Use of restoration-treated ponderosa pine forest by tassel-eared squirrels
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Published source details
Loberger C.D., Theimer T.C., Rosenstock S.S. & Wightman C.S. (2011) Use of restoration-treated ponderosa pine forest by tassel-eared squirrels. Journal of Mammalogy, 92, 1021-1027.
Published source details Loberger C.D., Theimer T.C., Rosenstock S.S. & Wightman C.S. (2011) Use of restoration-treated ponderosa pine forest by tassel-eared squirrels. Journal of Mammalogy, 92, 1021-1027.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Retain undisturbed patches during thinning operations Action Link |
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Retain undisturbed patches during thinning operations
A randomized, replicated, controlled study in 2005–2007 of a ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa forest in Northern Arizona, USA (Loberger et al. 2011) found that tassel-eared squirrels Sciurus aberti made greater use of undisturbed than thinned forest. In winter 57% and during the rest of the year 51% of squirrel home range areas fell within undisturbed forest compared to 39% availability by extent in the study area. Squirrels also showed a preference for dense canopies. In winter, canopies with 51–75% cover accounted for 53% of squirrel use compared to 44% of resource availability. Thinning was carried out from 1998–2000. Seventeen-hectare blocks within a 10-km2 area were randomly assigned to no thinning and to low, medium and high-intensity thinning. A combination of these managements was applied to four additional blocks of approximately 40 ha each. Squirrel locations were monitored by radio-tracking from December 2005 to July 2007.
(Summarised by: Nick Littlewood)
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