Impact of Southern Pine Beetle Impact of Southern Pine Beetle Outbreaks on Wildlife Habitat Outbreaks on Wildlife Habitat Suitability Suitability Maria D. Tchakerian Maria D. Tchakerian 1 , Robert N. Coulson , Robert N. Coulson 1, 1, Jaehyung Yu Jaehyung Yu 1 , and Forrest Oliveria , and Forrest Oliveria 2 1. Knowledge Engineering Laboratory, Texas A&M University 1. Knowledge Engineering Laboratory, Texas A&M University College Station, Texas, USA College Station, Texas, USA 2. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Pineville, 2. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Pineville, Louisiana, USA Louisiana, USA
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Impact of Southern Pine Beetle Outbreaks on Wildlife Habitat Suitability Maria D. Tchakerian 1, Robert N. Coulson 1, Jaehyung Yu 1, and Forrest Oliveria.
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Impact of Southern Pine Beetle Outbreaks Impact of Southern Pine Beetle Outbreaks on Wildlife Habitat Suitability on Wildlife Habitat Suitability
Maria D. TchakerianMaria D. Tchakerian11, Robert N. Coulson, Robert N. Coulson1,1,
Jaehyung YuJaehyung Yu11, and Forrest Oliveria, and Forrest Oliveria 22
College Station, Texas, USACollege Station, Texas, USA
2. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Pineville, Louisiana, USA2. USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Protection, Pineville, Louisiana, USA
Impact of insects on forestsImpact of insects on forests
– on forest on forest resourcesresources Timber productionTimber production BiodiversityBiodiversity Recreation, etc.Recreation, etc.
– on forest on forest conditionsconditions AbioticAbiotic BioticBiotic CompositionComposition ConfigurationConfiguration
• Native InsectNative Insect– Primary killer of pinesPrimary killer of pines– Thirty-day life cycle, with Thirty-day life cycle, with
continuous adult emergence continuous adult emergence through much of the year.through much of the year.
– Cyclic in natureCyclic in nature– High populations killing new High populations killing new
host specieshost species– Range expanding?Range expanding?
Southern pine beetleSouthern pine beetleDendroctonus frontalis Dendroctonus frontalis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)(Coleoptera: Scolytidae)
The number of years in which the southern pine beetle reached outbreak status since 1960 (USDA-FS 2004).
Growth and dynamics of southern pine beetle Growth and dynamics of southern pine beetle infestationsinfestations
GoalGoal
To evaluate how changes in forest composition and To evaluate how changes in forest composition and configuration resulting from Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) configuration resulting from Southern Pine Beetle (SPB) herbivory impact the quality of wildlife habitats in a herbivory impact the quality of wildlife habitats in a meso-scale southern forest landscape.meso-scale southern forest landscape.
Study AreaStudy Area
Bankhead National ForestBankhead National ForestAlabamaAlabama
1960’s Loblolly Stand1960’s Loblolly Stand
Early 2002 Loblolly StandEarly 2002 Loblolly Stand
P. taeda stand, Bankhead National Forest, Alabama Forest Stand Conditions
Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) ModelsHabitat Suitability Index (HSI) Models
• Developed in the 80’s to quantify impacts on habitats Developed in the 80’s to quantify impacts on habitats caused by water or land use changescaused by water or land use changes
• Published by the US Fish and Wildlife Service Published by the US Fish and Wildlife Service http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wdb/pub/hsi/hsiindex.htmhttp://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wdb/pub/hsi/hsiindex.htm
• Simple, general, standardizedSimple, general, standardized
• Based upon variables that can often be estimatedBased upon variables that can often be estimated
Management Indicator Species SelectedManagement Indicator Species Selected
Pine Pine warblerwarbler
Wild turkeyWild turkey
Gray squirrelGray squirrel
Northern BobwhiteNorthern Bobwhite
Habitat PatternHabitat Pattern
• Habitat Suitability Index maps createdHabitat Suitability Index maps created
• HSI maps reclassified:HSI maps reclassified:– Class 0, HSI=0– Class 1, 0 < HSI < 0.25– Class 2, 0.25 < HSI < 0.5
– Class 3, 0.5 Class 3, 0.5 HSI < 0.75 HSI < 0.75– Class 4, 0.75 Class 4, 0.75 HSI HSI 1 1
• FRAGSTATS 3.3FRAGSTATS 3.3 used to quantify attributes of each used to quantify attributes of each classclass
Pine Warbler HSIPine Warbler HSI
• To evaluate the habitat suitability for cover and To evaluate the habitat suitability for cover and reproduction, three habitat variables were used:reproduction, three habitat variables were used:
– V1V1 = Percent tree canopy closure of overstory pines = Percent tree canopy closure of overstory pines
– V2V2 = Successional stage of stand = Successional stage of stand
– V3V3 = Percent of dominant canopy pines with = Percent of dominant canopy pines with deciduous understory in the upper one deciduous understory in the upper one
third third layerlayer
Pine WarblerPine Warbler
With SPBWith SPBWithout SPBWithout SPB
Class 3Class 4
Class 3Class 4
Class 3 decreased by 37%Class 3 decreased by 37%
Metrics Class 3Metrics Class 3 Without SPBWithout SPB With SPBWith SPB
Class Area (Ha)Class Area (Ha) 22,82222,822 14,46414,464
# of Patches# of Patches 606606 794794
Patch densityPatch density 1.471.47 2.562.56
Mean Patch Mean Patch SizeSize
37.6637.66 18.2118.21
Mean Core AreaMean Core Area 6.926.92 2.502.50
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Are
a (
Ha
)
Without SPB With SPB
SPB Impact on Pine Warbler Habitat
Class3
Class4
Gray Squirrel HSIGray Squirrel HSI
• To evaluate winter food and cover/reproduction To evaluate winter food and cover/reproduction habitat:habitat:– Winter foodWinter food
• V1 = Percent canopy closure of trees that V1 = Percent canopy closure of trees that produce mast > 10 inches dbh produce mast > 10 inches dbh
• V2 = Diversity of hard mast producer treesV2 = Diversity of hard mast producer trees
– Cover and reproductionCover and reproduction
• V3 = Percent tree canopy closureV3 = Percent tree canopy closure
• V4 = Average dbh of overstory treesV4 = Average dbh of overstory trees
Metrics Class 3Metrics Class 3 Without SPBWithout SPB With SPBWith SPB
Class Area (Ha)Class Area (Ha) 18,62418,624 18,29318,293
# of Patches# of Patches 419419 424424
Patch densityPatch density 1.361.36 1.951.95
Mean Patch SizeMean Patch Size 44.4444.44 43.1443.14
Mean Core AreaMean Core Area 9.09.0 8.78.7
Eastern Wild Turkey HSIEastern Wild Turkey HSI(a more complicated example)(a more complicated example)
• To evaluate summer food and brood; fall, winter, To evaluate summer food and brood; fall, winter, and spring food; and cover.and spring food; and cover.– Summer food and brood habitatSummer food and brood habitat
• % herbaceous canopy cover, average height of canopy % herbaceous canopy cover, average height of canopy cover, distance to forest cover typescover, distance to forest cover types
– Fall, winter, and spring food habitatFall, winter, and spring food habitat• Number of hard mast producing tress/ha > 10 inches Number of hard mast producing tress/ha > 10 inches
dbh, % canopy closure of soft mast producing trees, % dbh, % canopy closure of soft mast producing trees, % shrub crown cover (food production, behavioral, and of shrub crown cover (food production, behavioral, and of soft mast producing shrubs)soft mast producing shrubs)
Eastern Wild Turkey- Eastern Wild Turkey- Summer Food and Brood HabitatSummer Food and Brood Habitat
With SPBWith SPBWithout SPBWithout SPB
0
5000
10000
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20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
Are
a (
Ha
)
Without SPB Without SPB
SPB impact on WT Summer Food and Brood Habitat
Class2
Class3
Class 3 increased by ~ 1280 %Class 3 increased by ~ 1280 %
Metrics Class 3Metrics Class 3 Without SPBWithout SPB With SPBWith SPB
Class Area (Ha)Class Area (Ha) 824824 12,55912,559
# of Patches# of Patches 6565 450450
Patch densityPatch density 0.170.17 1.201.20
Mean Patch SizeMean Patch Size 12.6812.68 60.1260.12
SPB Impact on Northern Bobwhite Winter Food Habitat
Class3
Class4
Class 3 increased ~ 55%Class 3 increased ~ 55%Metrics Class 3Metrics Class 3 Without SPBWithout SPB With SPBWith SPB
Class Area (Ha)Class Area (Ha) 18,55018,550 28,92428,924
# of Patches# of Patches 419419 626626
Patch densityPatch density 0.590.59 1.881.88
Mean Patch SizeMean Patch Size 44.2744.27 46.2046.20
Mean Core AreaMean Core Area 9.299.29 15.1515.15
CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS
• 1. Using stand data, the FVS, and the HSI we created maps that defined 1. Using stand data, the FVS, and the HSI we created maps that defined classes of habitat suitability in a meso-scale forest landscape for 4 wildlife classes of habitat suitability in a meso-scale forest landscape for 4 wildlife species. species.
• 2. Using data from SPB spots we evaluated the effects of an outbreak of 2. Using data from SPB spots we evaluated the effects of an outbreak of the southern pine beetle on habitat suitability for the 4 species.the southern pine beetle on habitat suitability for the 4 species.
• 3. Impact varied in predictable ways by species:3. Impact varied in predictable ways by species:– Pine Warbler habitat was destroyed.Pine Warbler habitat was destroyed.– Grey Squirrel habitat was not affected.Grey Squirrel habitat was not affected.– Wild Turkey habitat was affected both negatively and positively.Wild Turkey habitat was affected both negatively and positively.– Northern Bobwhite Quail habitat was enhanced. Northern Bobwhite Quail habitat was enhanced.
• 4. The effect of the insect outbreak was to perforate the forest landscape 4. The effect of the insect outbreak was to perforate the forest landscape which generally decreased habitat patch size, increased habitat patch which generally decreased habitat patch size, increased habitat patch density, increased habitat patch number, and reduced core area of habitat density, increased habitat patch number, and reduced core area of habitat patches.patches.
• 5. Habitat for each species was always present within the national forests. 5. Habitat for each species was always present within the national forests. Another dimension to the study will be an investigation of species Another dimension to the study will be an investigation of species movements in relation to dispersion patterns of habitat patches. movements in relation to dispersion patterns of habitat patches.
Critical IssuesCritical Issues
• Detailed pre and post spb outbreaks forest inventory Detailed pre and post spb outbreaks forest inventory datadata
• Validation of results of habitat models vs. current data Validation of results of habitat models vs. current data on wildlife specieson wildlife species
• Development of alternative methods to evaluate positive Development of alternative methods to evaluate positive and negative impact of insect outbreaks on forestsand negative impact of insect outbreaks on forests