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Nov 20, 1998 - E Wayne Bell, Robert G. Wagner, and Phillip E. Reynolds orest and wildlife managers have used herbicides to influence th growth, composition ...
TheFallingsnow Ecosystem Project:Documenting orest andwildlife managers have

used herbicides toinfluence the

Althoughcommonlycited, the HubbardBrookexperiment (Likenset

menting iheterrestrial ecological •ons•! growth,composition, andabun- al. 1977; Bormann and Likens 1979), quences ofalternative conifer releaie •eat danceof selectedplant species for which among other things docunearlyhalfa century(Lautenschlagermentedthebiogeochemical effects of ments, A!though long-term respønSeS are unknOwn;results to dateindicate thatcut-

1993).Forestvegetation management herbicide application on regenerating with herbicides has increased dramati-

forests,usedherbicidesin an unusual ting andherbicide treatments arerelatively cally since they were first introduced, manner.Specifically, annualapphcainconsequential formost environmental tions, of both Bromacil and 2,4,5-T, but public opposition to this managecomponents found inregenerating northern years ment in both Europe and North wereusedfor threeconsecutive forests, including soil nutrients andspecies Americais increasing. In Europethat to "keepthewatershed bareandsuprichness ofvegetation, insects, gastropods, opposition regrowth" (Bormann hasledto thevirtualelimi- pressvegetative amphibians andreptiles, songbirds, andsmall nationof herbicides in forestry in sev- andLikens! 979, p. 82). Thosetreatmammals. Still, given thegrowing opposition eralcountries (Wagner 1993),whilein ments led to maximum streamflow North America herbicide treatments toherbicide useinforestry, managers must andnutrientlossfromthedevegetated on US publiclandsin watershed and the conclusion that "deexpect thatsocial input intonatural resource wererestricted the 1980s (Walstad1993), havebeen vegetation notonlyeliminates nument management willbecome more common, if restricted in several Canadian uptake but results in a whole arrayof notrequired. provinces(Wagner1993), and are changes whichaffectsoil chemistry viewednegatively in theForestStew- and stream-waterlosses"(Bormann ardship Council's certification process andLikens! 979, p. 89). By R.A.Lautenschlager, Pastresearch deficiencies andstudy(Gordon1998). Publicopposition to E Wayne Bell,RobertG. haveprompted herbicideuse(Lautenschlager !986) specificirregularities Wagner,and PhillipE.Reynolds hasledto alternatives, suchascutting questions abouttheshort-andlongconsequences of anddomestic animalforaging (Wagner termenvironmental 1994), which are favoredby many coniferreleasewith herbicides,and environmental and economic similariues people(Wagner et al. 1998). Althoughinterest in alternatives to and differences between conifer release herbicides isgreat,therehasbeenmin- with herbicides and alternatives to herimalresearch intotheecological conse- bicides(Wagneret al. 1998).To adquences of proposed alternatives and dressthese concerns,we initiated an integrated,longalmostnoresearch comparing alterna- operational-scale, study,theFallingsnow tives with standardherbicideap- termreplicated Project(Lautenschlager et proaches (Lautenschlager et al. 1998). Ecosystem In addition,with the exceptionof al. 1997b), in northwesternOntario aquaticecosystem workat Carnation Hereweprovidean overview of that Creek(Reynoldset al. 1993), most study,includingthedesign,environstudies that have examined the envimentalcomponents beingexamined, ronmental consequences of herbicides and results to date. The followingecosystem compoin forestvegetation management have been relativelyshort-term,small in nentsarebeingstudied atFallingsnow' scale,and lackingsufficientreplicaß Soils(types,moisturepatterns, nitrogenminertion;theyhavenotincluded pretreat- soilsolutionnutrients, mentinformation aboutthevegetation alization). andanimalpopulations beingstudied, ßMicroclimate (below-ground sod haveconcentrated on onlya fewplant temperatureand moisture,aboverelativehuor animalspecies or groups,or were groundair temperature, acnve conducted foronlyonegrowing season midity,andphotosynthetically aftertreatment (Lautenschlager ! 993). radiation). 20

November 1998

onsequencesof ConiferReleaseAlternatives

A northern ml

near Fallin•no we•t Ontari.

-wood forest

e in north-

' the sit

.

fi

large-$ca t compare consequencesof conifer tel

alternatives o,,n awid rang terrestrial e•ological omponen

ßBelow-ground fungi. fromuniversity, government, andprißVegetation(trees,shrubs,herbs, vate organizations in Ontario and grasses, sedges,lichens,liverworts, across Canada. The studyareaisabout mosses, fungi),species composition, 60 kilometers southwest of Thunder abundance,diversity,pattern,and Bay,Ontario,in thetransitionzonebechangesin foliar nutrient content tween the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence (spruce andtrembling aspen). andborealforestregions (Rowe1972), ß Insects(below-ground, surface- withinthewestern partof whatBormann and Likens (1979) called the active, anddefoliating). ßTerrestrial gastropods (slugsand northernhardwood forest.The study snails). usesa randomized complete blockdeßAmphibians andreptiles. sign, with four blocksthat were ß Small mammals. dearcutandplanted(spruce) fourto ßSongbirds. sevenyearsbeforethe studybegan. ßMooseareauseandfoods(production andforage quality). StudyAreaand Design Established in 1993,the FallingsnowEcosystem Project, namedaftera lakenearthestudyarea,isoperationalscale(table1), comprehensive (includesmostenvironmental components), andintegrated (includes collaborativeworkby environmental scientistsfromdifferentdisciplines). Researchers workingat Fallingsnow are Photo byF.Wayne Bell

Eachblockcontains fourpostharvest treatments, an untreated checkplot, andanadjacent uncut7- to 10-hectare (ha)aspen-spruce standto whichcomparisons arebeingmade. Our objectiveis to compareand contrast theecological consequences of four conifer releasetreatments:

ß Helicopter-applied solutionsof Vision© (1.5 kg acid equivalent (a.e.)/ha glyphosate herbicide; Roundup © in the United States,a trademarkof Monsanto).

ßHelicopter-applied solutions con-

Table 1. Block and treatment plot size (in hectares) of the Fallingsnow Ecosystem Project. Block

Treatment

I

2

3

4

Total

Brushsaw Silvana

6.0 8.4

4.7 6.7

12.4 10.4

4.4 8.1

27.5 33.6

Release © Vision©

4.9 9.9

6.5 6.5

8.1 10.4

9.3 5.3

28.8 32.1

Check Unharvested

8.1 9.0

3.3 8.0

10.5 10.0

5.0 7.0

26.9 34.0

46.3

35.7

61.8

39.1

182.9

Total

Journalof Forestry 21

tainingRelease© (1.9 kg a.e./hatriclopyrherbicide;Garlon©4in the

pearingwith revegetation that was faster oncutplotsandslower onherbiUnited States, a trademark of Dowcide-treated plots,twoandthreeyears Elanco). after treatment (Reynoldset al. et al. (1998b)found ß Cuttingwith a tractor-mounted 1998a).Reynolds SilvanaSelective cuttingheadsup- thatsoilN turnover andNO3- proportedbya parallelogram boom. ductionincreased followingcutting ßCuttingwithbrushsaws. and weregreatest followingVision Changes in untreatedchecksand treatment, butbeingdependent onmiadjacent unbarvested stands weredoc- croclimate, these increaseswere also umented, aswerethecosts, operational short-lived, with no significant treatconstraints of treatments applied, her- ment-related differences after two A tractor-mounted Silvana Selective bicide deposit,and posttreatmentgrowingseasons. growthof plantedspruce andassoci- Houstonet al. (1998, in press), cutting headdeliveredone of the atednoncrop vegetation. Costsarere- usingsamples collected twogrowing conifer releasetreatments studied; aftertreatment,found that neiother adjacenttreatments included portedin Canadian dollars(approxi- seasons mately75 percent of theUS dollarin ther clearcutting and plantingnor two herbicides,brushsawcutting, 1995). coniferrelease, regardless of treatment untreated check, and unharvested type,significantly affected basalrespi- forest stands. r

Results to Date

ration,microbialbiomassC, metabolic

Productivity andherbicide deposit. quotientsC ß'C , or nitro•,enin ei- plots(81 species) weresimilar.HowBellet al. (1997b)reported thattreat- therorganic or mineralsoils.Reynolds ever,theyfoundonly40 fungalspecies mentandsupervision costs perhectare et al. (1997b) reportedthat foliar common to both Vision and check were $227 (brushsaw),$276 (Silvana macronutrient concentrations (mg/g plots,andforestharvesting increased Selective),and $153 for the herbicide foliage)for treatedsprucewerenot fungalcommunity richness anddiversolutions. Thompsonet al. (1997) greater thanthoseon checkplotstwo sityin bothnear-surface organic and documented overall mean herbicide growing seasons afterrelease; however, deepermineralsoils. deposit onthetarget(aspen) canopy as the biomass of individual released 14getation. Bellet al. (1997a)re68.5 percent(glyphosate) and 50.3 spruce hasincreased twofoldsincere- portedthat duringthe firstgrowing percent(tridopyr).Differences in de- lease, and therefore total foliar season afterrelease, coverof theeight positbetweenthesetwo herbicides, macronutrients aresignificantly greater vegetation groups examined (conifers, however,were attributed to meteoro- in spruce growing onreleased thanon deciduous trees,shrubs, forbs,grasses logicalconditions duringapplication checkplots. andsedges, ferns,andhorsetails) inrather than inherent formulation charBelow-ground fungi.Houstonet al. creased on checkplots.Conifercover acteristics. Depositmeansby vegeta- (in press), whoexamined soilsamples increased on all thetreated plotsdurtion tier showed a consistentreduction fromthestudyareatwogrowingsea- ing this time, but comparedwith as sampleswere collecteddown sonsaftertreatment, foundthatfungal checkplots,therelative increase (prethroughthe canopies (60 percentat species richness andcommunity struc- treatment-posttreatment cover data 3.5 m; 25 percentat 1.0m; 12 percent tureof check(77 species) andVision percentage) wasgreater(12 percent) at 0.5 m). Soil nutrients,microclimate,N min-

eralization, andj•liar nutrients. Simpsonet al. (1997)reported no substan-

400%

Brushsaw

I

Silvana

•l•

Release©

•l•

Vision©

300

tial treatment-related differences in

postrelease soilsolution movement of selected nutrients(totalorganicN, NH4+, NO3-,K, Ca)duringthefirst andsecond growingseason afterrelease.Reynolds et al. (1997a,b)reportedthat duringthe firstgrowing season afterrelease, near-ground solar radiation increases ledto higherneargroundandsoiltemperatures, higher soil moisture,and reducedrelativehu-

200 100 0

-100

-200 -300

Trees

Shrubs

Forbs

Grasses

Ferns

midityonreleased plots.However, exceptforphotosynthetically active radiation, microclimatechangeswere FigureI. Relativecoverchange,onegrowingseasonafter treatment, by conifer Bellet al. 1997b. short-lived, generally fadingor disap- releasetreatmenttype andvegetationgroup(N = 4). SouecE: 22

November 1998

onlyon Visionplots.Figure1 shows were relativelyunaffectedby the Duchesneet al. (in press)found that total carabid catcheswere statistirelative changes, adjusted for changes conifer releasealternatives tested. onchecks, at theendof thefirstgrowHerbicide-treated plotsconsistendy callyunaffected by eithertheharvest ingseason aftertreatmentfor decidu- hadthehighest species richness; plots itself (comparingregenerating cuoustrees,shrubs, forbs,grasses and in the unharvested forest had the low- tovers withadjacent uncutforests) or sedges, and ferns(groupsthat con- est.In addition,compared with un- thepostharvest coniferrelease alternatributed95 percentor moreof the treatedchecks,volumegrowthof tive used.Unlike Ward et al. (1998), nonconifer cover).Cuttingandherbi- sprucegrowingwith aspenbefore whoexamined onlypretreatment and cide treatments reduceddeciduoustree treatmentincreased followingall re- one-season posttreatment responses, coverdramatically, butshrubs werere- leasetreatments,but the increasewas however,Duchesneet al. (in press) ducedmuchmoreby herbicide than greatestfollowingherbiciderelease foundthattwogrowing seasons after by cuttingtreatments; forbcoverde- Reynolds, pers.commun.). treatment,speciesrichnessand the creased slightlyfollowingbrushsaw Below-ground, sur•ce-active, andde- Shannon-Weiner diversityindexinandRelease treatments, andgrass and )31iating insects. Addison (1996)founda creased afterclearcutting andagain sedgecoverwasreduced slightlyby rich collection of soil fauna when sheex- afterconiferrelease, with thegreatest brushsaw cuttingandtheVisiontreat- aminedsoilsamples twogrowing sea- diversity recorded wherecompetition ments. Theactiveingredient triclopyr sonsaftertreatment. Specifically, she control wasmost successful,on herbidoesnotcontrol monocots, including found 83,750 individual grasses andsedges, sotheRelease treat- collembola/m 2 (representing mentledto a 310 percent relative in- a varietyof species),more crease in "grass" (fig./). Fernswerere- collembola on unharvested duced70 to 80 percent on cutplots, than on recentlyclearcut and246 percent on Visionplots,and (check orreleased) plots,mite ferncover increased 31percent onRe- density of 175,000individulease-treated plotsby theendof the als/m2, and forest earthfirstgrowingseason aftertreatment. wormsin allclearcut plotsrePosttreatment vegetation recovery was gardless of treatment (butnot forest). rapidbut variedby species group. in theunharvested Threegrowing seasons aftertreatment, Ward et al. (1998), who of all thevegetation groups, onlyde- monitored surface-active inciduoustree coverwas statistically sectsand noninsectan • loweron treatedplots(lowest onVi- arthropods, reported thati sion,intermediateon cut and Release) conifer release treatments •

thanoncheckplots. hadlittleeffecton themajority of inDocumenting vegetation changes sectgroups(Coleoptera,Carabidae, throughthreeyearsafter treatment, andotherarthropods) collected during BellandNewmaster (1998)reported thefirstgrowing season aftertreatment. thefollowing: Homoptera wastheonlyordertoshow ßThere were438 above-groundstatistically significanttreatment-replantspecies (65woody;127herbs; 46 latedresponses, withlowest grasses, sedges, andrushes; 20 ferns;70 densities in theVisionplots bryophytes; 54 lichens; and56fungi). and highestdensitiesin ßThe posttreatment differences in brushsaw and checkplots. cover, identified infigure1, continued Silvanaand Release plots throughthreeyearsafter treatment, wereintermediate butdoser • but abundance differences among to the means for brushsaw treatmenttypeswereincreasingly less and checkplots. Interestpronounced throughtime. ingly, carabidbeetles,exßThereweredifferences in plant pectedto beindicators, were species richness betweenthe unhar- statistically unaffected. The} vested forestandcutover plantations Shannon-Weiner diversity • (plantations with moreherbspecies index indicated that carabid • andgrass andsedge species butfewer diversitywas lowestone•. mosses), butlittledifference in theveg- growingseason after treat-ce etationgroupsamongtreatments on mentfollowing thebrushsaw andSilvana treatments,intermediatein herbiregenerating cutovers. ßPlantdiversity indices(Shannon, cide-treated plots,andhighest on unHeip) for theseplant communities treated checkplots(Wardetal. 1998).

Forinsects,speciesrichnessand the Shannon-Weiner diversityindex commonlyincreasedthe most on plots wherecompetingvegetationwascontrolled by herbicidesandcutting.

Deermousedensitieswere initially highestfollowingcutting, but populationsof mostspecieschanged little followingreleasetreatments.

Journal of Forestry

t[tFigure2. Mean(_+standarddeviation, N=4) carabidspeciesrichnesstwo growingseasons after coniferrelease.

cide-treated and brushsaw-cut plots (fig.2). -Kostyket al. (1997) reportedthat yellowheaded spruce sawfly defoliation of spruce croptreeswasminimalone growingseason followingrelease and thatpopulations ofthisinsect wereunaffectedby the alternative treatments. Woodcock (1998) foundthatspruce budwormbiomass (g/tree)wasgreater in sprucecroptreesgrowingon check plotsand lowerin treatedplotstwo growing seasons afterrelease, butsimilar amongtreatments threegrowing seasonsafter release.

7•rrestrial gastropods. Hawkinset al. (1997a) collected21 gastropod species (twoslugsand19 landsnails) and reportedthat during the first growingseason afterrelease, neither surface-active densitiesnor species richness wereaffectedby the alternativestested.In addition,they found

themselves contribute twice that total

mal

treatments. Red-backed vole densities

biomass, makingthema, if not the most,significantcontributorto the animalbiomass andenergyin boreal mixed forests.

Amphibians andreptiles. Bogartet al. (1995) foundonlya singlereptile species (thegartersnake)andsixamsurface-active densitiesin clearcuts(9 phibianspecies on the Fallingsnow to 16/m2) wereconsistently greater blocks.Amphibianandreptileabunthan thosein adjacentunharvested dance seems to be limited because the forests(7 to 9/m2), a trendthat con- dearcut blocks,the focusfor much of tinued throughthe next two years thisstudy,wereuplandareasremoved (Prezio 1997). Prezio et al. (1998), from wedandrefuges.Only spring usingthe sameplotsand methods, peepers andwoodfrogswerecommon andnotreatmentfoundthat by threegrowingseasons onthestudyblocks, afterrelease, surface-active gastropod relatedpopulationchanges for these densities weresignificantly loweron species wereobserved. Somedevelopherbicide-treated thanoncheckplots, mental abnormalities were encounalthoughtherewereno statistically teredamongwoodfrogsfromoneVisignificant differences in numbers re- sionplot, but furtherlaboratoryand covered fromsoilsamples atthistime. fieldwork(Bogart1997)indicates that existnaturallyat Indeed, below-grounddensitiesof theseabnormalities in populations of this soil-dwelling gastropods were more low frequency abundant in soils collected from herspecies across itsnorthernrange. bicide-treated (3771m2) thanin check Smallmammals. Twoyearspostreplots(258/m2) threeandfour/grow- lease,Lautenschlager et al. (1997a) ing seasons after treatment(Prezio hadcaptured,marked,and released 1997). Interestingly, althoughKim- 4,851 small mammals. Shrew densimins (1987) estimatedthe entire anities were unaffectedby the release biomass

of boreal

forests at

4.9g/m2, Hawkinsetal. (1997b)suggestthat gastropods in the upper10 cmof soilof theseregenerating spruce plantations, whichcanreachdensities of more than 1,600/m2, may by

werehighest on checkplotsandloweston VisionandRelease plotsduring thefirstgrowingseason afterrelease,but statistically significant differences disappeared bythefollowing

30

.L

25

!o

tt • •,• t3,: ?,e•\•3 -41995

F/gure3. Mean(+ standarderror,N = 4) responseof red-backedvolesto alternativeconiferreleasetreatments.Tofacilitate comparisonamongyearsand treatments,only midsummer(July)meansare presented. 24

November 1998

growingseason.During the firsttwo postrelease growing

Figure4. Differences

• Po-porse to releasetre•tmer s

seasons,deer mouse densities

.Al,ier F'y C•tcl--r - I•le

A ßer F y C-•c

in male and female

speciesresponsesto

ß. F

werehighest onSilvana plots; easternchipmunkdensities were higheston check,Vision,and Silvanaplots;least ', chipmunk densities were highest onVisionandRelease plots;and meadowvoledensitieswerehighest on Release plots.Three and four years

treatments.

blocks. Thesemapsof individuals show that densities of male

alderflycatcher, red-eyed vireo, song sparrow,and whitethroated sparrow didnotdiffer amongtreatments duringthe firstgrowingseason afterre'•

after treatment, small mam-

mal populations had recoveredfromanyinitialchanges (Lautenschlager 1998a). Duringthoseyears,however,

Response to releasetreatments •

•rrow

- Female

lease. Chestnut-sided warbler

densitiesvariedby treatment duringboththe firstandthe second postrelease growing seasons(fig.5), but fourgrowing

red-backed voles maintained

seasonsafter treatment, these

consistently larger popula-

warblerswere decreasing on checkplotsandhadincreased to pretreatment levelson cut plotsand to abouthalf pre-

tions in the unharvested for-

est (20/ha) than in the recent

cutovers, although therewere

treatment levels on herbicide-

more in check(13/ha), fewer in cut (10/ha), and fewestin herbicide (6/ha) released

treatedplots. In general, duringthefirst plots(fig.3). ,,• few years after treatment, Songbirds. Songbirds, parspeciesdependenton hardticularlyneotropical migrants, have examinedbreedingresidents before woodfoliage(parulidwarblers, vireos, become a majorconcern across North andduringfourgrowing seasons after and thrushes)were more common in America(Terborgh 1989).Wintering treatment, found that males and fe- checkplots,whereearlysuccessional habitatof manyspecies hasbeende- malesof the samespecies commonly hardwoods wereundamaged, thanin stroyedin Centraland SouthAmer- respond differendy to disturbances like any of the treatedplots.In treated ica, but the effectsof intensive forest conifer release (fig.4), a findingof sig- plots, woody vegetationwas supmanagement on their breedingand nificantconsequence to thosewho pressedand the developinggrasses documented theef- andsedges premigrationhabitatsin the North havetraditionally favored seed-eating species are unclear. fectsof disturbances on songbirds by (sparrows and finches),whichwere Woodcocket al. (1997, 1998), who systematically countingnumbersof mostabundantin Visionplots. Moose. Winteruseof thestudyarea singing males. Following release treatChestnut-Sided Warbler Territories Site 3/1994 mentsat Fallingsnow, males continued (allblocks andplots,treated or check) to establish and maintain territories in by moosedecreased duringthe first treated areas, but females of some

Chestnut-Sided Warbler Territories Site 3/1993

species abandoned previously occupied increasedgraduallysince. Lautenterritoriesin thoseareas(Woodcock, schlager et al. (in prep.)reported that pers.commun.).Because malessing when comparedwith checkplots, and therefore their densities are relatrembling aspendigestible drymatter tivelyeasilyquantified,theyare the in summer(mid-July) was5 to 11 percommon focus forsongbird density es- cent greateron released plots two timates. Indeed, much of what is growingseasons after release. There knownaboutsongbirdresponses at were, however,no obvious release-reFallingsnow to dateisbased on map- latedforagequalitytrendsforthetwo pingterritories of singing maleson all other plants(beakedhazeland red raspberry)examined,and the reFigure$. Chestnut-sidedwarbler territory response(block3) andmale territories before(1993) and during the first (1994) growingseasonafter treatment.

Reductions followed all of

the conifer release alternatives

Figures 4and 5byJohn Woodcock

and second winters after releasebut has

used.

searchersconcluded that biomass avail-

ability of appropriateforagespecies throughtimeremains themostrealisticwayto predicttheeffects of release treatments on ungulate forage at both thestandandthelandscape level. Journalof Forestry 25

Conclusions

environmental

and human

health

with thispracticeare Resultsto datefrom the Falling- risksassociated real. Findings from work at snowEcosystem Projectindicatethat areunlikelyto alleviate thereareminimaldifferences among Fallingsnow theyshould, however, theherbicide andcuttingalternatives thoseconcerns; tested,and that the initial differences reassure policydevelopers, forestmanobserved between released and un-

treatedplotsareno longercommon. Thoseresults suggest thatin theshort term,coniferrelease, regardless of the alternative used,is relatively inconsequential formostenvironmental components foundin regenerating north-

GORDON, J.C.1998.Global trends andvegetation management: Fivepossible principles. In ThirdInternational Confimnce onForest IOgetation Management, popularsummaries, comps. R.Wagner andD.Thompson, 13-15ß Forest Research Information Paper No. 141 SaultSte.Marie:OntarioMinistryof NaturalRe-

agers, ecologists, andothers whobase theirconclusions principally onscien-

sources, OntarioForest Resources Instituteß

HAWKINS, J.W., M.W. LANKESTER, R.A. LAUTENSCHL•GER, andEW.BELL. 1997a.Effects of alterna-

tlveconiferrelease treatments on terrestrial gas-

tific findings.Still, forestmanagers tropods innorthwestern Ontario. Forestry Chromcle employing herbicides mustrecognize 73(1):91-98ß 1997b. Length-biomass andenergy relationthatopposition to theirusein forestry --. shipsof terrestrial gastropods in northern forest ishighandincreasing (Wagner et al. ecosystemsß Canadian Journal of Zoology 75(3) 1998)despite accumulated scientific 501-5ß A., S. VISSER, andR.A. LAUTENSCHLAGER of theirsafetyandrel- HOUSTON, ern forests.Longer-termresponses, documentation ofmicrobial processes andfungal however,are unknown. Therefore, it is ativelybenignenvironmental effects. 1998.Response community structure todear-cutting andsiteprepacritical that we continue to monitor So, in additionto supporting addiration inmixed wood forest soilsß Canadian Journal of environmental changes in studies like tional scientific documentation from Botany 76(4):63040. Fallingsnow sothatwecandocument studieslike Fallingsnow,managers --. In pressß Response ofmicrobial processes and fungal community structure tovegetation managemustunderstand thatsocial inputinto posttreatment responses to common mentinmixedwood forest soils. CanadianJournalof resource management willbeand proposed alternative coniferre- natural Botany. leasetreatments for fiveto 40 years. comemorecommon,if not required, KIMMINS, J.E1987.Forest ecology NewYork:MacMllAssuming thattheconifer release alter- in future managementdecisions natives usedwillproduce different for- (Lautenschlager 1996,1998b). KOSTYK, B.,S.GREIFENHAGEN, andEW.BELL. 1997Eft •ctsofalternative conij3r release treatments onyellowestcommunities throughtime,weexheaded spruce sawfly &J31iation. Forest Research Note pectthefirstmajorchanges to begin Literature Cited No.57ßSanIt Ste.Marie: Ontario Ministry ofNatural with the development of differing ADDISON, Resources, Ontario ForestResources Instituteß J.A.1996ß Impacts ofconventional andalteroverstorycompositionand strucnative vegetation management practices onsoilfaunaß Lat;rENSCHkaG•, R.A.1986.Forestry, herbicides, and ture-spruce-dominated onherbicide- Unpublished report onfileattheOntario Forest Rewildlifeß InIsgood j•restry good wildlift managemen?, search Institute,SanItSte.Marieß ed.JßBissonette, 299-308.Miscellaneous Publication treatedplots, aspen-dominated on BELL,EW., R.A. LAUTENSCHIAGER, R.G. WAGNER, 689.Ortho:Maine Agricultural Experiment Station checkplots,andmixedwood-domiD.G. PITT,J.W.HAWKINS, andK.R. RIDE.1997a. ß1993.Response ofwildlife toforest herbicide natedon cutplots. Motor-manual,mechanical andherbiciderelease afapplications in northern coniferous ecosystems Thenumberof biologically signifi- fectearlysuccessional vegetation innorthwestern OnCanadian Journal ofForest Research 23:2,286-299 tario.Forestry Chronicle73(1):61-68. cantshort-term responses to coniferreß1996.Predictive adaptive management--apEW.,andS.NEWMaSTER. 1998.TheFallingsnow plying natural resource management researchß InAdlease, whichat firstglance seems likea BELL, Ecosystem Project: Plantdiversity andsuccession. In vancing boreal mixedwood management in Ontario, majordisturbance, maybelowbecause ThirdInternational ConJ•mnce onForest IOgetation Mancomps. C.R.SmithandG.W.Crook,148-51.Sault plantsand animalsoccupyingearly agement, popular summaries, comps. R.Wagner andD. Ste. Marie: CanadianForestServiceand Ontario Thompson, 4547. Forest Research Information Paper successional postharvest forests aredisMinistry ofNatural Resourcesß turbancefollowers,disturbancetolera-

tors,or combinations of these.Major populationand densitychanges for species withinthese groups arecaused by forestharvesting ratherthan by early stand management(Lautenschlager andVoigt,in press). Postharvest disturbanceslike conifer releaseare

No.141.SanIt Ste.Marie: Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources, OntarioForestResources Instituteß

BELL, EW.,K.R.RIDE,M.L. ST-AMOUR, andM. RYANS.

1997b.Productivity, cost,efficacy andcosteffectivenessof motor-manual, mechanical andherbicidere-

lease ofboreal spruce plantations. Forestry Chronicle 73(1):3946.

BOGART, J.P.1997.Fallingsnow Ecosystem Project-Finalreport: Reptiles andamphibians. Unpublished report onfileattheOntario Forest Research Institute,

ß1998a.In northwestern Ontario,coniferrelease

causes fewsmall mammal density changesß In Thtrd International Con•rence onForest I•getation Management, popular summaries, comps. R.Wagner andD Thompson, 157-59ßForest Research Information Paper No.141.Sault Ste.Marie:Ontario Ministry of NaturalResources, OntarioForest Resources Institute

ß1998b. Fromrhetoric toreality: Using specific environmental concerns to identify critical sustainability issuesß Ecosystems 1(2):176-82.

SanIt Ste. Marie. minorcompared withharvesting and LaUTENSCHkaGER, R.A.,EW. BELL, andR.G. WAGNER BOGART, J.P.,R.A.LAUTENSCHLAGER, andEW. BELL. areactuallythereason plantandani1997a.Alternativeconiferrelease treatments affect 1995.Effects ofalternative vegetation management small mammals in northwestern Ontarioß Forestry malspecies richness anddiversityare treatments on amphibians and reptiles in the commonly highin earlysuccessional Fallingsnow ecosystem. In theFallingsnow ecosystem Chronicle73(1):99-106. R.A.,EW.BELL, R.G.WAGNER, and comps. K.WoodandC. Hollstedt, 32-33. LAUTENSCHIAGER, communities like regenerating workshop,

clearcuts(Sullivanet al. 1998).

ThunderBay:OntarioMinistryof NaturalResources, Northwest Science & Technology.

J.A.WINTERS. 1997b.TheFallingsnow Ecosystem Project: Comparing conifer release alternatives m northwestern Ontario.Forestry Chronicle 73(1)

Eventhough,compared with cut- BORMANN, EH., andG.E. LIKENS.1979. Patternand 35-38ß tingalternatives, herbicide treatments process in aj•rested ecosystem. NewYork:SpringerLAUTENSCHL^GER, R.A.,W.J.DALTON, J.L.GRaHaM, Verlag. for coniferreleaseconsistently cost DUCHESNE, L.C., R.A. LAUTENSCHLAGER, and EW. M.L.CHERRY, andEW.BEY.Inprep. Conifer release aboutonethirdless,areoperationally increases trembling aspen forage quality in northBELL. Inpress. Effects ofclearcutting andplantcomsafer,requireabout1 percentof the petition control methods oncaraNd (Coleoptera: western Ontarioß Journal of!gS'ldlifi Management workers, and control competition moreeffectively, publicfearsabout 26

November 1998

CaraN&e) assemblages innorthwestern Ontario. Environmentalassessment andMonitoring.

LAUTENSCHLAGER, R.A.,T.E SULLIVAN, andR.G. WAG-

NER. 1998.Terrestrial responses toalternative conifer

LAUTENSCHLAGER. 1998.Changes in diversity of plant andsmall mammal communities after herbicide application in sub-boreal spruce forest. Canadian Management, Popular Summaries, comps. R.Wagner Journal ofForest Research 28:168-77. andD. Thompson, 160-62ß Forest Research InforJ. 1989.Where haveall thebirds gone? mationPaper No. 141.SaultSte.Marie:Ontario TERBORGH, Princeton, NJ:Princeton University Press. Ministryof NaturalResources, OntarioForest Rerelease treatments innorthern ecosystems•A reviewß In ThirdInternational Conference onForest 14getation

sourcesInstitute.

Complex issues...

THOMPSON, D.G., D.G. PIYr,B. STaZNIK, N.J. PAYNE,

D. JAIPERSAID, R.A. LAUTENSCHLAGER, andEW. LAUTENSCHLAGER, RA.,andD. VOIGT. In pressß Effects BELL. 1997.On-target deposit andvertical distribuofforest regeneration practices onwildlife. In Regentionofaerially released herbicides. Forestry Chronicle erating theCanadian J3rest: Principles andpractice in 73(1):47-59. Ontario, eds.R.Wagner andS.Colombo, chap. 25. WAGNER, R.G. 1993.Research directions toadvance forMarkum, ON:Fitzhenery Whiteside. estvegetation management inNorthAmerica. CanaLIKENS, G.E.,EH. BORMANN, R.S.PIERCE, J.S.EATON, dianJournal ofForest Research 23:2,317-327. andN.M. JOHNSON. 1977.Biogeochemistry of a ß1994.Toward integrated forest vegetation manfirested ecosystem. NewYork: Springer-Verlag. agement. Journal ofForestry 92(11):26-30. PREZlO, J.R. 1997.Effects of alternative conifer release R.G.,J. FLYNN, R. GREGORY, C.K. MERTZ, treatments on terrestrial gastropods of regeneratingWAGNER, 1998.Acceptable practices in Onspruce plantations. Masters thesis, Lakehead University. andP.SLOVIC. tario's forests: Differences between thepublic andforPREzlo, J.,M. LaNKESTER, R.A.LAUTENSCHkaGER, and estry professionals. NewForests 16(2): 139-54. FW. BELL.1998. Effectsof alternativeconiferrelease J.D. 1993.Social andecological factors aftreatments onterrestrial gastropods ofregenerating WALSTAD, thefutureofforest vegetation management. spruce plantations. In ThirdInternational Confirence fecting oftheInternational ConJ•rence onForest onForest l•getation Management, Popular Summaries, In Proceedings IOgetation Management, ed.D. Gjerstad, 3043. Recomps. R.Wagner andD. Thompson, 266458. Forport1993:1ß Auburn, AL:Auburn University School estResearch Information Paper No. 141.SaultSte. ofForestry. Marie:OntarioMinistry ofNaturalResources, OnWA•D,J.L.,Y.H.PREVOST, R.A.LAUTENSCHkaGER, and tario ForestResourcesInstituteß

...no

easy answers.

EW. BELL1998ßEffectsof alternativeconiferrelease

REYNOLDS, P.E., EW. BELL, J.A. SIMPSON, A.M. GOR-

treatments onepigeal insects, Coleoptera, Carabidae, andnon-insectan arthropods in northwestern Ontario.In ThirdInternational Conj9rence onForest 14getation Management, Popular Summaries, comps. R. Wagner andD. Thompson, 351-53.Forest Research

DON,R.A. LAUTENSCHLAGER, D.A. GRESCH, and D.A. BUC•EY. 1997a. Alternativeconifer release

treatments affect leafareaindex ofcompeting vegetanonandavailable lightforseedling growth. Forestry Chronicle73(1):83-89. REYNOLDS, RE.,ILA.LAUTENSCHLAGER, J.A.SIMPSON, FW. BELL, A.M. GORDON, DA. BUCKLe, andD.A.

Information Paper No. 141.SanItSte.Marie:OntarioMinistry ofNatural Resources, Ontario Forest ResourcesInstitute.

GRESCH. 1998a.Microclimate changes following J.,R.A.LAUTENSCHLAOER, EW.BELL, and conifer release treatments continue through three post- WOODCOCK, 1997.Indirect effects ofconifer release altreatment growing seasons. In ThirdinternationalCon-J.ERYDER. ternatives on songbird populations in northwestern ference onForest 14getation Management, Popular SumOntario. Forestry Chronicle 73(1): 107-12. maries, comps. R.Wagner andD.Thompson, 275-77. Forest Research Information Paper No.141.Sault Ste. Marie:OntarioMinistry ofNaturalResources, On-

WOODCOCK, J., D.G. PITT,U. RUNNESSON, EW. BELL,and R.A. LAUTENSCHLAGER. 1998. GIS

analysis of songbird/vegetation relationships. In ThirdInternational Conj9rence onForest 14getation

tario ForestResourcesInstitute.

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Management, popular summaries, comps. R.Wag-

KINGSBURY. 1993.Review andsynthesis ofCarnation Creekherbicide research. Forestry Chronicle 69(3):

nerandD. Thompson. Forest Research Information PaperNo. 141.SaultSte.Marie:Ontario MinistryofNaturalResources, OntarioForest Re-

323-30.

REYNOLDS, P.E.,J.A.SIMPSON, R.A.LAUTENSCHkaGER, sourcesInstitute. FW. BELL, A.M. GORDON, D.A. BUC•EY,andD.A.

GRESCH.1997b. Alternativeconifer releasetreat-

ments affect belowandnear-ground microclimateß Forestry Chronicle73(1):75-82. REYNOLDS, P.E.,N.V• THEV^THaS^N, J.A. SIMPSON, A M. GORDON, R.A. LAUTENSCHLAGER, EW. BELL, D.A. GRESCH, andD.A. BUCKLEY. 1998b.Alterna-

R.A.Lautenschlager (e-mail.' lautenr@ gov. on.ca)isj•restecology andsilvicultureresearch scientist, OntarioMinistry

uveconifer release treatments affectsoilnitrogen ofNaturalResources, 1235Queen Street mineralization rates. In ThirdInternational ConJ•rEast, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, P6A ence onForest 14getation Management, Popular Sumremaries, comps.R. Wagnerand D. Thompson, 2E5;E l•yne Bellisj•restecology 281-83.Forest Research Information Paper No.141. search scientist, Ontario Ministry ofNatSaultSte.Marie:OntarioMinistryof NaturalReural Resources,Sault Ste. Marie, Onsources, OntarioForestResources Institute.

tario;Robert G. l•gner isassociate pro-

ROWE, J.S.1972.Forest regions ofCanada. Publication ofj•restecology andsilviculture, No. 1300.Ottawa: Canadian Dept.oftheEnviron- j9ssor

College of NaturalResources, Forestr 3 andAgriculture, University ofMaine, Orono;and PhillipE. Reynolds is reBUCKLEY. 1997. Influenceof alternativeconiferresearch scientist, j•rest ecology program, lease treatments onsoilnutrient movementß Forestry

ment,CanadianForestService.

SIMPSON, J.A.,A.M. GORDON, P.E.REYNOLDS, R.A. LAUTENSCHkaGER, EW. BELL, D.A. GRESCH, andD.

Chronicle73(1):69-73. SULLIVAN, T.P.,R.G. WAGNER, D.G. CHEN,and R.A.

Canadian Forest Service, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Journalof Forestry