Prescribed fire and herbicides are 2 silviculture tools used by forest managers to control hardwood competition in pine (Pinus spp.) forests. I tested effects of prescribed burning and herbicides on selected invertebrate communities, including carabid beetles, and compared 2 invertebrate sampling approaches in thinned, intensively managed pine stands in Kemper County, Mississippi. I used 6 replicate stands containing 4, 10-ha treatment plots each that were randomly assigned treatments of burn only, herbicide only, burn/herbicide, and control. I suction-sampled invertebrate communities and pitfall trapped carabid beetles to examine treatment responses. Direct effects of burning and overall vegetation response influenced communities most but responses were limited. Sampling inefficiencies may have obscured treatment effects and managers and researchers are advised to consider all available methods when integrating invertebrate research. Information on forest management effects is still lacking but future research incorporating invertebrate sampling will support a better understanding of management impacts on ecosystems.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MSSTATE/oai:scholarsjunction.msstate.edu:td-2781 |
Date | 15 December 2007 |
Creators | Iglay, Raymond Bruce |
Publisher | Scholars Junction |
Source Sets | Mississippi State University |
Detected Language | English |
Type | text |
Format | application/pdf |
Source | Theses and Dissertations |
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