| Abstract: | Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) are an important prey species and a dominant herbivore across much of their North American range, and researchers have questioned the influences of forestry practices that alter habitat for hares and the potential community-level effects on carnivores. We examined the effects of precommercial thinning (PCT) from 1 to 11 years posttreatment on snowshoe hares. In the commercial forests of northern Maine, USA, we counted and cleared hare pellets twice a year during 2001 and 2002 on >46 km of pellet transects across 30 regenerating conifer stands (17 treated with PCT) previously treated with an aerial application of herbicide. We compared densities of snowshoe hare pellets among 3 development classes with (1 yr after thinning, 6 yr after thinning, and 11 yr after thinning) and without thinning (stands with a similar history of clearcut and herbicide treatment but no thinning). During both years, densities of hares were lower in stands treated with PCT than in similar unthinned stands across the 3 development classes and during both leaf-off and leaf-on seasons (P < 0.001). Within both thinned and unthinned stands, hare density was greatest in stands in the 1-year development class when compared to the 6-year and 11-year development classes, but a statistical difference (P = 0.048) among classes was evident only during leaf-off seasons. Precommercial thinning was associated with densities of snowshoe hares that were approximately half of those in similar unthinned stands up to at least 11 years posttreatment; however, thinned stands may retain densities of hares greater than stands managed using other forest harvesting regimes. Our results apply to core portions of stands with crop trees spaced at 1.8-2.4-m intervals following complete overstory removal and herbicide treatment. We advocate caution when applying our results to other thinning regimes or across broader spatial scales. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70032152 |
| Citation Author: | Homyack, J. A.; Harrison, D. J.; Krohn, W. B. |
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| Citation End Page: | 13 |
| Citation Issue: | 1 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Journal of Wildlife Management |
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| Citation Number Of Pages: | 10 |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | Effects of precommercial thinning on snowshoe hares in Maine; 2007; Article; Journal; Journal of Wildlife Management; Homyack, J. A.; Harrison, D. J.; Krohn, W. B. |
| Citation Start Page: | 4 |
| Citation Volume: | 71 |
| Citation Year: | 2007 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Effects of precommercial thinning on snowshoe hares in Maine; 2007; Article; Journal; Journal of Wildlife Management; Homyack, J. A.; Harrison, D. J.; Krohn, W. B. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| URL (DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER): | http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/2005-481 |
| Date Other: | Mon, 1 Jan 2007 00:00 -0600 |
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