Forest Biology Commons^™

Winter Food Habits And Preferences Of Northern Bobwhites In East Texas, Donald R. Dietz, R. Montague Whiting Jr., Nancy E. Koerth

Faculty Publications

During late winter, 1994 and 1995, we investigated food habits and preferences of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus; hereafter, bobwhites) collected on forested lands in east Texas. Crops for bobwhites were collected from areas under 3 management regimes, namely intensively managed for bobwhites (QMA) (i.e., tree basal area reduced, annually burned, numerous multi-stage food plots, etc.), extensively managed for timber and wildlife (NBS) (i.e., burned every 3-5 years, scattered 2-stage food plots with corn feeders), and unmanaged for wildlife (i.e., burned every 5-7 years). With years pooled, partridge pea (Cassia fasciculata), Hercules club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis), and pine (Pinus spp.) seeds, and …

Invasion Of Exotic Earthworms Into Ecosystems Inhabited By Native Earthworms, P. F. Hendrix, G. H. Baker, M. A. Callaham Jr., G. A. Damoff, C. Fragoso, G. Gonzalez, S. W. James, S. L. Lachnicht, T. Winsome, X. Zou

Faculty Publications

The most conspicuous biological invasions in terrestrial ecosystems have been by exotic plants, insects and vertebrates. Invasions by exotic earthworms, although not as well studied, may be increasing with global commerce in agriculture, waste management and bioremediation. A number of cases has documented where invasive earthworms have caused significant changes in soil profiles, nutrient and organic matter dynamics, other soil organisms or plant communities. Most of these cases are in areas that have been disturbed (e.g., agricultural systems) or were previously devoid of earthworms (e.g., north of Pleistocene glacial margins). It is not clear that such effects are common in …

Remotely Sensed Data To Map Forest Age Class By Cover Type In East Texas, Daniel Unger, I-Kuai Hung, Jeffrey M. Williams, James Kroll, Dean W. Coble, Jason Grogan

Faculty Publications

• Remote sensing in conjunction with ground truthing, can accurately quantify forest composition and age distributions in East Texas.
• Method uses standardized and readily available data available to the general public.
• Method was shown to be effective in terms of time and cost.

Allometry, Sexual Size Dimorphism, And Niche Partitioning In The Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus Turcicus), James B. Johnson, Lance D. Mcbrayer, Daniel Saenz

Faculty Publications

Hemidactylus tucrius is a small gekkonid lizard native to the Middle East and Asia that is known to exhibit sexual dimorphism in head size. Several potential explanations exist for the evolution and maintenance of sexual dimorphism in lizards. We tested 2 of these competing hypotheses concerning diet partitioning and differential growth. We found no differences in Average meal size (volume) or in any single dimension of prey size for similarly sized males and females. allometric patterns of increases in head size also were measured in males and females. We found that males exhibited a mixture of isometric and positively allometric …

Physiological And Growth Responses Of Midrotation Loblolly Pine To Treatments Of Fire, Herbicide, And Fertilizer, Emily J. Goodwin, Lisa M. Marino, Hans H. Williams, Brian P. Oswald, Kenneth W. Farrish

Faculty Publications

The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of fertilizer and understory vegetation control (herbicide and prescribed fire) on mature tree physiology and to link observed physiological responses with tree growth. Photosynthetic rate (photosynthesis), transpiration, stomatal conductance, stem diameter, and crown area were measured in two midrotation loblolly pine plantations in East Texas. Rates of photosynthesis, E and gs for the midsummer measurements were significantly reduced by fertilizer treatments on both sites. Drought in east Texas during the last 3 years may have influenced this result. Trees receiving fire at the site with a comparatively more dense live …

Influence Of Habitat And Number Of Nestlings On Partial Brood Loss In Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers, James R. Mccormick, Richard N. Conner, D. Brent Burt, Daniel Saenz

Faculty Publications

Partial brood loss in red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) was studied during 2 breeding seasons in eastern Texas. The timing of partial brood loss, group size, number of initial nestlings, number of birds fledged, and habitat characteristics of the group's cavity-tree cluster were examined for 37 woodpecker groups in loblolly- (Pinus taeda) shortleaf (P. echinata) pine habitat and 14 groups in longleaf (P palustris) pine habitat. Partial brood loss occurred slightly more in the loblolly-shortleaf pine habitat than in the longleaf pine habitat, largely because nests in loblolly-shortleaf habitat initially contained more nestlings. …

Daily Movements Of Female White-Tailed Deer Relative To Parturition And Breeding, Christopher E. Comer

Faculty Publications

To assess how white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herd demographics influence reproductive behaviors, we examined 24-h diel movements of female whitetailed deer relative to parturition and breeding in a low-density population with a near even sex ratio at the Savannah River Site (SRS), South Carolina. We conducted a series of intensive, 24-h radio-tracking periods of 13 females during spring and fall 2002. We compared daily range (ha), rate of travel (m/h), and distance between extreme daily locations (m), among the periods of pre-parturition and post-parturition and pre-, peak-, and post-rut. From pre-parturition to post-parturition, we observed decreases in diel range size …

Diel Activity Patterns Of The Louisiana Pine Snakes (Pituophis Ruthveni) In Eastern Texas, Marc J. Ealy, Robert R. Fleet, D. Craig Rudolph

Faculty Publications

This study examined the diel activity patterns of six Louisiana pine snakes in eastern Texas using radio-telemetry. snakes were monitored for 44 days on two study areas from May to October 1996. Louisana pine snakes were primarily diurnal with moderate crepuscular activity, spending the night within pocket gopher burrows or inactive on the surface. During daylight hours, snakes spent approximately 59% of their time underground within gopher burrows, burned out/rotten stumps, or nine-branded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) burrows. Remaining time was spent on the surface either close to subteranean refuge, or in long distance movements that generally terminet at …

Accelerated Hatching Of Southern Leopard Frog (Rana Sphenocephala) Eggs In Response To The Presence Of A Crayfish (Procambarus Nigrocinctus) Predator, Daniel Saenz, James B. Johnson, Cory K. Adams, Gage H. Dayton

Faculty Publications

Phenotypic plasticity, such as morphological and behavioral changes in response to predators, is common in larval anurans. Less is known about inducible defenses in the embryonic stages of development. We investigated the predation risk imposed by crayfish (Procambarus nigrocinctus) on southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) eggs aud whether crayfish presence induces a change in the timing of hatching of R. sphenocephala eggs. We found that crayfish significantly reduce the hatching success of R. sphenocephala eggs by eating them and that eggs hatch significantly faster in the presence of crayfish than when crayfish are not present. We …

The Influence Of Predator Threat On The Timing Of A Life-History Switch Point: Predator-Induced Hatching In The Southern Leopard Frog (Rana Sphenocephala), James B. Johnson, Daniel Saenz, Cory K. Adams, Richard N. Conner

Faculty Publications

We tested the hypotheses that potential egg predators, crayfish Procambarus nigrocinctus and dytiscid Cybister sp. larvae, would accelerate the timing of hatching and that a larval predator, dragonfly naiad Anax junius, would delay hatching in the southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala). We also tested the hypothesis that differences in response would be proportional to predator lethality. Our results indicate that our hypotheses were partially supported. The presence of an efficient egg predator (crayfish) induces hatching faster than a less efficient predator (dytiscid larvae). However, the presence of a larval predator (naiads) did not delay hatching. Eggs that …

Are Pileated Woodpeckers Attracted To Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Cavity Trees?, Richard N. Conner, Daniel Saenz, James R. Mccormick

Faculty Publications

Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) cause damage to Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) cavity trees in the form of cavity enlargement or other excavations on the surface of the pine tree. However, it is not known whether Pileated Woodpeckers excavate more frequently on Red-cockaded Woodpecker cavity trees than on noncavity trees or how stand structure is related to the frequency of Pileated Woodpecker excavation. Also, it is unclear whether the cavity itself provides the stimulus to Pileated Woodpeckers to excavate or whether the presence of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and their activities are attracting them. We surveyed all of the …

Prey Handling And Diet Of Louisiana Pine Snakes (Pituophis Ruthveni) And Black Pine Snakes (P. Melanoleucus Lodingi), With Comparisons To Other Selected Colubrid Snakes, D. Craig Rudolph, Shirley J. Burgdorf, Richard N. Conner, Christopher S. Collins, Daniel Saenz, Richard R. Schaefer, Toni Trees, C. Michael Duran, Marc Ealy, John G. Himes

Faculty Publications

Diet and prey handling behavior were determined for Louisiana pine snakes (Pituophis ruthveni) and black pine snakes (P. melanoleucus lodingi). Louisiana pine snakes prey heavily on Baird's pocket gophers (Geomys breviceps), with which they are sympatric, and exhibit specialized behaviors that facilitate handling this prey species within the confines of burrow systems. Black pine snakes, which are not sympatric with pocket gophers, did not exhibit these specialized behaviors. For comparative purposes, prey handling of P. sayi sayi and Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri was also examined.

Movement Patterns Of Resident And Relocated Northern Bobwhites In East Texas, Xiangwen Liu, R. Montague Whiting Jr., D. Scott Parsons, Donald R. Dietz

Faculty Publications

We compared home range sizes and movement patterns of resident and relocated northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) on an area managed specifically for the species in the Pineywoods of east Texas. During the winters of 1990–1992, 155 south Texas, 136 east Texas, and 139 resident bobwhites were radiomarked, released, and thereafter regularly located. Bird locations were plotted on a digitized map, and home range sizes and movement patterns of each group of birds were estimated. Resident bobwhites moved longer daily distances in March and had larger home ranges during the nesting season (May-Jul) than relocated birds (P0.05). Managers that elect to …

A Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Group With Two Simultaneous Nest Trees, Richard N. Conner, James R. Mccormick, Richard R. Schaefer, Daniel Saenz, D. Craig Rudolph

Faculty Publications

During a study of Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) nesting in eastern Texas, we discovered a single breeding pair of woodpeckers with two simultaneous nests in nest trees that were 24 m apart. Incubation of eggs in each nest tree was at least 13 d and may have been as long as 16 d. The breeding male incubated and fed a nestling in one nest tree, and the breeding female incubated and fed a nestling in the other nest tree until the nestlings were >24 d old. Prior to fledging, both the breeding male and female were observed feeding …

An Unusually Large Number Of Eggs Laid By A Breeding Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Female, Richard N. Conner, Daniel Saenz, James R. Mccormick

Faculty Publications

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) is a cooperatively breeding species that typically uses a single cavity for nesting (Ligon 1970, Walters et al. 1988). A single tree, or aggregation of cavity trees, termed the cluster, is inhabited by a group of woodpeckers that includes a single breeding pair and up to several helpers, which are typically male offspring of previous breeding seasons (Ligon 1970, Lennartz et al. 1987). Each group of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers usually produces one nest per breeding season, but will often nest again during the same breeding season if the first nest fails. Double clutching and …

Survival And Causes Of Mortality Of Relocated And Resident Northern Bobwhites In East Texas, Xiangwen Liu, R. Montague Whiting Jr., Brad S. Mueller, D. Scott Parsons, Donald R. Dietz

Faculty Publications

We estimated survival of 3 groups of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) on a 563-ha intensively managed study area in eastern Texas. During the 3-year study, 155 bobwhites from South Texas and 136 bobwhites from East Texas were captured, radio-marked, and relocated to the study area; 139 bobwhites that were resident on the study area were also captured, radio-marked, and released at the point of capture. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in survival among the 3 groups of bobwhites. However, survival of bobwhites from South Texas were consistently lower than those of the other 2 groups during each year; both …

Life In A Pine Cone, David L. Kulhavy

Faculty Publications

This exercise focuses on a little-known microhabitat -- the pine cone. A pine cone's primary function is, of course, reproduction ... housing the seeds of the next generation of conifer trees. However, pine cones are also the basis of a food web that provides both resources and living space for a wide variety of small arthropod species. The procedure outlined below is designed to examine this microhabitat and compare its community diversity among different species of conifers and habitats.

The exercise is based on a 1985 paper, Life in a Pine Cone, by David L. Kulhavy, Robert S. Baldridge and …

Food Plot Use By Juvenile Northern Bobwhites In East Texas, D. Scott Parsons, R. Montague Whiting Jr., Xiangwen Liu, Donald R. Dietz

Faculty Publications

We examined use of spring-summer (i.e., warm-season) food plots by northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) with broods using radio telemetry on a 563-ha study area in Trinity County, eastern Texas, where habitat was modified to enhance it for these birds. Bobwhites from South Texas and disjunct areas of East Texas were introduced to supplement a small, resident population. All relocated and most resident bobwhites were fitted with necklace-style transmitters. Bobwhites which produced chicks were intensively radiotracked (≥3 times/day) for ≥4 weeks or until the radio-marked parent was lost. Nine hens moved their broods to food plots within an average of 2.1 …

Reproduction Of Relocated And Resident Northern Bobwhites In East Texas, D. Scott Parsons, R. Montague Whiting Jr., Xiangwen Liu, Brad S. Mueller, Stanley L. Cook

Faculty Publications

We examined reproduction by relocated and resident northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) on an intensively managed 563-ha study area in Trinity County, eastern Texas. During the late winters of 1990-1992, 155 South Texas (84 hens, 71 cocks) and 136 East Texas (64 hens, 72 cocks) bobwhites were captured, radio-tagged, and relocated to the study area; 139 resident birds (73 hens, 66 cocks) were also captured, radio-tagged, and released at the point of capture. For the 3 years combined, the 33 South Texas, 33 East Texas, and 39 resident hens alive at the beginning of the breeding season produced 6, 13, and …

The Effects Of Forest Fragment Size, Isolation, And Microhabitat Variables On Nest Box Use By Southern Flying Squirrels (Glaucomys Volans) In Southern Illinois, Catherine Wong, Eric K. Bollinger, Thomas A. Nelson

Faculty Publications

We studied the effects of forest fragmentation on southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) in southern Illinois, and examined factors influencing nest box use. Ten nest boxes were placed in each of 30 oak-hickory forest fragments. Nest boxes were checked monthly after installation. We measured habitat variables that described the nest box tree, the microhabitat surrounding the nest box tree, and landscape level characteristics of the fragments (isolation and area). Overall, 78% of the 300 nest boxes were used. Glaucomys volans was captured in 24 of the 30 forest fragments, and evidence of squirrel use was found in 4 additional fragments. …

Relationships Of Selected Soil Properties And Community Species Composition In Turkey Hill Wilderness Area In East Texas, Kenneth W. Farrish, Brian P. Oswald

Faculty Publications

-Sixty-nine different stands within 15 different previously managed communities were sampled in what is now the Turkey Hill Wilderness of the Angelina National Forest. Within each stand, 0.04 ha plots were randomly located, and the height, diameter, crown class and species of each tree recorded. Soil samples were collected in two locations within each plot, and the soil type confirmed at plot center. Soil samples were analyzed for selected soil chemical and physical properties. Due to the low occurrence (less than 4 times) of some communities, only six community types were analyzed Analysis of the vegetation and soil data using …

Seedling Survival And Natural Regeneration For A Bottomland Hardwood Planting On Sites Differing In Site Preparation, Daniel T. Johns, Brett Williams, Hans M. Williams, Matthew Stroupe

Faculty Publications

In January 1998, three tracts in Hardin County, TX, were hand-planted with seven species of 1-0 bareroot bottomland hardwood seedlings. The tracts, managed by The Nature Conservancy of Texas, were previously 20-year-old pine plantations. The tracts are located within the floodplain of Village Creek. An objective for this conversion is the restoration of a bottomland hardwood wetland in order to meet Clean Water Act requirements. A pre-harvest plant inventory was conducted for each tract. The tracts were clearcut during the Winter and Spring of 1997. Following harvest, each tract was subjected to a different site preparation technique. One tract was …

Deer Use Of Riparian Zones And Adjacent Pine Plantations In Texas, Micah L. Poteet, Ronald E. Thill, R. Montague Whiting Jr., R. Lee Rayburn

Faculty Publications

The authors monitored white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) use of riparian zones (RZ’s) and adjacent pine plantations of 3 age classes (young, 1 to 3 years old; intermediate, 5 to 7 years old; and older, 9 to 13 years old) using radio telemetry for 2 years on a 1,300 ha study area near Alto, TX. Riparian zones comprised 22.0 percent of the area; young, intermediate, and older pine plantations comprised 19.1 percent, 45.7 percent, and 13.2 percent, respectively. Based on data from 4 to 9 deer the first year and 12 to 17 deer the second year, home ranges averaged 103, …

Evaluating Susceptibility Of Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Cavity Trees To Southern Pine Beetle In Texas, William G. Ross, David Kulhavy, Richard N. Conner

Faculty Publications

Characteristics of loblolly (Pinus fuedu L.) and shortleaf (Pinus echinutu Mill.) pine trees favored by the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, Picuides borealis (Vieillot) for nesting and roosting cavities over much of eastern Texas, tend to make these trees highly vulnerable to mortality from bark beetle attack. Resin flow and xylem moisture potential, often used as indicators of pine susceptibility to bark beetle mortality, were measured in several red-cockaded woodpecker cavity tree clusters in the Angelina and Davy Crockett National Forests. No differences in xylem moisture potential were found, while resin flow varied by site, tree species, and cavity tree type. With …

Activity Patterns And Habitat Use Of Northern Bobwhite Females In 2 Grazing Systems, R. Montague Whiting Jr., Denise L. Sloan

Faculty Publications

During spring and summer of 1985 and 1986, we investigated activity patterns and habitat use of female northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) on 2 sites in south Texas. One site had been subjected to a short duration grazing (SDG) system and the other to a continuous grazing (CG) system. Nineteen females were radio-tagged in 1985 and 28 in 1986. Rainfall was above average in 1985 and below average in 1986; as a result, herbaceous ground cover was more dense in 1985 than in 1986. Due to extensive fencing, 58% of the SDG cell was within 25 m of a mowed roadside, …

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! Not Just For Children Anymore! Seeking A National Perspective, David L. Kulhavy

Faculty Publications

Insects as interpretive tools are an invaluable resource for the interpreter. There are many uses, from live insect displays to pinned specimens to the use of insects puppets in classrooms, conferences or other interpretive arenas. In this paper, the use of mealworms, the monarch butterfly as a candidate for our national insect, and the demonstration of insect locomotion are presented. The key to successful interpretation using insects is to encourage audience participation, exude enthusiasm, and promote the use of insects as an easy resource to acquire.

Silviculture And The Red-Cockaded Woodpecker: Where Do We Go From Here?, David Kulhavy, W. G. Ross, Richard N. Conner, James H. Mitchell, Gloria Maples Chrismer

Faculty Publications

Recent standards and guidelines for the protection and management of red-cockaded woodpecker habitat within 3/4 mi of colony sites, and also thinning within colonies to reduce basal area and midstory will have a significant effect on National Forest lands. The relation of these thinnings to forest pest management will be examined as well as the area of forest involved. Current fire regulations in relation to prescribed burns and potential fuel buildup will be examined. Plans for research, including disturbances, hazard, and risk rating for southern pine beetle and landscape changes will be presented.

Physiology Of Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Cavity Trees: Implications For Management, William G. Ross, David Kulhavy, Richard N. Conner, Jianghua Sun

Faculty Publications

Resin flow and tree moisture stress, frequently used as indicators of pine susceptibility to pine bark beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm.) attack, were measured in loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf (P. echinata Mill.) pines red-cockaded woodpecker [Picoides boreal& (Vieillot)] cavity trees in the Angelina and Davy Crockett National Forests in eastern Texas. No differences in moisture stress were found, whereas resin flow between different types of cavity trees and control or potential trees varied by site and species. It was concluded that effects of red-cockaded woodpecker activity on host tree susceptibility to southern pine beetle will vary by site, tree …

Ipps Spp. Natural Enemy Relationships In The Gulf Coastal States, David Kulhavy, R. A. Goyer, M A. Riley

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Promoting Soft Mast For Wildlife In Intensively Managed Forests, John J. Stransky, John H. Roese

Faculty Publications

The fruit of woody plants is important as food for wildlife (Martin et al. 1951, Lay 1965). The relation of fruit production to southern forest stand conditions has been explored in only a few studies. Fruit production is greater in forest clearings than in closed forest stands (Lay 1966, Elalls and Alcaniz 1968). In Georgia slash pine (Pinus elliottii) plantations, fruit yields of shrubs are greatest in 4-yeas-old stands, and soil disturbance in site preparation greatly reduces fruit yields (Johnson and Landers 1978). Total fruit production is greatest in 5-year-old bedded loblolly pine (P. taeda) plantations …