Nongame wildlife responses to chaining of pinyon-juniper woodlands [Pinus edulis-Juniperus osteosperma]

Nongame wildlife responses to chaining of pinyon-juniper (Pinus edulis-Juniperus osteosperma) woodland were studied in 1977 in the Piceance Basin, Colorado. Vegetation and small-mammal populations were sampled on a mature pinyon-juniper woodland (control) and areas chained 1, 8, and 15 years previou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of wildlife management 1981-04, Vol.45 (2), p.381-389
Main Authors: O'Meara T.E, Haufler J.B, Stelter L.H, Nagy J.G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aviculture
Bird nesting
Breeding
Juniperus osteosperma
Mammals
Pinus edulis
Pinyon juniper
Sparrows
Species diversity
Vegetation
Wildlife management
Woodlands
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Summary:Nongame wildlife responses to chaining of pinyon-juniper (Pinus edulis-Juniperus osteosperma) woodland were studied in 1977 in the Piceance Basin, Colorado. Vegetation and small-mammal populations were sampled on a mature pinyon-juniper woodland (control) and areas chained 1, 8, and 15 years previously. Breeding-bird populations were studied on the areas chained 8 and 15 years previously, the control area, and on the edge between a mature woodland and an area chained 10 years previously. Ten species of breeding birds were observed on the unchained area, whereas only 3 and 4 species were observed on the 8- and 15-year-old chained areas, respectively. Bird densities on the unchained area (29 territories/10 ha) were more than double those on the chained areas (11/10 ha). Five of 17 species breeding on the edge area used both vegetation types. Only 1 species was found exclusively on the edge area. Small mammals were more abundant on chained than unchained areas. Species composition of the catch varied among the chained and unchained areas; species diversity was greatest on the unchained area. Adverse effects on nongame wildlife could be minimized by favoring survival of shrubs and young trees, retaining selected cavity trees, and limiting widths of clearings when chaining pinyon-juniper.
ISSN:0022-541X
1937-2817
DOI:10.2307/3807919