Effects of seven silvicultural treatments on terrestrial salamanders

Published source details Harpole D.N. & Haas C.A. (1999) Effects of seven silvicultural treatments on terrestrial salamanders. Forest Ecology and Management, 114, 349-356.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use herbicides to control mid-storey or ground vegetation Action Link
	Leave standing deadwood/snags in forests Action Link
	Use leave-tree harvesting instead of clearcutting Action Link
	Harvest groups of trees instead of clearcutting Action Link
	Use shelterwood harvesting instead of clearcutting Action Link

Use herbicides to control mid-storey or ground vegetation

A controlled, before-and-after study in 1994–1997 in a hardwood forest in Virginia, USA (Harpole & Haa 1999) found that understory removal using herbicide did not affect the relative abundance of salamanders. Captures did not differ significantly before and after understory removal (9 vs 11/search). Abundance did not differ significantly within the untreated plot over time (1994: 10; 1995–1997: 8–10). Treatment was within a 2 ha plot. Salamanders were monitored along 15 x 2 m transects using artificial cover objects (50/plot).
Leave standing deadwood/snags in forests

A controlled, before-and-after study in 1994–1997 in a hardwood forest in Virginia, USA (Harpole & Haas 1999) found that retaining up to 12 wildlife and dead trees during a clear-cut did not prevent a decrease in the relative abundance of salamanders. Captures decreased significantly after treatment (before: 10; one year after: 7; three years: 1/search). Abundance did not differ within the unharvested plot (before: 10; one year after: 10; three years: 8). Treatments were on 2 ha plots. Salamanders were monitored along 2 x 15 m transects with artificial cover objects (50/plot).
Use leave-tree harvesting instead of clearcutting

A controlled, before-and-after study in 1994–1997 in a hardwood forest in Virginia, USA (Harpole & Haas 1999) found that leave-tree harvesting decreased relative abundance of salamanders in a similar way to clearcutting. Captures decreased significantly after both leave-tree harvesting (before: 8; one year after: 4; three years after: 1 amphibian/search) and clearcutting (before: 10; one year after: 7; three years after: 1/search). Abundance did not differ significantly within the unharvested plot (before: 10; one year after: 10; three years after: 8). Treatments on 2 ha plots were: leave-tree (up to 16 trees/ha retained), clearcutting (up to 12 wildlife and dead trees retained) and unharvested. Salamanders were monitored along 15 x 2 m transects with artificial cover objects (50/plot).
Harvest groups of trees instead of clearcutting

A controlled, before-and-after study in 1994–1997 in a hardwood forest in Virginia, USA (Harpole & Haas 1999) found that harvesting trees in small groups decreased the relative abundance of salamanders, similar to clearcutting. Captures decreased significantly after group harvesting (before: 14; one year after: 11; three years: 2/search) and clearcutting (before: 10; one year after: 7; three years: 1/search). Abundance did not differ significantly within the unharvested plot (before: 10; one year after: 10; three years: 8). Treatments on 2 ha plots were: group harvesting (three groups of 0.5 ha), clearcutting (up to 12 wildlife and dead trees retained) and unharvested. Salamanders were monitored along 2 x 15 m transects with artificial cover objects (50/plot).
Use shelterwood harvesting instead of clearcutting

A controlled, before-and-after study in 1994–1997 in a hardwood forest in Virginia, USA (Harpole & Haas 1999) found that shelterwood harvesting resulted in a decrease in the relative abundance of salamanders, similar to clearcutting. Captures decreased significantly after shelterwood harvests with 12–15 m² basal area retained/ha (before: 9; one year after: 6; three years: 2/search) or 4–7 m² basal area retained/ha (before: 12; one year after: 4; three years: 1/search) and on clearcut plots (before: 10; one year after: 7; three years: 1/search). Abundance did not differ significantly within the unharvested plot (before: 10; one year after: 10; three years: 8). Treatments on 2 ha plots were: two shelterwood harvests, clearcutting (up to 12 wildlife and dead trees retained) and unharvested. Salamanders were monitored along 15 x 2 m transects with artificial cover objects (50/plot).