Effects of Spatial Patterning within Working Pine Forests on Priority Avian Species in Mississippi

Abstract

Abstract Context Within dynamic ecosystems, research into how land use changes and patterns affect species diversity has led to a suite of ecological hypotheses to assess species-landscape associations. The Habitat Amount Hypothesis suggests that it is the total amount of habitat, regardless of configuration, whereas the Multi-dimensional Hypothesis suggests it is the suite of local, landscape, and landform characteristics that have the greatest influence on species diversity within its local landscape. Objectives Our study aims to understand how landscape pattern influences species abundance, in the context of these two competing hypotheses on the priority avian species. Methods To examine these competing hypotheses, we assessed avian species associations with total amount vs. configuration of habitat in working loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forests in Mississippi during 2019-2020. Results We found that habitat amount alone did not exhibit consistent positive associations with avian abundance for both early-successional and mature forest associated species guilds. Most target species exhibited positive associations with patch proximity, measured by Euclidean distance, and proximity-area index. Associations with landform features generally had positive influences on early-successional species than mature-pine priority species. Conclusions Given the extensive coverage of working forests and growing demand for forest products, sustainable forestry guidelines that consider proximity of stands in similar age classes and stages could enhance landscape suitability for some target species guilds. Further research is needed to assess potential effects of stand proximity to species diversity across scales. By combining ecological theory with forest management, we can better inform conservation measures and land use objectives in working forested landscapes.