July 2000 Progress Report on Question TERRA-1

TERRA-1: July 2000 Progress Report

"What are the history, status and projected future of terrestrial wildlife habitat types and species in the South? "

July 18-19, 2000, Nashville TN

Specifically Identified Tasks

A. Evaluate changes in species diversity.

I have had meetings with researchers involved with the RPA assessment that will provide ASCII files containing avian species diversity (from the Breeding Bird Survey program at Patuxent, MD) for identifying areas of high species diversity. RPA will also provide an ASCII file containing number of listed species by county for identifying locations with relatively high levels of imperiled species. I have obtained a county coverage for the southeast and will link to these files to produce maps on both topics.

I have also assembled articles, texts, and conducted literature searches on the topic of geographic patterns of diversity, rarity, and endemism; identifying critical biodiversity areas (hot spots); and the factors that currently threaten (and historically have imperiled) a variety of southern species. I am also in the process of compiling tables of state listed species (provided by the Fish and Wildlife Service) and a national forest sensitive species list.

B. Describe the history and status of wildlife habitat; reference factors influencing those trends.

In addition to the factors uncovered above, I have obtained draft chapters of Jim Dickson’s new text that includes discussion of the history of forest changes related to wildlife. I have also acquired texts detailing changes in historical forest compositions (Yahner’s Eastern Deciduous Forest, Walker’s North American Forests, and Whitney’s From Coastal Wilderness to Fruited Plain). This material encompasses historical records that document historical habitat conditions and species occurrences.

Using FIA data, tabular and graphical historical trends in the proportion and distribution of young forest has been completed. This includes a map depicting young forests by physiographic boundaries. Current forest condition summaries at the state and physiographic province level have been completed for the southeast. These include forest composition, successional stage, age class, and land ownership. A draft section has been written that discusses the factors influencing the changes in young forest.

C. Declines in the hard mast-producing component of southern forests.

I am in the process of compiling published literature on oak decline and the decline of American chestnut with resulting compositional changes. I have met with the U. S. Forest Service regional geneticist and silviculturist involved with oak selection demonstration areas established to showcase the ongoing hardwoods initiative. I have also corresponded with research station scientists investigating the factors contributing to oak decline in the south.

Lists of southern wildlife species dependent upon hard mast has been completed. I am presently in discussion with a WO potential cooperator who may examine temporal changes in hard mast species using FIA data.

D. Contribution of public lands in providing wildlife habitat.

I have completed land ownership summaries by state and physiographic province as supplied by FIA. I have obtained information on U. S. Park Service and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands (location, acreage) and in the process of obtaining GIS coverages for those lands. I currently have U. S. Forest Service national forest coverage. I am also in the process of obtaining species lists from the parks and refuges.

E. Implications of forest fragmentation in the south.

I have completed the first draft of a literature review that discusses how the changing pattern resulting from fragmentation influence wildlife species. This includes aspects of landscape heterogeneity, edge characteristics, connectivity, and patch characteristics (e.g., patch size and isolation). I have completed a literature search for references specific to southern species.

(Dr. Ritters may be conducting a forest fragmentation analysis using MRLC land use data. This may include derivation of fragmentation metrics by physiographic province and creation of forest cover and patch distribution graphics).

Modifications to working plan.

Submitted GAP proposals to analyze Multi-Resolution Land Characterization (MRLC) land cover data fell through. This coverage was planned for addressing regional forest extent and fragmentation, among other issues.

Data and Literature

Selected relevant documents that use nontraditional and disturbance attributes of FIA data.

Web links to full articles, focused on nonstandard FIA variables in Vic Rudis' Biographical Sketch. Of noteworthy interest to all is: Rudis, V.A. 1998. Regional forest resource assessment in an ecological framework: the southern United States. Natural Areas Journal 18(4):319-332 which provides a brief, broad overview and summary of data for a multi-discipline analysis by ecological province

Nontraditional Data Documentation:

Staff. Other forest resources work plan. Starkville, MS: USDA-FS, Southern Forest Experiment Station. Proximity variables, Access, Hunting signs/evidence, Fire/burn evidence, Livestock evidence, trash, standing dead trees/snags at: http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/pubs/ja/fiawp94.pdf

FIA surveys, 1940 to present:

State Year of Survey
Alabama 1990, 1982, 1972, 1963, 1953

Arkansas

1995, 1988, 1978, 1969, 1959, 1953

Florida   1995, 1987, 1980, 1970, 1959, 1949

Georgia 1997, 1989, 1982, 1972, 1961, 1953

Kentucky
1988, 1975, 1963, 1949

Louisiana              1991, 1984, 1974, 1964, 1953

Mississippi          1994, 1987, 1977, 1967, 1957, 1946

North Carolina 1990, 1984, 1974, 1964, 1955

Oklahoma
1993, 1986, 1976, 1966, 1955

South Carolina 1993, 1986, 1978, 1968, 1958, 1947

Tennessee
1999, 1989, 1980, 1971, 1961, 1948

Texas
1992, 1986, 1975, 1965, 1953

Virginia 1992, 1986, 1976, 1966, 1956

Older historical survey information (incomplete):

State	Year of Survey
Alabama	1990, 1982, 1972, 1963, 1953
Arkansas	1995, 1988, 1978, 1969, 1959, 1953
Florida	1995, 1987, 1980, 1970, 1959, 1949
Georgia	1997, 1989, 1982, 1972, 1961, 1953
Kentucky	1988, 1975, 1963, 1949
Louisiana	1991, 1984, 1974, 1964, 1953
Mississippi	1994, 1987, 1977, 1967, 1957, 1946
North Carolina	1990, 1984, 1974, 1964, 1955
Oklahoma	1993, 1986, 1976, 1966, 1955
South Carolina	1993, 1986, 1978, 1968, 1958, 1947
Tennessee	1999, 1989, 1980, 1971, 1961, 1948
Texas	1992, 1986, 1975, 1965, 1953
Virginia	1992, 1986, 1976, 1966, 1956

Eldredge, I.F. 1937. Volumes on an average acre in the various units of the pine-hardwood region west of the Mississippi. New Orleans, LA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station. 29 p.
Eldredge, I.F. 1938. Forest resources of the north Arkansas delta. Forest Survey Release 32. New Orleans, LA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station. 21 p.
Forest Economics Staff. 1946. Basic data on forest area and timber volumes from the Southern Forest Survey, 1932-36. Forest Survey Release No. 54. New Orleans, LA: USDA-FS, Southern Forest Experiment Station. 26 p. The publication contains land area, forest area, sawlog volume, and total volume BY COUNTY for the 1932-36 period. Estimates of this detail provide a valued perspective for comparison with current estimates. Information covers AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, most of AR, and portions of east OK, and east TX. Also includes FL counties and LA parishes that FIA ignored since that time.
Hyde, William F.; Stuart, William B. 1998. Chapter 2: US South. In: Wilson, Bill, and others, eds. Forest policy: international case studies. New York: CABI Publishing: 23-45.
Munn, E.N. 1940. A selected bibliography of North American forestry. USDA Misc. Publication No. 364. Washington, DC: Superintendent of Documents. Volumes I and II.
Stover, W.S. 1942. Forest resources of the delta section of Mississippi. Forest Survey Release 53. New Orleans, LA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station. 28 p.
Williams, Michael. 1989, Americans and their forests. Cambridge UniversityPress.
Winters, R.K. 1939a. Forest resources of the south Arkansas delta. Forest Survey Release 46. New Orleans, LA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station. 24 p.
Winters, R.K. 1939b. Forest resources of the south Louisiana delta. Forest Survey Release 42. New Orleans, LA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Forest Experiment Station. 20 p.
Winters, R.K.; Putnam, J.A.; Eldredge, I.F. 1938. Forest resources of the north Louisiana delta. Miscellaneous Publication 309. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture. 49 p. + 1 p. color map.