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Context <p>Silviculture—managing tree establishment for landscape objectives—influences ecological outcomes of forests. While forest harvest impacts on wildlife are well-documented, silvicultural treatment effects remain unclear.</p> Objectives <p>We investigated how forest harvest and silviculture shape predator and ungulate distributions and interactions, providing ecological insights for forest management.</p> Methods <p>We deployed two camera arrays in extensively harvested North American landscapes to evaluate relationships between forest harvest, silviculture, and predator and ungulate occurrences.</p> Results <p>Forest harvest, silviculture, and predator/prey activity shape wildlife occurrences. Wolf (<i>Canis lupus</i>), influenced by moose (<i>Alces alces</i>), decreased with regenerating (9–24&#xa0;years) clearcuts, new (0–8&#xa0;years) clearcuts with reserves, and fertilized cutblocks. Wolves increased with regenerating/older (25–40&#xa0;years) clearcuts with reserves. Coyote (<i>C. latrans</i>) increased in manually or chemically brushed cutblocks at high or low deer occurrence, respectively. Black bear (<i>U. americanus</i>), influenced by prey, increased with regenerating prepared cutblocks and fewer new prepared cutblocks. Prey elevated lynx (<i>Lynx canadensis</i>) occurrence with regenerating prepared or older unprepared cutblocks. Depending on predators, mule deer (<i>Odocoileus hemionus</i>) decreased with regenerating and older prepared cutblocks; white-tailed deer (<i>O. virginianus</i>) decreased with selection- and new even-aged cutblocks. Harvest age and wolves best explained moose, although silviculture mattered seasonally.</p> Conclusions <p>Silviculture shapes wildlife distributions and interactions. Integrating these effects into research and forest management is essential for meeting ecological objectives.</p>

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Silviculture shapes the spatial distribution of wildlife in managed landscapes

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年5月2日

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  • Nicole P. Boucher,
  • Morgan Anderson,
  • Chris Procter,
  • Shelley Marshall,
  • Gerald Kuzyk,
  • Shaun Freeman,
  • Brian M. Starzomski,
  • Jason T. Fisher

摘要

Context

Silviculture—managing tree establishment for landscape objectives—influences ecological outcomes of forests. While forest harvest impacts on wildlife are well-documented, silvicultural treatment effects remain unclear.

Objectives

We investigated how forest harvest and silviculture shape predator and ungulate distributions and interactions, providing ecological insights for forest management.

Methods

We deployed two camera arrays in extensively harvested North American landscapes to evaluate relationships between forest harvest, silviculture, and predator and ungulate occurrences.

Results

Forest harvest, silviculture, and predator/prey activity shape wildlife occurrences. Wolf (Canis lupus), influenced by moose (Alces alces), decreased with regenerating (9–24 years) clearcuts, new (0–8 years) clearcuts with reserves, and fertilized cutblocks. Wolves increased with regenerating/older (25–40 years) clearcuts with reserves. Coyote (C. latrans) increased in manually or chemically brushed cutblocks at high or low deer occurrence, respectively. Black bear (U. americanus), influenced by prey, increased with regenerating prepared cutblocks and fewer new prepared cutblocks. Prey elevated lynx (Lynx canadensis) occurrence with regenerating prepared or older unprepared cutblocks. Depending on predators, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) decreased with regenerating and older prepared cutblocks; white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) decreased with selection- and new even-aged cutblocks. Harvest age and wolves best explained moose, although silviculture mattered seasonally.

Conclusions

Silviculture shapes wildlife distributions and interactions. Integrating these effects into research and forest management is essential for meeting ecological objectives.