Wildlife Habitat Exam 2

Hard mast management and biology

Which hard mast trees are the most prolific producers in the fall and winter?

Oak, hickory and beech trees

What is the most prolific hard mast producers in the spring?

Maples

When do hickories start producing mast and when is the optimal age for mast production?

They start producing at 30-40 years and the optimal production is at 75-100 years

What season do hickories start producing mast?

Late summer to early fall

What is the limiting factor to hickory mast?

The thick husks on the nut

When do American beeches start producing mast and when is the optimal age for production for beech trees?

Start producing at about 40 years old and optimal mast optimal mast production starts at about 60 years old

Why are oaks important mast producers and what created this importance?

Oaks are the most prolific fall and winter hard mast producers due to the loss of the American Chestnut 

When do oaks flower?

In the spring

what determines the size of the crown of a tree?

The genetics and nutrients

What do snags provide to wildlife?

Forage, roosting and cavity excavation

What taxa use snags?

Small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds

What are primary cavity nesters?

They make cavities

What are secondary cavity nesters?

Use existing cavities made

What trees make durable snags?

Red cedar, black locust, and white oak

What trees make non durable snags?

Black oak, beech and most pines

Why are oak populations on the decline?

The suppression of fire and increased deer population

Why should you clear it an oak forest?

It CAN advance oak regeneration depending on the seed bank and understory

What is the purpose of single tree selection?

To thin the over and mid story

what is a shelterwood cut?

You ID the poor producers and cut them, this allows good producers to get more resources

Once advanced oak regeneration sets in what should you do with the older good producers?

Remove them to reset the age class

What is group selection?

The removal of clusters of trees to increase horizontal and vertical diversity

What is variable retention harvest?

A combination of single tree selection and group selection

What is so bad about fire suppression in oak forests?

Prevents new recruitment and leads to older less productive oaks

What times should you avoid burning forests?

During nesting or breeding seasons

how does fire indirectly affect the composition of vegetation in habitats?

Light availability, fire frequency, fire intensity, season/timing, the area burned, the pattern of burning

What are the historical fire return intervals for Alabama’s regions?

Lower coastal plain- 1-3

Upper coastal plain- 4-6

Piedmont- 7-12

Mountainous region- 13-25+

What are the historical ignition sources?

Native Americans more north and fire more in the south

What does fire increase concerning forage?

Palatability, nutrient content, and % coverage of forage plants

What does fire harm concerning forage?

Soft mast production decreases along with a negative hardwood response

What does the exclusion of fire cause?

It increases mesic species making it harder to burn

What should you consider when developing a fire prescription?

The biology and life history of the local wildlife, the timing, cover and food requirements