Wetlands provide humans with critical ecosystem services and serve as important repositories of biodiversity; however, little is known about the importance of small isolated ephemeral wetlands which are largely ignored by managers and policy makers.
Ephemeral wetlands in the south eastern coastal plain support a host of specialist plant and herpetological species, but it is unknown if they support unique bird communities. The purpose of our study is to examine how disturbances – prescribed fire and tree thinning treatments – will alter ephemeral wetlands and their constituent avifauna. We will collect avian point count, vegetation, and wetland attribute data at two field sites managed for long-leaf pine restoration with prescribed fire. Additionally, wetlands at one of the sites will receive tree thinning treatments in an effort to promote herbaceous plants and prolong the hydroperiod of these wetlands. In contrast, we expect to find that thinning treatments may reduce bird species richness.
Project Update
Developed from this project was a LiDAR processing tool. This tool allows the user to estimate canopy cover ofany given area, as long as coordinates are provided in UTM, and a radius emanating from each coordinate is given. Currently, the McGlinn Lab are the only ones using this tool, with potential implementation in the works for other institutions. This would include estimating stand basal area for subsequent estimation of timber and restoration of forest biodiversity.