1.1) and those thinned and burned two years previously (0.8). Control (unmanaged) stands and those burned a year previously had significantly lower abundances than those burned three years previously or thinned but not burned (control stands: 0.1 calls/count; 0.4 for stands one year after burning). The stands with the highest abundances also had greater understory shrub cover. The management was aimed at restoring pine-grassland habitats.