Tree characteristics selected by woodpeckers for foraging on snags and declining trees in regenerating Acadian Forest in New Brunswick

dc.contributor.advisorNocera, Joe
dc.contributor.authorZhang, Jingyi
dc.date.accessioned2023-09-22T16:14:11Z
dc.date.available2023-09-22T16:14:11Z
dc.date.issued2022-04
dc.description.abstractThe value of dead and decaying wood to woodpeckers as breeding substrates is well understood. Many authors have emphasized its positive influence on woodpecker population density. However, many forest management activities including clearcuts, shelterwood cuts and seed tree cuts that result in dense, old stands with reduced snag densities are thought to negatively impact woodpecker populations. Therefore, I conducted a study on the selection of tree-scale characteristics of snags and declining trees for foraging by woodpeckers in regenerating Acadian Forest in New Brunswick to improve knowledge of the foraging habitat requirements of local woodpeckers. I searched for signs of foraging (excavation holes) by woodpeckers on 129 snags and declining trees sampled in 10 linear transects across a section of the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Woodlot. I developed a negative binomial regression model based on the presence or absence of foraging signs. I tested several variables for their influence on the probability of tree choice by woodpeckers for foraging including tree species, diameter at breast height (dbh), fungus coverage, and decay stage. Results showed that woodpeckers selected significantly larger diameter trees for excavation foraging (z = 3.197, p = 0.001, β = 0.085). Therefore, retaining large-tree and old-growth forests on site after management operations is essential to the conservation of woodpeckers in New Brunswick.
dc.description.copyright© Jingyi Zhang, 2022
dc.format.extentv, 30
dc.format.mediumelectronic
dc.identifier.oclc(OCoLC)1419033651en
dc.identifier.otherThesis 11001en
dc.identifier.urihttps://unbscholar.lib.unb.ca/handle/1882/37453
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of New Brunswick
dc.rightshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
dc.subject.disciplineForestry and Environmental Management
dc.subject.lcshWoodpeckers--New Brunswick.en
dc.subject.lcshWoodpeckers--Breeding--New Brunswick.en
dc.subject.lcshWoodpeckers--Effect of forest management on--New Brunswick.en
dc.subject.lcshNew Brunswick.en
dc.titleTree characteristics selected by woodpeckers for foraging on snags and declining trees in regenerating Acadian Forest in New Brunswick
dc.typemaster report
oaire.license.conditionother
thesis.degree.disciplineForestry and Environmental Management
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of New Brunswick
thesis.degree.levelmasters
thesis.degree.nameM.F.

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Jingyi Zhang - report.pdf
Size:
559.25 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.13 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:

Collections