Black bear (Ursus americanus Pallas) feeding damage across timber harvest edges in northern California coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens[D. Don] Endl.) forests, USA
Natural Areas Journal
By: William H. Russell, Ky Carnell, and Joe R. McBride
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Abstract
Feeding damage to trees by black bears (Ursus americanus Pallas) was recorded in proximity to timber harvest edges in harvested and old-growth stands of coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens [D. Don] Endl.) in northern California, USA. Bears exhibited distinct preference in their feeding patterns related to stand structure and composition and to distance from the timber-harvest edge. Most damage was recorded within regenerating stands. Regression analysis indicated that density of damaged trees was negatively correlated with distance from timber harvest edges within old-growth stands. A significant negative correlation was also found between the density of trees damaged by bears and habitat diversity (H') as measured by the Shannon diversity index. In addition, bears exhibited preference for pole-size trees (dbh = 10-50 cm) over all other size classes, and coast redwood over other species. In general, damage by bears appeared to act as a natural thinning agent in even-aged stands. No damage was recorded in old-growth stands except in close proximity to the timber-harvest edge where subcanopy recruitment was high.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Black bear (Ursus americanus Pallas) feeding damage across timber harvest edges in northern California coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens[D. Don] Endl.) forests, USA |
| Series title | Natural Areas Journal |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Year Published | 2001 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Natural Areas Association |
| Description | 6 p. |
| First page | 324 |
| Last page | 329 |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Other Geospatial | Redwood National Park, Redwood State Park |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |