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Comparison of Coastal Fringe and Interior Forests as Reserves for Marbled Murrelets on Vancouver Island
The Condor
  • Alan E. Burger
  • Volker Bahn, Wright State University - Main Campus
  • Angeline R.M. Tillmanns
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2000
Abstract

Much of the protected habitat available to the threatened Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus and other old-growth associated species in the Pacific Northwest is in narrow strips along the coast (e.g., parks and scenic fringes). Using data over two years from three watersheds on southwest Vancouver Island, we show that such shoreline strip forests represent suboptimal habitat for murrelets. Murrelet detections, including circling and subcanopy behaviors, were significantly lower at 30 coastal stations (20–250 m from the shoreline edge) than at 30 interior stations (1.5–21.0 km inland). Densities of predators were significantly higher at the coastal stations. The coastal trees were of similar mean height and diameter, but they had lower structural diversity and provided fewer and less suitable (thinner epiphyte cover on large boughs) nesting platforms than trees in the interior. When possible, reserves for Marbled Murrelets should be placed in interior and not shoreline forests.

Comments

Published as Comparison of Coastal Fringe and Interior Forests as Reserves for Marbled Murrelets on Vancouver Island, The Condor, 102 (4), © 2000 by the Regents of the University of California/Cooper Ornithological Society. Copying and permissions notice: Authorization to copy this content beyond fair use (as specified in Sections 107 and 108 of the U. S. Copyright Law) for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by the Regents of the University of California/on behalf of Cooper Ornithological Society for libraries and other users, provided that they are registered with and pay the specified fee via Rightslink® on [JSTOR (http://www.jstor.org/r/ucal)] or directly with the Copyright Clearance Center, http://www.copyright.com

DOI
10.1043/0010-5422(2000)102(0915:COCFAI)2.0.CO;2
Citation Information
Alan E. Burger, Volker Bahn and Angeline R.M. Tillmanns. "Comparison of Coastal Fringe and Interior Forests as Reserves for Marbled Murrelets on Vancouver Island" The Condor Vol. 102 Iss. 4 (2000) p. 915 - 920 ISSN: 0010-5422
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/volker_bahn/27/