Conservation value of timber quality versus associated non-timber quality stands for understory diversity in Nothofagus forests

Conservation strategies of forested landscapes must consider biodiversity of the included site types, i.e. timber-quality forests and associated non-timber-quality stands. The objectives were to characterize forest overstory structure in timber-quality versus associated non-timber-quality stands; and to compare their understory communities. Six forest types were sampled in Nothofagus forests of Tierra del Fuego (Argentina): two timber-quality N. pumilio forests, and four associated non-timber-quality stands (edge, N. antarctica, wetlands and streamside forests). Overstory structure and understory vegetation (species richness, frequencies, cover and biomass) were characterized during spring and summer seasons. Analysis of variance and multivariates were carried out. Overstory structure differed across the site types, with higher tree size, canopy closure and tree volume in timber-quality stands. Fifty-one understory plant species were observed, but understory variables varied with site types, especially wetlands (highest native and exotic richness, cover and biomass, and 25% of exclusive species). Site types were grouped in three: N. antarctica stands, streamside stands and the other N. pumilio forests according to multivariate analysis. Forty three percent of plants were distributed in all site types, and all timber-quality forest understory species were present in some associated non-timber-quality stands. Timber-quality N. pumilio forests have a marginal value for understory conservation compared to associated non-timber-quality stands, because these last include all the plants observed in timber-quality forests and also possess many exclusive species. Therefore, protection of associated non-timber-quality stands during forest management planning could increase understory conservation at landscape level, and these could be better reserves of understory diversity than retentions of timber-quality stands.     

Influence of fire severity on stand development of Araucaria araucana–Nothofagus pumilio stands in the Andean cordillera of south‐central Chile

Fire is the prevalent disturbance in the Araucaria–Nothofagus forested landscape in south‐central Chile. Although both surface and stand‐replacing fires are known to characterize these ecosystems, the variability of fire severity in shaping forest structure has not previously been investigated in Araucaria–Nothofagus forests. Age structures of 16 stands, in which the ages of approximately 650 trees were determined, indicate that variability in fire severity and frequency is key to explaining the mosaic of forest patches across the Araucaria–Nothofagus landscape. High levels of tree mortality in moderate‐ to high‐severity fires followed by new establishment of Nothofagus pumilio typically result in stands characterized by one or two cohorts of this species. Large Araucaria trees are highly resistant to fire, and this species typically survives moderate‐ to high‐severity fires either as dispersed individuals or as small groups of multi‐aged trees. Small post‐fire cohorts of Araucaria may establish, depending on seed availability and the effects of subsequent fires. Araucaria's great longevity (often >700 years) and resistance to fire allow some individuals to survive fires that kill and then trigger new Nothofagus cohorts. Even in relatively mesic habitats, where fires are less frequent, the oldest Araucaria–Nothofagus pumilio stands originated after high‐severity fires. Overall, stand development patterns of subalpine Araucaria–N. pumilio forests are largely controlled by moderate‐ to high‐severity fires, and therefore tree regeneration dynamics is strongly dominated by a catastrophic regeneration mode.     

Nest habitat selection by the Austral parakeet in north‐western Patagonia

Identifying habitat or nesting microhabitat variables associated with high levels of nest success is important to understand nest site preferences and bird–habitat relationships. Little is known about cavity availability and nest site requirements of cavity nesters in southern hemisphere temperate forests, although nest site limitation is suggested. Here we ask which characteristics are selected by the Austral parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus) for nesting in Araucaria araucana–Nothofagus pumilio forest in Argentine Patagonia. We compared nest plot and tree characteristics with unused plots and trees among areas of different A. araucana–N. pumilio density. We also examine whether nest plot and tree use and selection, and the associated consequences for fitness of Austral parakeets are spatially related to forest composition. Austral parakeets showed selectivity for nests at different spatial scales, consistently choosing isolated live and large trees with particular nest features in a non‐random way from available cavities. Mixed A. araucana–N. pumilio forests are ideal habitat for the Austral parakeets of northern Patagonia, offering numerous potential cavities, mainly in N. pumilio. We argue that Austral parakeet reproduction and fitness is currently very unlikely to be limited by cavity availability, although this situation may be rapidly changing. Natural and human disturbances are modifying south temperate forests with even‐aged mid‐successional stands replacing old growth forests. Cavity nesting species use and need old growth forests, due to the abundance of cavities in large trees and the abundance of larvae in old wood. Neither of the latter resources is sufficiently abundant in mid‐successional forests, increasing the vulnerability and threatening the survival of the Austral.     

Age structure and dynamics of Patagonian beech forests in Torres del Paine National Park,Chile

This study documents the stem size and age-structure in forests dominated by different species of Nothofagus in Torres del Paine National Park (51° S), in the Chilean Patagonian region. We also explored the relationship between the various types of Nothofagus forest and postglacial succession. Pioneer stands on moraine fields 1–2 km of the glacier front are dominated by Nothofagus betuloides and Nothofagus antarctica. Moraines appear to be first colonized by the evergreen N. betuloides, followed within 5–7 years by deciduous N. antarctica. Nothofagus antarctica may replace the former species and develop monospecific stands on glacial valleys. Most trees in the N. antarctica stand studied were older than 40 years and floods may cause a significant mortality of young trees. Recruitment from seed seems to be infrequent. Old-growth stands dominated by deciduous Nothofagus pumilio occupy more stable substrates, and probably represent the last stage of postglacial succession. This long-lived tree species had recorded ages over 200 years. The canopy of N. pumilio forests appears to be a mosaic of even-aged, old-growth patches. We propose that regeneration episodes follow the blowdown of a large portion of the canopy, with long intervals with little or no regeneration. Windstorms may be an important force influencing the regeneration of N. pumilio. Exogenous disturbances, such as floods and windstorms, are an integral part of the forest cycle in the Patagonian region.     

Forested Buffer Strips and Breeding Bird Communities in Southeast Alaska

Abstract: Forested buffer strips are used to mitigate fragmentation and habitat loss and are a common feature in management of riparian landscapes. Low-elevation, old-growth coastal forests are a rare riparian habitat that can benefit from similar conservation measures. We evaluated the effectiveness of postlogging, forested buffer strips for forest-dwelling birds in the coastal temperate rainforest of southeast Alaska, USA. Our objective was to compare bird composition and density among forested buffer strips of differing widths and controls at the stand and landscape scales. We applied a 2-stage sampling design stratified by forested buffer width and randomly selected 24 managed and 18 control sites to sample over 2 breeding seasons. We estimated abundance of birds using the paired-observer, variable-circular plot method. We modeled combined effects of buffer width and vegetation and landscape characteristics on bird density at 2 spatial scales. Species richness and diversity were greatest in the narrowest buffers, but species composition in the largest buffers (≥400 m) was most similar to that in control blocks. Abundance of 3 of 10 common species differed across forested buffer treatments and controls. Densities of red-breasted sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) and Pacific-slope flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) were positively related to buffer width, whereas density of ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus calendula) was negatively associated with buffer width. Parameter estimates for buffer width effects at both spatial scales were similar within species. We found few habitat and landscape variables that clearly affected density of our focal species, and among species no predictor variables affected density in a similar fashion. We recommend retaining forested buffers ≥400 m to support composition and abundance of forest-dwelling birds, particularly those species that rely on interior forest conditions. (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 72(3):674-681; 2008)     

Decreasing negative impacts of harvesting over insect communities using variable retention in southern Patagonian forests

Variable retention is an alternative silvicultural approach to timber forest management, which consist in a regeneration treatment with different degrees and patterns of stand retention. It has been proposed to mitigate harmful effects of harvesting, but effectiveness in insect conservation remains unknown in southern Patagonian Nothofagus pumilio forests. Here, the objectives were to: (1) define a baseline of insect diversity in old-growth forests along a site quality gradient (high, medium and low, associated to the forest productivity of each site); (2) evaluate stands with different retention treatments [aggregated (AR) surrounded by dispersed (DR) retention, and aggregated retention surrounded by clear-cut (CC)] and to compare with old-growth unmanaged forests (OGF); and (3) assess temporal changes during the first 4 years after harvesting (YAH). In a long term forest research plot, mobile epigean insect richness and relative abundance were characterized and classified in seven response type groups, using a wide spectrum sampling set. Data analyses included parametric and permutational ANOVAs, multivariate classification and ordinations. There were found 79 species before harvesting, and that richness was not related to site quality. After harvesting, 84 new species were added considering all treatments along the first four sampled YAH, of which 65 % were added to OGF, while in harvested sites richness and abundance directly diminished with retention degree (OGF > AR > DR > CC) due to incoming species cannot compensate the lost of them. However, fluctuations in diversity were observed along the YAH. Therefore, harvesting reduces insect richness in N. pumilio forests independently of the treatment, but the original insect assemblage significantly changes due to loss of sensitive species and introduction of others from surrounding environments. Despite this, inclusion of aggregates greatly diminished harvesting impacts because insect assemblage is favoured when structural complexity is preserved, conserving richness and abundance at similar levels than in old-growth forests. However, more studies are necessary to evaluate effects of different aggregate size, shape and distribution into harvested forests, as well as their fragmentation and connectivity at landscape level.     

Diversity of understory birds in old stands of native and Eucalyptus plantations

We compared the vegetation structure between old (>70 year) stands of planted diversified native forests and stands of Eucalyptus tereticornis embedded in a mosaic of Eucalyptus stands. We then tested for differences in the abundance, species richness, species composition, and ecological traits (forest dependence, sensitivity to forest fragmentation, and diet) of the understory bird assemblages inhabiting both kinds of stands. We expected differences in the structure of the bird assemblages because of the different origins and management strategies (contrary to native stands, Eucalyptus stands were selectively logged in the past). Three stands of each habitat (native and Eucalyptus) were sampled with mist nets during 11 months. Eucalyptus stands had a denser understory, whereas native plantations had a more developed vertical structure and a greater density of native trees. The abundance distribution of bird species was more homogeneous in Eucalyptus than in native stands. Eucalyptus had slightly higher species richness (36 species) than native stands (32 species). The composition of species and the occurrence of the diet, forest dependence, and sensitivity to forest fragmentation categories were similar between habitats. Some bird species (e.g. Turdus leucomelas), however, were more abundant in one habitat over the other. Old stands of Eucalyptus and planted native forest can harbor a diverse bird community similar in structure but not exactly equivalent for individual bird species. Planting native diversified forests and keeping set‐aside stands of the exotic tree should be viewed as complementary rather than alternative strategies for maintaining bird diversity within plantations.     

Changes in Nothofagus pumilio forest biodiversity during the forest management cycle. 2. Birds

Human activities, such as logging, modify the forest structure and the microenvironments of the original Nothofagus forests. The aims of this work were to evaluate changes in the diversity and relative abundance of birds and to analyze their trophic relationships with insect and plant communities along the Nothofagus pumilio forest management cycle. Data was collected using a point sampling method along transects located in different forest structures during the summer season, by direct (sight) and indirect (hearing) recognition following sunrise. Bird diversity and abundance significantly varied along the forest management cycle. Seven new species appeared after harvest, but the total number did not vary by the end of the forest management cycle, and there was no significant loss of species. Bird abundance was directly related to the insect abundance and plant biomass. Relationship between groups (lower plants, monocotyledons and dicotyledonous) is also discussed. Major studies in bird ecology are necessary to develop new silvicultural alternatives based on the more sensitive species to harvest. Forest management strategies and mitigation alternatives must be incorporated into forest planning in order to maintain the original structure of bird communities and the equilibrium with other forest species.     

Novel patch–matrix interactions: patch width influences matrix use by birds

This study investigated the influence of the width of patches of native eucalypt forest on bird occurrence in stands of exotic radiata pine ( Pinus radiata ) forests that surrounded such patches. Boundaries between eucalypt and pine forests were surveyed to examine bird occurrence and species richness at different distances in the pine matrix from eucalypt forest edges. Birds were counted by the area search method within 0.5 ha quadrats at 32 study sites (where sites spanned the boundaries of pine and eucalypt forests). Data were examined using generalised linear mixed models. Species richness and occurrence of particular species in quadrats located within pine forests decreased with increasing distance from eucalypt patches. This resulted, in part, from the fact that several species found in native patches also use pine plantations as additional foraging areas. Species richness decreased more quickly with distance from eucalypt patches in younger than in older pine stands. The width of native forest patches also influenced bird occurrence in adjacent pine forest matrix. Bird species richness decreased more rapidly in exotic plantations adjacent to wide rather than narrow patches of native forest. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have previously reported that dimensions of patches can influence the use of surrounding matrix. We introduce the term "halo effect" for the influence of patch attributes on the differential use of matrix adjacent to native patches. These patterns highlight that conservation efforts in patchy environments should protect not only native patches but also adjacent areas of matrix into which animals extend their home ranges.     

Variable strength of top‐down effects in Nothofagus forests: bird predation and insect herbivory during an ENSO event

Abstract Predators are thought to play a key role in controlling herbivory, thus having positive indirect effects on plants. However, evidence for terrestrial trophic cascades is still fragmentary, perhaps due to variation in top‐down forces created by environmental heterogeneity. We examined the magnitude of predation effects on foliar damage by chewing insects and mean leaf size, by excluding birds from saplings in ‘dry’ and ‘wet’Nothofagus pumilio forests in the northern Patagonian Andes, Argentina. The experiment lasted 2 years encompassing a severe drought during the La Niña phase of a strong El Niño/Southern Oscillation event, which was followed by unusually high background folivory levels. Insect damage was consistently higher in wet than in dry forest saplings. In the drought year (1999), bird exclusion increased folivory rates in both forests but did not affect tree leaf size. In the ensuing season (2000), leaf damage was generally twice as high as in the drought year. As a result, bird exclusion not only increased the extent of folivory but also significantly decreased sapling leaf size. The latter effect was stronger in the wet forest, suggesting compensation of leaf area loss by dry forest saplings. Overall, the magnitude of predator indirect effects depended on the response variable measured. Insectivorous birds were more effective at reducing folivory than at facilitating leaf area growth. Our results indicate that bird‐initiated trophic cascades protect N. pumilio saplings from insect damage even during years with above‐normal herbivory, and also support the view that large‐scale climatic events influence the strength of trophic cascades.     

The value of timber quality forests for insect conservation on Tierra del Fuego Island compared to associated non-timber quality stands

Insect community studies related to forest management focus principally on timber-quality stands, and often omit the remainder of the landscape. This study aimed mainly to compare insect communities of primary timber-quality forests (Nothofagus pumilio) with associated non-timber-quality stands (wetland, edge, riparian and N. antarctica forests), and secondarily to characterize these insect assemblages throughout the growing season and at different vertical strata to evaluate the importance of each habitat type for insect conservation. A total of 18,800 individuals belonging to 231 RTUs (recognizable taxonomic units) were identified, of which Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Coleoptera were the dominant orders. Lepidoptera RTUs were mostly generalists, while the other main orders were most frequently found in timber-quality forests and included many RTUs with specific environmental requirements. Timber-quality stands had higher richness and abundance than associated non-timber-quality forests and possessed more exclusive species (18%), while 39% of RTUs were shared between all sites. The spatial heterogeneity of timber-quality stands generated different niches and favored insect diversity, which would not have been maintained by protecting non-timber-quality stands alone. Consequently, the proper management of subantarctic Nothofagus forests must include the conservation of timber-quality stands, as protection of non-timber-quality areas alone will not be sufficient for insect conservation at the landscape scale.     

The role of farm structure on bird assemblages around a Kenyan tropical rainforest

Although it is clear that the farmlands neighbouring fragmented forests are utilized by some forest birds, it is not clear how birds in general respond to farmland habitat mosaic. An effort was made to determine how bird density and foraging assemblages were influenced by farm structural characteristics and distance from forest edge. Thirty farms up to a distance of 12 km around Kakamega forest in western Kenya were studied. Farm structure entailed size, hedge volume, habitat heterogeneity, woody plant density, plant diversity and crop cover. Birds were surveyed using line transects and DISTANCE analyses and classified into six feeding guilds and three habitat associations. Size of farms increased away from the forest, as woody plant density, plant diversity, indigenous trees and subsistence crop cover declined. The most important farm structure variable was hedge volume, which enhanced bird species richness, richness of shrub‐land bird species and insectivorous bird density (R = 0.58, P < 0.01). Bird density increased with tree density while indigenous trees were suitable for insectivores and nectarivores. There were very few forest bird encounters. Agricultural practices incorporating maintenance of hedges and sound selection of agroforestry trees can enhance conservation of birds on farmland, though, not significantly for forest species.     

Can forest management have season-dependent effects on bird diversity?

Forest management modified the original structure of most European forests, and in the most extreme cases, genuinely natural and semi-natural forests were turned into plantations through clear felling and replanting, often using non-native species. We compared the bird community structure of native oak woods of northern Italy with that of their anthropogenic counter-parts: black locust and sweet chestnut woods. The three stand types were compared in terms of vegetation structure, bird species richness, diversity and abundance of foraging guilds. We analysed both the overwintering and the breeding community, to assess whether management had specific seasonal effects on bird diversity. Forestry-imposed disturbances affected bird diversity more consistently in winter than in breeding time: bird species richness and diversity were significantly greater in oak and chestnut stands, which were the preferred habitat for bark foragers and foliage gleaners. In the breeding period, bird diversity of black locust woodlands increased, and inter-stand differences were not significant. At this time of year, understorey gleaners were more abundant in black locust stands (where shrubs were denser). In winter, species richness, diversity and the abundance of several guilds were positively correlated with stand age, whereas in the breeding period canopy gleaners preferred younger woodlots. Despite the lack of inter-stand differences in breeding bird diversity, young-managed woods benefited generalist birds that need no particular conservation efforts. Conversely, priority species for forest conservation such as specialised bark foragers positively selected native and mature stands throughout the year. We suggest that detailed year-round studies on diversity and community composition could sharpen the precision with which it is possible to prescribe conservation measures in forested areas.     

Associations Among Breeding Birds and Gambel Oak in Southwestern Ponderosa Pine Forests

Abstract: Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests with Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) are associated with higher bird abundance and diversity than are ponderosa pine forests lacking Gambel oak. Little is known, however, about specific structural characteristics of Gambel oak trees, clumps, and stands that may be important to birds in ponderosa pine-Gambel oak (hereafter pine-oak) forests. We examined associations among breeding birds and structural characteristics of Gambel oak at a scale similar in size to individual bird territories in pine-oak forests in northern Arizona and western New Mexico, USA. Avian species richness and occurrence of some bird species were associated with specific growth forms of Gambel oak. Estimated probability of Virginia's warblers (Vermivora virginiae), black-headed grosbeaks (Pheucticus melanocephalus), and red-faced warblers (Cardellina rubrifrons) occurring at points increased with increasing density of pole-sized Gambel oak 7–15 cm in diameter at breast height. We also found evidence that large Gambel oak trees (≥23 cm dbh) were associated with increased occurrence of yellow-rumped warblers (Dendroica coronata) at points. Some avian associations with oak were influenced by characteristics of ponderosa pines. For example, bird species richness was positively associated with the abundance of large Gambel oak when density of large pine trees ≥23 cm in diameter at breast height was low. Because large oak trees are rare and their numbers are thought to be declining, efforts should be made to retain and promote growth of additional oaks in this size class. Forest management practices that maintain forest openings, such as prescribed burning, could promote growth of pole-sized Gambel oak, which appears important to some bird species in pine-oak forests.     

Natural and anthropogenic influences on coarse woody debris stocks in Nothofagus–Araucaria forests of northern Patagonia,Argentina

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important element driving ecological processes, strengthening ecosystem resilience and for biodiversity within forest ecosystems. However, the abundance and distribution of CWD and their relation to natural and human factors are poorly known in southern South America. In this work we studied the density and volume of CWD types in Nothofagus–Araucaria stands in northern Patagonia (Neuquén – Argentina) and relationships with forest composition and structure. We also studied their relationships with fire history, topography and human‐related variables. Twenty‐three stands with Nothofagus pumilio, Nothofagus antarctica and/or Araucaria araucana were sampled to estimate quantities of logs, snags and dead branches using the planar‐intersect method. CWD density and volume in these forests were moderate and varied across the landscape with a spatial pattern determined by biotic, abiotic and human use–related variables. Mean CWD volume was 52.9 m³ ha^?1 (range: 1.6–143.7) and significantly varied among forest types and watersheds. CWD was positively related to dbh, tree height and slope, but negatively related to tree density. CWD was clearly influenced by composition and structural characteristics of stands, where the tree species traits had an important role. As well, the observed amount and type of CWD, whereby most of the stands showed low levels of old (pre‐disturbance) logs/snags and poor new inputs of deadwood, may be explained by fire frequency. Firewood gathering and livestock grazing negatively affected deadwood stocks and topography counteracts this effect by limiting human access. Fire disturbance history, windthrow and dieback pulses produced by insect outbreaks and human access seemed to be the main causes that best explained CWD spatial distribution and abundance patterns in north‐western Patagonian forests.     

Connectivity with primary forest determines the value of secondary tropical forests for bird conservation

Species extinctions caused by the destruction and degradation of tropical primary forest may be at least partially mitigated by the expansion of regenerating secondary forest. However, the conservation value of secondary forest remains controversial, and potentially underestimated, since most previous studies have focused on young, single‐aged, or isolated stands. Here, we use point‐count surveys to compare tropical forest bird communities in 20–120‐year‐old secondary forest with primary forest stands in central Panama, with varying connectivity between secondary forest sites and extensive primary forest. We found that species richness and other metrics of ecological diversity, as well as the combined population density of all birds, reached a peak in younger (20‐year‐old) secondary forests and appeared to decline in older secondary forest stands. This counter‐intuitive result can be explained by the greater connectivity between younger secondary forests and extensive primary forests at our study site, compared with older secondary forests that are either (a) more isolated or (b) connected to primary forests that are themselves small and isolated. Our results suggest that connectivity with extensive primary forest is a more important determinant of avian species richness and community structure than forest age, and highlight the vital contribution secondary forests can make in conserving tropical bird diversity, so long as extensive primary habitats are adjacent and spatially connected.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.     

Effects of forest modification on bird community composition and seed removal in a heterogeneous landscape in South Africa

Human disturbance threatens and modifies forest ecosystems worldwide. Previous studies have investigated the effects of human impact on local bird communities in disturbed forests, but we still lack information on how bird species richness and ecological processes respond to different forest modifications present at a landscape scale. In a heterogeneous South African landscape, we chose six types of indigenous scarp forest, differing in the intensity of human disturbance: continuous natural forests and natural forest fragments in nature reserves, forest fragments in eucalyptus plantations, fragments in the agricultural matrix, forest gardens and secondary forests in game reserves. In 36 study sites, we investigated the bird community using point counts and observed the seed removal of birds at the native tree species Celtis africana. Species richness did not differ among the forest types, but abundance varied significantly with most birds observed in fragments in the agricultural matrix, forest gardens, and secondary forests. The higher bird abundance in these forests was mainly due to forest generalists, shrubland and open country species whereas forest specialists were rarely present. Changes in species composition were also confirmed by multivariate analysis which clearly separated bird communities by forest type. Frugivore abundance in C. africana was highest in natural forest fragments, fragments in the agricultural matrix, forest gardens and secondary forests. The same trend was found for the estimated total number of fruits removed per C. africana tree, though the differences among forest types were not significant. Consequently, modified forests seem to maintain important ecological functions as they provide food sources for generalist species which may, due to their mobility, enhance natural plant regeneration. However, we could show that protected forest habitats are important refugees for specialist species sensitive to human disturbance.     

Magellanic woodpecker ( Campephilus magellanicus) abundance and foraging in Tierra del Fuego, Chile

The Magellanic woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus) is a vulnerable and poorly studied bird in the sub-antarctic deciduous and evergreen beech (Nothofagus) forests of South America. On Tierra del Fuego island (Chile), we compared Magellanic woodpecker abundance and its foraging habitat in two forest types: pure N. pumilio and mixed forests composed by N. pumilio and N. betuloides, including managed and non managed stands. At a regional scale, abundance of woodpeckers was greater in landscapes including both forest types than in pure N. pumilio landscapes. When both forest types occurred together, woodpecker abundance did not differ between them. The number of trees with foraging signs was correlated with Magellanic woodpecker abundance and was also associated with N. betuloides and snag densities, but was not affected by forest management. Occurrence of pecking on foraging trees was greater in mixed Nothofagus than pure N. pumilio stands. Woodpeckers foraged disproportionately more on larger diameter and more decayed trees. Moreover, trees used for foraging were positively correlated with canopy cover and snag density and were negatively correlated with distance to nearby peatlands and beaver ponds. Direct observation revealed that the flying distance between trees was negatively correlated with proportion of trees with foraging signs. Woodpeckers chose trees that were visited before, suggesting a pattern of tree recognition within foraging territories.Communicated by F. Bairlein