Abstract
As part of the Wine Spring Creek ecosystem management project on the Nantahala National forest, North Carolina, we assessed effects of a community restoration fire on small mammals and herpetofauna in the upper slope pitch pine (
Pinus rigida) stands, neighboring midslope oak (
Quercus spp.) stands and rhododendron (
Rhododendron maximum) dominated riparian areas during 1995 and 1996. Using drift-fence arrays with pitfalls and snap-trapping, we collected these small mammals: masked shrew (
Sam cinereur), smoky shrew (S.
fumeus), water shrew (
S. pabutris), pygmy shrew (
S. hoyi), northem short-tailed shrew (
Blarina brevicauda), deer mouse (
Penmyscus maniculafus), white-footed mouse (
P. leucopus), golden mouse (
Ochmtomys nuttalli), southem red-backed vole (
Clethriuuomys gapperi), pine vole (
Micmtus pinetorum) and woodland jumping mouse (
Nupueozupus insignis). Herpetofauna collected from drift-fence arrays and time-constrained searches included: eastem nevvr (
Notophtabrzus viridescens), seepage salamander (
Desmognathus aeneus), mountain dusky salamander (
D. ochrqphaeus), Blue Ridge two-lined salamander (
Eurycea wilderae), spring salamander (
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus), Jordan's salamander (
Plethodon jordani), wood frog (
Rana sylvatica), five-lined skink (
Eumeces fasciatus), eastern garter snake (
Thamophis sirtalis), and northern ringneck snake (
Diadophis punctatus). Prior to the prescribed community restoration fire in the spring of 1995, them were no significant differences in small mammal or herpetofauua collections between burned and control areas. Post-treatment in 1995 and 1996, showed no significant differences among collections of most species between burned and control areas. Slope position accounted for more variation among the species of greatest abuudance than did burning. Concern for the effects of prescribed fhe as a management tool on small mammals and herpetofauna in the southern Appalachians seems unwarranted.
Keywords
communitry restoration, Herpetofauna,
Pitch pine,
Prescribed fire,
small mammals
Citation
Ford, William M.; Menzel, M. Alex; McGill, David W.; Laerm, Joshua; McCay, Timothy S. 1999. Effects of a Community Restoration Fire on Small Mammals and Herpetofauna in the Southern Appalachains. Forest Ecology and Management 114 (1999) 233-243
