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Importance of buffers forImportance of buffers forImportance of buffers for Importance of buffers for wildlife habitatwildlife habitat
Peter PatonPeter PatonDept. of Natural Resources Science
Univ. of Rhode Island
riparian bufferriparian buffer -- A vegetated A vegetated iiprotective area next to a water protective area next to a water
body serving as a barrier against body serving as a barrier against y g gy g gpolluted runoff and a habitat polluted runoff and a habitat
corridor for terrestrial animalscorridor for terrestrial animalscorridor for terrestrial animals. corridor for terrestrial animals.
Buffer Functions for Biodiversity:-Travel corridors – restore connectivityy-Increase habitat area
Nesting habitatForaging habitatForaging habitatCover
-Protect sensitive habitats-Increase access to resources-Shade stream to maintain temperature
H bit t t ithi b ffH bit t t ithi b ffHabitat management within buffersHabitat management within buffersLet the natural form dominate
DiversityHorizontal structureHorizontal structureVertical structure
G ti d thi k lGo native and think seasonalLeave snagsLeave woody debrisHave fun with border (curves, shrubs)Have fun with border (curves, shrubs)Supply rocks and stones
Vertical Structure
Horizontal Structure
Importance of coarsepWoody debris
Forest clearcuts with riparian buffer
Wildlife use of the bufferWildlife use of the bufferWildlife use of the buffer Wildlife use of the buffer will be a function ofwill be a function of
• Width, which might be the most critical factor
• Vegetative structure within bufferOverstory composition– Overstory composition
– Understory compositionAdj t h bit t/l d t t• Adjacent habitat/landscape structure
Impact of buffersImpact of buffersImpact of buffersImpact of bufferson wildlifeon wildlife
• Edge effectsSome species have lower reproductiveSome species have lower reproductive success near edges, thus avoid edges (up to 50+ m from edge)50+ m from edge)
• Area sensitivityS i i l ti h bit t– Some species require large contiguous habitat patches
Edge habitat Edge width based on 150 ftInterior habitat
g
1 acre100% edge0% interior
10 acres68% edge
100 acres27% edge
0% interior 32% interior 73% interior
Area Sensitivity (acres)Area Sensitivity (acres)
SpeciesTerritory Size Min Field Size
p
Upland Sandpiper 20-30 150
Vesper Sparrow 1 4 30Vesper Sparrow 1-4 30
Savannah Sparrow 1-2 20-40
Grasshopper Sparrow 2-4 30
Henslow’s Sparrow 2-3 50
Bobolink 1-6 5-10
Eastern Meadowlark 6 8 20 40Eastern Meadowlark 6-8 20-40
New England Wildlife Trends Through TimeNew England Wildlife Trends Through Time
BUFFER WIDTHHow big should a buffer be?How big should a buffer be?The basic bare-bones buffer is 50' from the top of the bank. You get more with every foot.
www.crjc.org/buffers/Introduction.pdf
From Bentrup. 2008. Conservation Buffers. USFS Gen Tech Rep.
Upland HabitatUpland Habitat
Movement of streamMovement of streamMovement of stream Movement of stream salamanderssalamanders
Crawford and Semlitsch 2006
Wildlife use of buffers, Boyd 2001Wildlife use of buffers, Boyd 2001
Birds restricted to 100’ fromBirds restricted to 100’ fromBirds restricted to 100 from Birds restricted to 100 from wetlandswetlands
• Northern Waterthrush• Louisiana WaterthrushLouisiana Waterthrush• Bank Swallow
C d W bl• Canada Warbler
Wetland dependent MammalsWetland dependent MammalsWetland dependent Mammals Wetland dependent Mammals over 200’ from wetlandsover 200’ from wetlands
• Water Shrew within 1000’• Star-nosed Mole -330’Star nosed Mole 330• Bats- up to 12 miles from wetlands
B 300’ f l d• Beaver – over 300’ from wetlands
Sorex palustris
Reptiles that travel over 200’ fromReptiles that travel over 200’ fromReptiles that travel over 200 from Reptiles that travel over 200 from wetlandwetland
• Wood Turtle• Painted Turtle• Spotted Turtle• Blanding’s Turtle• Plymouth Redbelly Turtle• Common Snapping Turtle, may travel up to 10
milesmiles • most average less than 656 ft. (200 m) from the
wetland but may travel up to 0 8 miles (1 3 km)wetland, but may travel up to 0.8 miles (1.3 km)
Amphibians that travel over 200’Amphibians that travel over 200’Amphibians that travel over 200 Amphibians that travel over 200 from wetland edgefrom wetland edge
• 11 amphibian species• Marbled Salamander – 637 ft• Jefferson Salamander – 500 ft
S d S l d 700 f• Spotted Salamander -700+ ft• Blue-spotted Salamander – 656 ft• Two-lined Salamander• Red Spotted Newt• Red Spotted Newt• Spring Peeper – 984 ft.• Wood Frog 1150+ ft• Fowler’s ToadFowler s Toad• Spadefoot Toad -1300+ ft• American Toad.
Semlitsch’s 95% “Life Zone”Semlitsch’s 95% “Life Zone”Semlitsch s 95% Life ZoneSemlitsch s 95% Life Zone
540 ftCoreCore wetlandwetlandCoreCore wetlandwetland
Best Management Practices for Best Management Practices for Vernal Pool AmphibiansVernal Pool Amphibians
Vernal pool:no disturbance
E l (100’)Envelope (100’)No development
Critical terrestrial habitat100-750’, <25% developedareaarea
Example of<25% developed area
Calhoun and Klemens 2002
Upland Habitat Use, Resource Upland Habitat Use, Resource Selection, and Migratory Selection, and Migratory
Behavior of Adult SpottedBehavior of Adult SpottedBehavior of Adult Spotted Behavior of Adult Spotted Salamanders on a Golf CourseSalamanders on a Golf Course
Christin McDonoughChristin McDonough--HaugheyHaugheyM.S. CandidateM.S. Candidate
University of Rhode IslandUniversity of Rhode IslandUniversity of Rhode IslandUniversity of Rhode Island
Department of Natural ResourcesDepartment of Natural Resources
Spotted SalamanderSpotted SalamanderAmbystoma maculatumAmbystoma maculatumAmbystoma maculatumAmbystoma maculatum
•• BiBi--phasic life history;phasic life history;•• BiBi--phasic life history; phasic life history; midmid--March to April inMarch to April inbreeding ponds, most ofbreeding ponds, most ofg p ,g p ,year in terrestrialyear in terrestrialhabitatshabitats
•• Adults are fossorialAdults are fossorial
•• Commonly found in Commonly found in small mammal burrowssmall mammal burrowssmall mammal burrowssmall mammal burrows
Lake of Isles Golf CourseLake of Isles Golf Course
Radio TransmittersRadio Transmitters•• Each weigh 1.7 gEach weigh 1.7 g
•• x = 8.79% of x = 8.79% of body massbody massyy
•• Battery life of 5 Battery life of 5 yymonthsmonths
Habitat VariablesHabitat VariablesMicro habitat variablesMicro habitat variables
(within a 1 m(within a 1 m² plot² plot))C bj tC bj t
Meso habitat variablesMeso habitat variables(within a 9 m(within a 9 m² plot² plot))% H b% H b •• Cover objectCover object
•• Diameter of small Diameter of small mammal vertical mammal vertical
•• % Herbaceous cover% Herbaceous cover•• % Canopy cover% Canopy cover•• % Shrub cover% Shrub cover
tunnels, length of tunnels, length of small mammal small mammal horizontal tunnelshorizontal tunnels
% Shrub cover% Shrub cover•• % Coarse woody % Coarse woody
debrisdebris# Rocks > 10 cm# Rocks > 10 cm •• Leaf litter depthLeaf litter depth
•• Leaf litter Leaf litter temperaturetemperature
•• # Rocks > 10 cm# Rocks > 10 cm•• # Logs > 10 cm # Logs > 10 cm
diameterdiameter temperaturetemperature•• Soil temperatureSoil temperature•• # Stems# Stems
•• Diameter at breast Diameter at breast height of any treesheight of any treesheight of any trees height of any trees with in plotwith in plot
Pool 1Pool 1
Pool 3
Control
Pool 11
GG
UplandLake of IslesHydric SoilPool 1Pool 1
100 0 10050 Meters
Golf Course FairwayPool 1
G Animal Release Site
_
100 0 10050 Meters Individual Animal Tracks
Dispersal Distances250Females moved262 ft (197%) farther
204.46200 Golf Course
Control
on the golf course
663 ft
150
nce
(m) Males moved 131 ft (161%)
farther on the golf course
119.59 124.93100
Dis
tan
389 ft 405 ft
79.4650
258 ft
0
Male Female
N = 22 N = 11 N = 22 N = 8
golf course vs. control, golf course vs. control, pp = 0.003= 0.003females vs. males,females vs. males, pp = 0.003= 0.003
•• Semlitsch (1998) Life Zone conceptSemlitsch (1998) Life Zone concept
•• a terrestrial “life zone” encompassing 95% a terrestrial “life zone” encompassing 95% of the breeding population by using:of the breeding population by using:
•• x x ±± tt--value [α = 0.05, df = (value [α = 0.05, df = (nn –– 1)] x SD / √1)] x SD / √nn]; ]; hh i h b f l di h b f l dwhere where nn is the number of salamanders.is the number of salamanders.
12 All animals pooledAll animals pooled444 ft “life zone”444 ft “life zone”
Current 100 ft Massachusetts regulationCurrent 100 ft Massachusetts regulationprotects 23% malesprotects 23% males
Rhode Island wetland regulations only protectspecial aquatic site, with no life zone protection
10
ers
444 ft life zone444 ft life zoneprotects 80 % malesprotects 80 % males
48 % females48 % females1105 ft “ i i l lif ”1105 ft “ i i l lif ”
protects 23% malesprotects 23% males3% females3% females
8
alam
ande 1105 ft “empirical life zone”1105 ft “empirical life zone”
protects 100% malesprotects 100% males95% females95% females
4
6
mbe
r of S
a
Male
2
4
Num Female
0
>0 25 50 75 100
125
150
175
200
225
250
275
300
325
350
375
400
Distance (m)
Results:Results:Resource Selection FunctionsResource Selection Functions
Percent N b f P t f
Resource Selection FunctionsResource Selection Functions(RSF) for habitat types(RSF) for habitat types
Habitat Type Hectares of Habitat
Number of Fixes
Percent of Fixes
RSF β
Fragmented Habitat: 169.2 100 742 100 Fairways 47.3 28 1 0.1 0.01 0 Urban 4.5 3 0 0 0 0 Upland 84.8 50 655 88 1.8 0.53 Wetland 11.9 7 86 12 1.6 0.47 Lake 20.6 12 0 0 0 0
Contiguous Habitat: 55.1 100 125 100 Upland 32.3 59 120 96 1.6 0.94 Wetland 22.3 41 5 4 0.1 0.06
•• A RSF = 1 indicates used in proportion to availabilityA RSF = 1 indicates used in proportion to availabilityA RSF 1 indicates used in proportion to availability, A RSF 1 indicates used in proportion to availability, >1 indicates selection, and <1 avoidance>1 indicates selection, and <1 avoidance
•• Standardized resource selections (β) = 0.5 indicates use in Standardized resource selections (β) = 0.5 indicates use in (β)(β)proportion to availability, close to 1 = selection, and close to proportion to availability, close to 1 = selection, and close to 0 = avoidance0 = avoidance
Habitat Variable
Animal Location
Near-random Location
Far-random Location
p -value
Micro-habitat
Results:Results:Habitat UseHabitat Use
Horizontal tunnel length (cm)
21.1 + 2.3 (406)
4.2 + 1.2 (1318)*
3.6 + 0.7 (551)*
< 0.001
Number of vertical tunnels 1.4 + 0.1 (422)
0.4 + 0 (1333)*
0.4 + 0 (551)*
< 0.001
Soil temp (˚F) 57.2 + 0.4 (419)
63.3 + 0.2 (1301)
70.2 + 0.3 (544)
< 0.001••19 habitat variables 19 habitat variables Leaf litter temp (˚F) 61.6 + 0.5
(414)67.9 + 0.3
(1308)74.5 + 0.4
(531)< 0.001
Leaf litter depth 4.4 + 0.2 (416)
3.3 + 0.1 (1312)
2.4 + 0.1 (538)
< 0.001
Diameter vertical tunnels (cm)
2.4 + 0.1 (417)
1.0 + 0.1 (1335)*
0.9 + 0.1 (551)*
< 0.001
measured at each measured at each salamander fix to bothsalamander fix to bothnearnear random and farrandom and far Meso-habitat
Number of Rocks 3.8 + 0.3 (426)
2.5 + 0.1 (1335)
1.5 + 0.1 (551)
< 0.001
Shrub closure (%) 17.5 + 0.9 (426)
13.0 + 0.4 (1336)*
12.4 + 0.7 (551)*
< 0.001
Herbaceous cover (%) 41.0 + 0.8 21.0 + 0.5 32.7 + 1.2 < 0.001
nearnear-- random and farrandom and far--random locations random locations
(426) (1336) (551)Bare ground cover (%) 6.0 + 0.5
(426)10.5 + 0.5
(1336)*11.6 + 0.8
(551)*< 0.001
Coarse woody debris (%) 17.1 + 0.9 (426)
14.2 + 0.4 (1336)
12.6 + 0.5 (551)
< 0.001
Densiometer (%) 96.8 + 0.5 97.6 + 0.2 83.6 + 1.4 < 0.001
•• All variables were All variables were significantly different significantly different b db d
( )(347)* (1257)* (537)
Number of Logs 0.9 + 0.1 (427)*
0.8 + 0 (1336)*
0.6 + 0 (551)
0.02
Number of Stems 8.4 + 0.6 (427)
3.5 + 0.2 (1336)
1.4 + 0.1 (551)
< 0.001
Average Circumference at 20.3 + 2.1 12.6 + 1.0 10.5 + 1.4 < 0.001
between spotted between spotted salamander fixes and salamander fixes and either neareither near--random or farrandom or far g
Breast Height (427) (1336)* (551)*Number of trees > 30-cm CBH
0.3 + 0 (426)
0.2 + 0 (1336)*
0.1 + 0 (551)*
< 0.001
Slope (%) 10.8 + .33 (370)
14.0 + 0.3 (724)
14.9 + 0.5 (441)
< 0.001
random locationsrandom locations
Tunnel ImportanceTunnel Importance
Mean (SE) Horizontal Tunnel Length (cm)
10
15
20
25
Leng
th (c
m)
0
5
Animal Random Far Random
Plot
L
Mean (SE) Number of Vertical Tunnels
2
Of 177 visual Of 177 visual detectionsdetectionsof spottedof spotted
0.5
1
1.5
Num
ber
of spotted of spotted salamanders,salamanders,79% were in small79% were in small
ll 0Animal Random Far Random
Plot
mammalmammalburrow systemsburrow systems
Emigration summaryEmigration summary
••Animals migrated significantly farther on Animals migrated significantly farther on the fragmented landscape than contiguous forestedthe fragmented landscape than contiguous forestedlandscape (x = 428 ft on golf course and landscape (x = 428 ft on golf course and xx = 227 ft = 227 ft for unfragmented control)for unfragmented control)
•• Females migrated farther than males (x = 522 ftFemales migrated farther than males (x = 522 ftfor females and x = 272 ft for males)for females and x = 272 ft for males)
••Buffer could lead to a male biasBuffer could lead to a male biasin population structurein population structure
Habitat Use SummaryHabitat Use Summaryyy
•• Spotted salamanders were located 89% of the timeSpotted salamanders were located 89% of the timein forested plandsin forested plandsin forested uplands:in forested uplands:
under a closed canopy with multiple layers of under a closed canopy with multiple layers of vegetationvegetationhigh density of small mammal burrowshigh density of small mammal burrowsrocky areas rocky areas coarse woody debriscoarse woody debriscoarse woody debriscoarse woody debris
•• There may be a highly significant relationship between There may be a highly significant relationship between spotted salamanders and small mammals:spotted salamanders and small mammals:
i l li l l d b hid b hi f d if d ivertical tunnels vertical tunnels excavated by whiteexcavated by white--footed micefooted mice(Peromyscus leucopus(Peromyscus leucopus))horizontal tunnels excavated by shorthorizontal tunnels excavated by short--tailed shrews tailed shrews yy((Blarina brevicaudaBlarina brevicauda) )
Christin McDonoughChristin McDonough HaugheyHaugheyAcknowledgments:Acknowledgments:
Christin McDonoughChristin McDonough--HaugheyHaugheyMashantucketMashantucket--Pequot Department of Natural ResourcesPequot Department of Natural ResourcesShelley SpohrShelley SpohrAlison MillimanAlison MillimanKatherine E. MontiethKatherine E. Montieth
Funding From:Funding From:MashantucketMashantucket--Pequot Tribal NationPequot Tribal NationUnited States Golf AssociationUnited States Golf AssociationUnited States Golf AssociationUnited States Golf Association
Q ti ?Q ti ?Questions?Questions?