Browsing by Subject "Logging"
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Item Development of Habitat Models and Habitat Maps for Breeding Bird Species In the Agassiz Lowlands Subsection, Minnesota, USA(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2015) Bednar, Joshua D; Zlonis, Edmund J; Panci, Hannah; Moen, Ronald; Niemi, Gerald JWe report results of a two-‐year effort in 2013 and 2014 to sample breeding bird species in the extensive lowland coniferous forests in the Agassiz Lowland Ecological Subsection (ALS) of northwestern Minnesota. The effort is a part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) forest planning process to identify forested areas of conservation concern to selected forest bird species potentially affected by logging activity. The general objectives were to: 1) identify lowland coniferous forest stands that encompassed a gradient of age classes, productivity as measured by site index, and forest patch sizes, 2) sample breeding bird populations within each of the selected stands in 2013 and 2014, 3) identify habitat and landscape characteristics associated with selected breeding bird species within these forest stand types, 4) develop habitat models for bird species of conservation concern and those potentially affected by logging activity, 5) apply the habitat models to state-‐owned land to map the potential distribution of individual species or combinations of species in the ALS, and 6) provide recommendations on forest management that could be beneficial for conservation of breeding birds within the ALS.Item Instream wood transport, and effects of forest harvest on geomorphology and fish, in northern Minnesota streams.(2009-06) Merten, Eric ChristopherTrees provide critical functions to the ecology of streams. Trees affect hydrology, mitigate sediment inputs, and buffer water temperatures by providing shade. Watersheds with a higher proportion of mature forest tend to have less variable hydrographs, and older trees provide larger pieces of wood to streams. Instream wood itself affects nearly every process in stream ecology. Despite their ecological importance, trees and instream wood have been greatly modified by humans. The studies described in this dissertation advance current knowledge as follows: We demonstrate that headwater streams in northern forests can require ten years to recover from a large input of fine sediment, depending on the occurrence of stormflows. Our analyses suggest that, at the basin scale, warmer air temperatures in summer are more important to the abundances of some headwater fish species than instream habitat or spring precipitation. The analyses also lend support to previous findings that riparian forest harvest can cause local stream warming. Wood transport in streams is a dynamic process. Forty-one percent of over 800 wood pieces were mobilized (at least 10m) during a study period by a single high flow event. Thirty-two percent of the mobilized pieces became entrapped again before leaving their study reach. Mobilization of wood in streams is a complex function of both mechanical and hydraulic factors. Eleven potential predictor variables were studied, and seven were identified as significant to wood mobilization using multiple logistic regression. The seven predictors were burial, effective depth, length ratio, bracing, rootwad presence, downstream force ratio, and draft ratio. Entrapment of wood in streams is related primarily to the length ratio and weight of the wood pieces. The mechanisms for entrapment are not always clear; wood pieces may simply be entrapped wherever they are located when high water recedes. Together, this dissertation suggests that forest harvest should avoid excess sediment inputs (due to persistence) and stream warming (due to effects on fish). It also develops models that can be used for more informed management of instream wood. Stream managers and restorers can apply the results presented to reverse the impacts of historic logging and wood removal on streams.Item Logging History Maps Annotated by Miron Heinselman(2014) Heinselman, Miron L.; Trygg, J. W.; United States Department of Agriculture; United States Forest ServiceThe Logging History Maps are maps annotated by Miron "Bud" Heinselman and J.W. "Bill" Trygg. The maps were given to the University of Minnesota by the author in 1992. The maps were used by the author for his book, The Boundary Waters Wilderness Ecosystem (University of Minnesota Press, 1996).Item Management and conservation implications of Blakiston's fish owl (Ketupa blakistoni) resource selection in Primorye, Russia.(2011-08) Slaght, Jonathan C.The Blakiston's fish owl (Ketupa blakistoni) is a large owl associated with riparian old-growth forests in northeast Asia. Despite its status as a charismatic endangered species, specific conservation and management efforts for the species in Russia are limited. This is because resource use by these secretive owls is poorly known. To address this information deficit, I analyzed resource selection by these owls within a 20,213 km2 study area in Primorye, Russia. Resource selection studies often begin by defining the spatial extent of a home range and then quantifying use of available resources within that home range. For animals that use habitat that are defined by linear environmental features, such as Blakiston's fish owl, traditional home range estimators often overestimate home range size, which can lead to spurious conclusions about resource availability and selection. I used a synoptic model of space use to define Blakiston's fish owl seasonal and annual home range size and within-home range resource selection, and compared results to traditional home range estimators. I also examined nest tree and foraging site selection at 14 nest and 14 foraging sites using linear discriminant analysis. I then identified areas with the highest predicted probability of use by owls to prioritize areas for conservation and management. Fish owl home range was different among most seasons, and estimated home range sizes based on the synoptic model were more biologically-realistic than kernel density-based home range estimators. Mean annual home range size (± standard error) for all fish owls was 15.0 ± 3.7 km2 (n = 7) using the synoptic model, and 38.8 ± 15.4 km2 using kernel density estimators. By season, winter home range was 7.0 ± 3.3 km2 vs. 5.9 ± 2.3 km2 (n = 3 owls; synoptic model vs. kernel density estimator); in spring 13.9 ± 5.2 km2 vs. 29.5 ± 20.4 km2 (n = 7); in summer 11.6 ± 2.8 km2 vs. 33.2 ± 11.9 km2 (n = 6); and in autumn 25.2 ± 13.4 km2 vs. 85.1 ± 56.0 km2 (n = 5). Fish owls selected home ranges that were within valleys, were close to water, and had a greater number of river channels than available sites. Old trees and riparian old-growth forest were the primary discriminating characteristics at both nest and foraging sites, respectively. Large trees were likely necessary as owl nest sites because of the bird's large body size. Moreover, old forests have many large trees that facilitated recruitment of large woody debris in rivers, which created suitable habitat for the owl's primary prey: salmonid fish. Based on resource selection functions I predicted that 54 fish owl territories could occur within my study area. I found that the reserve network contained only 21% of primary fish owl habitat and potentially contained only 7 fish owl territories. I also found that 39% of primary habitat was within current logging leases, which was capable of supporting habitat equivalent to 18 fish owl territories. The remainder of primary habitat (40%) was on federal land not presently protected or within logging leases, and potentially contained 29 fish owl territories. The current protected area network, by itself, will be insufficient to conserve fish owls because so few owl territories are actually protected. Therefore, I developed specific conservation recommendations within logging leases based on the observed resource selection patterns by the owls. My recommendations include protecting specific locations within potential territories, maintaining integrity of riparian areas, modifying road construction techniques, and closing old logging roads to reduce human access. These simple measures have the potential not only to conserve fish owls but also many other species, making this owl an effective umbrella species for the riparian ecosystems of the region.Item The Old Longing Camp(2023) Nerburn, Nicholas K.Nik Nerburn writes about the disappearance of his great-grandfather in 1930, and goes on a road trip around Lake Michigan to look for his grave.