Biodiversity and Coarse Woody Debris in Southern Forests Proceedings of the Workshop on Coarse Woody Debris in Southern Forests: Effects on Biodiversity
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Biodiversity and Coarse woody Debris in Southern Forests Proceedings of the Workshop on Coarse Woody Debris in Southern Forests: Effects on Biodiversity Athens, GA - October 18-20,1993 Biodiversity and Coarse Woody Debris in Southern Forests Proceedings of the Workhop on Coarse Woody Debris in Southern Forests: Effects on Biodiversity Athens, GA October 18-20,1993 Editors: James W. McMinn, USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Athens, GA, and D.A. Crossley, Jr., University of Georgia, Athens, GA Sponsored by: U.S. Department of Energy, Savannah River Site, and the USDA Forest Service, Savannah River Forest Station, Biodiversity Program, Aiken, SC Conducted by: USDA Forest Service, Southem Research Station, Asheville, NC, and University of Georgia, Institute of Ecology, Athens, GA Preface James W. McMinn and D. A. Crossley, Jr. Conservation of biodiversity is emerging as a major goal in The effects of CWD on biodiversity depend upon the management of forest ecosystems. The implied harvesting variables, distribution, and dynamics. This objective is the conservation of a full complement of native proceedings addresses the current state of knowledge about species and communities within the forest ecosystem. the influences of CWD on the biodiversity of various Effective implementation of conservation measures will groups of biota. Research priorities are identified for future require a broader knowledge of the dimensions of studies that should provide a basis for the conservation of biodiversity, the contributions of various ecosystem biodiversity when interacting with appropriate management components to those dimensions, and the impact of techniques. management practices. We thank John Blake, USDA Forest Service, Savannah In a workshop held in Athens, GA, October 18-20, 1993, River Forest Station, for encouragement and support we focused on an ecosystem component, coarse woody throughout the workshop process. The success of the debris (CWD), and its impact on the biodiversity of workshop is due in large part to the meticulous attention organisms in southern forests. Coarse woody debris is one provided by Janice Sand, Institute of Ecology, University of ecosystem element readily amenable to management. The Georgia, Athens, GA. generation of CWD, its accumulation on forest floors, and its distribution are functions of stand age and management in the South. In contrast to other regions, comparatively Literature Cited little is known about the importance of CWD in southern forests. Harmon and others (1986) addressed CWD Ehrlich, Paul R. 1988. The loss of diversity: causes and consequences. dynamics, input, distribution, and importance for forested In: Wilson, E.O., ed. Biodiversity. Washington, DC: National ecosystems in general and North America in particular. In Academy Press: 2 1-27. that review the dearth of information on CWD in southern Faulk, Donald. 1990. The theory of integrated conservation strategies forests, especially southern pine forests, was evident. for biological diversity. In: Mitchell, Richard S.; Sheviak, Charles J.; Conclusions about the impacts and of CWD based on Leopold, Donald J., eds. Ecosystem management: rare species and experience in the pacific Northwest are unlikely to be significant habitats. Bulletin 47 1. Albany, NY: New York State appropriate for southern forests, because climate, growth Museum: 5- 10. responses, CWD production and decomposition, and Franklin, Jerry. 1988. Structural and functional diversity in temperate management practices are dissimilar. forests. In: Wilson, E.O., ed. Biodiversity. Washington, DC: National Academy Press: 166-1 75. Biodiversity is a multidimensional concept for which many Harmon, M.E.; Franklin, J.F.; Swanson, F.J. [and others]. 1986. definitions have been proposed. Concepts include some Ecology of coarse woody debris in temperate ecosystems. Advances in aspect of preservation of diversity at the species level, Ecological Research. 15: 133-302. while acknowledging the need for preserving intraspecific genetic diversity (Faulk 1990). Wilson (1988) eloquently Solbrig, Otto T., ed. 1991. From genes to ecosystems: research agenda for biodiversity. Paris: International Union of Biological Sciences. 123 p. presented the need to preserve species richness, while documenting the worldwide decline in numbers of species. Wilson, E. 0. 1988. The current state of biodiversity. In: Wilson, Ehrlich (1988) and Franklin (1988) have argued for habitat E.O., ed. Bidiversity. Washington, DC: National Academy Press: 3-20. preservation in contrast to the individual endangered species approach. Solbrig (1991) introduced a hierarchical view of biodiversity, ranging from molecular to genetic components and species, to communities, to ecosystems. Project Leader, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 320 Green Street, Athens, GA 30602-2044, and Research Professor of Ecology, Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30502-2602, respectively. Contents Preface '.. James W McMinn and D.A. Crosslq, Jr. ............................................................ 111 Accumulations of Coarse Woody Debris in Southern Forests James W McMinn and Richard A. Hardt ............................................................ I Dynamics of Coarse Woody Debris in Southern Forest Ecosystems DavidH.VanLear ........................................ Dynamics of Coarse Woody Debris-A Simulation Study for Two Southeastern Forest Ecosystems ThomasA.Wizldrop ............................................................................ 18 Coarse Woody Debris in Forest Ecosystems: An Overview of Biodiversity Issues and Concepts C.RonaldCarrol1 ............................................................................. 25 Coarse Woody Debris and Woody Seedling Recruitment in Southeastern Forests RebeccaR.Sharitz ................................................................... Diversity of Lignicolous Basidiomycetes in Coarse Woody Debris KarenK.Nakasone ............................................................................. 35 Earthworms, Biodiversity, and Coarse Woody Debris in Forest Ekosystems of the Southeastern U.S. A. PaulEHendrix ................................................................................ 43 Macroinvertebrates and their Relationship to Coarse Woody Debris: With Special Reference to Land Snails RonaldS.Caldwel1 ............................................................................ 49 Relationship of Wood-Feeding Insects and Coarse Woody Debris I JamesL.Hanula .............................................................................. 55 The Significance of Coarse Woody Debris for the Diversity of Soil Mites John h4 Johnston and D.A. Crossley, JE ............................................................ 82 Collembolans and Coarse Woody Debris in Southern Forests: Effects on Biodiversity RichardJ.Snider .............................................................................. 88 Importance of Coarse Woody Debris to Southern Forest Herpetofauna Matt R. Whiles and Jack W Grubaugh .............................................................. 94 Influences of Coarse Woody Debris on Birds in Southern Forests J. Drew Lanham and David C. Guyntz, Jr: .......................................................... 101 The Role of Coarse Woody Debris in the Ecology of Southeastern Mammals SusanC. beb ................................................................................ 108 Influences of Coarse Woody Debris on Stream Habitats and Invertebrate Biodiversity J. Bruce Wallace, Jack W Grubaugh, and Matt R. Whiles ............................................... 1 19 Large Woody Debris, Fish Habitat, and Historical Land Use C.AndrewDollojS" ............................................................................. 130 Models and Management Implications of Coarse Woody Debris Impacts on Biodiversity MichaelA.Huston ............................................................................. 139 Workshop Summary and Recommendations James ;/V: McMinn and D.A. Crossley, Jr: ........................................................... 144 Accumulations of Coarse Woody Debris in Southern Forests James W McMinn and Richard A. Hardt Abstract upland hardwood, and lowland hardwood. The published data consisted of total volumes for all species within each Accumulations of coarse woody debris (CWD) were estimated from combination of ownership class and forest type. Forest Inventory and Analysis information for Georgia and South Carolina and from the literature covering detailed studies. Mean accumulations by broad ownership class and forest type for Georgia and Volumes were converted to mass using an overall average South Carolina ranged from 2.2 to 10.7 mega grams per hectare (Mglha). (0.525) of wood-specific gravities reported for Southern Accumulations in individual studies ranged from 0.4 Mglha in mature species (Koch 1972, 1985). Standing crop mass was pitch pine on poor sites to 91.2 Mgka in young cove hardwoods derived using the single exponential decay model with a regenerated by clearcutting. The information presented in this review suggests that attempts to quantify CWD accumulations should account k-value of 0.075; this value was derived from loblolly pine for physiography, ownership, forest type, stand age, stand origin data in the Piedmont of South Carolina (Barber and Van (artificial vs. natural), and disturbance. Lear 1984). (This was the only