TY - JOUR
T1 - Roost networks of northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) in a managed landscape
AU - Johnson, Joshua B.
AU - Mark Ford, W.
AU - Edwards, John W.
N1 - Funding Information:
The U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station Joint Venture Agreement 06-JV-11242300-140 provided primary funding for our study from the National Fire Plan to West Virginia University, Division of Forestry and Natural Resources. Funding for prescribed burning was provided by a Grant from Florida Power and Light and BHE Environmental to the U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station through Collection Agreement 06-CO-112331-034. The U.S. Forest Service Monongahela National Forest and the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station Timber and Watershed Laboratory conducted the prescribed burns. J. DeCarlo, J. Rodrigue, and T. Smith graciously provided field assistance. We thank two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on this manuscript.
PY - 2012/2/15
Y1 - 2012/2/15
N2 - Maternity groups of many bat species conform to fission-fusion models and movements among diurnal roost trees and individual bats belonging to these groups use networks of roost trees. Forest disturbances may alter roost networks and characteristics of roost trees. Therefore, at the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia, we examined roost tree networks of northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) in forest stands subjected to prescribed fire and in unmanipulated control treatments in 2008 and 2009. Northern myotis formed social groups whose roost areas and roost tree networks overlapped to some extent. Roost tree networks largely resembled scale-free network models, as 61% had a single central node roost tree. In control treatments, central node roost trees were in early stages of decay and surrounded by greater basal area than other trees within the networks. In prescribed fire treatments, central node roost trees were small in diameter, low in the forest canopy, and surrounded by low basal area compared to other trees in networks. Our results indicate that forest disturbances, including prescribed fire, can affect availability and distribution of roosts within roost tree networks.
AB - Maternity groups of many bat species conform to fission-fusion models and movements among diurnal roost trees and individual bats belonging to these groups use networks of roost trees. Forest disturbances may alter roost networks and characteristics of roost trees. Therefore, at the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia, we examined roost tree networks of northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) in forest stands subjected to prescribed fire and in unmanipulated control treatments in 2008 and 2009. Northern myotis formed social groups whose roost areas and roost tree networks overlapped to some extent. Roost tree networks largely resembled scale-free network models, as 61% had a single central node roost tree. In control treatments, central node roost trees were in early stages of decay and surrounded by greater basal area than other trees within the networks. In prescribed fire treatments, central node roost trees were small in diameter, low in the forest canopy, and surrounded by low basal area compared to other trees in networks. Our results indicate that forest disturbances, including prescribed fire, can affect availability and distribution of roosts within roost tree networks.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.foreco.2011.11.032
DO - 10.1016/j.foreco.2011.11.032
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:83455219424
SN - 0378-1127
VL - 266
SP - 223
EP - 231
JO - Forest Ecology and Management
JF - Forest Ecology and Management
ER -