Oak Forest Ecosystems: Ecology and Management for Wildlife

by McShea, William J.

• ISBN13: 9780801877476
• ISBN10: 0801877474
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-10-01
• Publisher: JOHNS HOPKINS UNIV PRESS

Summary

Oak Forest Ecosystems focuses on the relationship between an oak forest's acorn yield and species of wildlife that depend on it. It begins by treating factors such as oak distribution, forest fires, tree diseases and pests, dynamics of acorn production, and acorn dispersal by birds and mammals. Special consideration is given to the phenomenon of masting -- whereby oaks in a given area will produce huge crops of acorns at irregular intervals -- a key component for wildlife researchers and managers in understanding patterns of scarcity and abundance in the creatures that feed on this crop. Relationships between oaks and animals such as mice, squirrels, turkeys, deer, and bear are discussed, as are the differences between eastern, southern Appalachian, southwestern, and California oak forests. Contributors: Marc D. Abrams, Pennsylvania State University ? Patrick H. Brose, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ? John P. Buonaccorsi, University of Massachusetts ? Daniel Dey, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ? Joseph S. Elkinton, University of Massachusetts ? George A. Feldhamer, Southern Illinois University ? Peter F. Folliott, University of Arizona ? Lee E. Frelich, University of Minnesota ? Cathryn H. Greenberg, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ? William M. Healy, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ? Roy L. Kirkpatrick, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ? Johannes M. H. Knops, University of Nebraska ? Walter D. Koenig, University of California ? Nelson W. Lafon, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries ? Andrew M. Liebhold, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ? William J. McShea, National Zoological Park Conservation and Research Center ? William H. McWilliams, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ? Gary W. Norman, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries ? Steven W. Oak, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ? Renee A. O'Brien, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ? Richard S. Ostfeld, Institute of Ecosystem Studies ? Bernard R. Parresol, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ? Peter J. Perkins, University of New Hampshire ? Gordon C. Reese, Colorado State University ? Peter B. Reich, University of Minnesota ? Peter D. Smallwood, University of Richmond ? Christopher C. Smith, Kansas State University ? Richard B. Standiford, University of California--Berkeley ? Martin A. Stapanian, Ohio Cooperative Wildlife Unit ? Michael A. Steele, Wilkes University ? David Steffen, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries ? David H. Van Lear, Clemson University ? Michael R. Vaughan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ? Karen L. Waddell, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service

Author Biography

William J. McShea is a research scientist in the Conservation and Research Center at the Smithsonian Institution. William M. Healy is a research wildlife biologist at the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station of the USDA Forest Service.

Table of Contents

Contributors	ix
Acknowledgments	xiii
Chapter 1 Oaks and Acorns as a Foundation for Ecosystem Management	1	(12)
WILLIAM J. MCSHEA AND WILLIAM M. HEALY
Part I Patterns and Processes of Oak Forests
Chapter 2 Distribution and Abundance of Oaks in North America	13	(21)
WILLIAM H. MCWILLIAMS, RENEE A. O'BRIEN, GORDON C. REESE, AND KAREN L. WADDELL
Chapter 3 The Postglacial History of Oak Forests in Eastern North America	34	(12)
MARC D. ABRAMS
Chapter 4 Fire History and Postsettlement Disturbance	46	(14)
DANIEL DEY
Chapter 5 The Ecological Basis for Oak Silviculture in Eastern North America	60	(20)
DANIEL DEY
Chapter 6 Native Diseases and Insects That Impact Oaks	80	(20)
STEVEN W. OAK
Chapter 7 Gypsy Moths and Forest Dynamics	100	(13)
JOSEPH S. ELKINTON, WILLIAM M. HEALY, ANDREW M. LIEBHOLD, AND JOHN P. BUONACCORSI
Chapter 8 Dynamics of Old-Growth Oak Forests in the Eastern United States	113	(16)
LEE E. FRELICH AND PETER B. REICH
Part II Ecology and Patterns of Acorns
Chapter 9 The Behavioral Ecology of Masting in Oaks	129	(20)
WALTER B. KOENIG AND JOHANNES M. H. KNOPS
Chapter 10 Dynamics of Acorn Production by Five Species of Southern Appalachian Oaks	149	(24)
CATHRYN H. GREENBERG AND BERNARD R. PARRESOL
Chapter 11 Nutritional Value of Acorns for Wildlife	173	(9)
ROY L. KIRKPATRICK AND PETER J. PEKINS
Chapter 12 Acorn Dispersal by Birds and Mammals	182	(14)
MICHAEL A. STEELS AND PETER D. SMALLWOOD
Chapter 13 Ecological Webs Involving Acorns and Mice: Basic Research and Its Management Implications	196	(19)
RICHARD S. OSTFELD
Chapter 14 Acorns and White-Tailed Deer: Interrelationships in Forest Ecosystems	215	(9)
GEORGE A. FELDHAMER
Chapter 15 Oak Trees, Acorns, and Bears	224	(17)
MICHAEL R. VAUGHAN
Chapter 16 Turkeys, Acorns, and Oaks	241	(15)
DAVID E. STEFFEN, NELSON W. LAFON, AND GARY W. NORMAN
Chapter 17 Squirrels and Oaks	256	(13)
CHRISTOPHER C. SMITH AND MARTIN A. STAPANIAN
Part III Management of Oaks for Wildlife
Chapter 18 Fire and Oak Management	269	(11)
DAVID H. VAN LEAR AND PATRICK H. BROSE
Chapter 19 California's Oak Woodlands	280	(24)
RICHARD B. STANDIFORD
Chapter 20 Ecology and Management of Evergreen Oak Woodlands in Arizona and New Mexico	304	(13)
PETER F. FFOLLIOTT
Chapter 21 Managing Eastern Oak Forests for Wildlife	317	(16)
WILLIAM M. HEALY
Chapter 22 Goals and Guidelines for Managing Oak Ecosystems for Wildlife	333	(10)
WILLIAM M. HEALY AND WILLIAM J. MCSHEA
References	343	(80)
Index	423