Sagehen Creek Field Station

01 Jul, 05 AM - 16 Sep, 05 AM

Introduction: The American marten (Martes americana) is associated with late seral stages of coniferous forests that have structural complexity near the ground (Spencer et al. 1983, Buskirk and Powell 1994, Payer and Harrison 2003). Martens prefer areas with dense canopy cover, especially in the winter (Spencer et al. 1983, Thompson and Harestad 1994) avoiding areas that have less than two-thirds of the landscape without closed canopy conditions (e.g., Potvin et al. 2000). Complex forest structure is necessary for several reasons: effective foraging (Bissonette and Harrison 1997), resting and denning sites, escape cover from predators, and thermal cover (Strickland and Douglas 1988). Because of these specialized habitat requirements, martens have been shown to be sensitive to forms of land management that reduce cover and forest continuity (Buskirk and Ruggiero 1994, Fuller and Harrison 2005). Comparing historical and current distributions indicates a decline within their historic range in the northern Sierra and southern Cascades ranges, with most remnant populations clustered in unmanaged forests having late successional attributes (Zielinski et al. 2005). The distribution of martens within the Sagehen Creek Experimental Forest on the Tahoe National Forest (hereafter the "study area") has been documented periodically, from 1979 - 1992. The first was the work of Zielinski (1981) and Spencer (1981), followed by the work of Martin (1987) and then an unpublished survey in the early 1990s (Martin and Barrett, unpubl. data). This rich data set is an unprecedented time series of information on the distribution of martens that can be related to the history of timber harvest in the study area. Previous timber projects have included clearcutting, salvage, thinnings and hazard tree removal and these are well documented by the Tahoe National Forest staff. Absent, however, is a contemporay benchmark as to the status and distribution of martens. It has been over 14 years since the most recent survey has been conducted. Knowledge of the current distribution of martens will serve as the capstone to the historical series and will also serve as pre-treatment information for the proposed implementation of Strategically Placed Area Treatments (SPLATs; Finney 2001) in the study area. Objectives: 1. To evaluate marten occurrence throughout the Sagehen Creek Experimental Forest by using the established systematic grid system to compare current findings with historical records. 2. To relate the historical data on marten occurrence and distribution to changes in forest landscape condition in the study area. 3. To relate habitat variables collected at each plot to both marten occurrence and to the historical description of martens and vegetation conditions. 4. Provide baseline data for future projects, specifically for the proposed implementation of strategically placed area treatments (SPLAT) 5. As opportunities arise, evaluate the distribution of other forest sensitive species that are detected by proposed survey methods. Methodology and Study Area: The historical marten distribution data have been collected using baited track plates (Zielinski 1995), and we will conduct new surveys using this same method. New field data will be collected both in summer (June 15 ? September 15, 2007) and winter (January 5 ? April 5, 2008) as detectability between seasons may vary (Martin 1987). The use of remote sensor cameras may be used instead of track plates in heavy snow conditions. Each seasonal survey will be comprised of a 15-day survey period, with the track plate station checked for tracks every 3 days, for 5 visits. A grid of vegetation sample plots has recently been established to estimate the effect of fire behavior on vegetation (J. Battles, University of Californai, pers. comm.). If we use this as our grid for marten surveys, then the vegetation data at each plot will be used to distinguish habitat at sites where martens are detected from habitat where they are not detected. If we are able to locate grid intersections from the 1970-vintage surveys, these will be used instead, and in this case new vegetation data will be collected according to established protocols. The historical marten data will be provided by Dr. Reginal Barrett and his previous collaborators and the historical vegetation data will be provided as GIS coverages by the Tahoe National Forest. Qualitative (map-based) and quantitative comparisons of marten distribution forest landscape condition will be conducted using the series of data on marten distribution and forest condition in the study area, from 1979 - 2006. Plot data, as well as the vegetation cover within a 2 km radius around each survey point (evaluated from digital aerial photographs), will be used to create a model to statistically distinguish detection an non-detection sites using the new survey data. The historical survey locations do not have plot-level vegetation data, but a 2-km radius assessment area will be created, in GIS, around sites that did and did not detect martens using the forest vegetation map that most immediately precedes the date of the marten survey data. These landscapes will be compared to determine the effect of forest condition on marten occurrence for each marten survey. Landscape characteristics of the entire study area will also be generated and compared from the 1970s to the 2000s. New surveys will be careful to include areas where SPLATs are planned to be established, so that the survey data will serve as a baseline for subsequent, post-treatment, surveys in the future. The proposed study area is Sagehen Creek Experimental Forest in the Truckee Ranger District, Tahoe National Forest, California. It is approximately 11 miles north of Truckee and to the west of Highway 89. The presence of the Sagehen Creek Field Station provides vital infrastructure support. Predicted Timeline: Spring 2007: prepare formal study plan and prepare for summer field work. Summer 2007: conduct summer marten survey. Fall 2007: gather historical vegetation maps and historical marten data and begin retrospective analyses. Winter 2007-2008: conduct winter marten survey. Spring - Summer 2008: conduct analyses and write final report and thesis. Methods Summary: Expected field work is proposed for summer 2007 (approximately from mid-June to mid-September) and winter 2008 (January to April). Methods will include track plates during the summer and remote digital camera surveys during the winter. In prior studies, chicken has been used for bait with the accompanyment of an initial dose of a tracking lure mixed with lanolin (a waxy substance). These surveys are considered non-invasive. The proposed survey would replicate prior studies done by Zielinski (1981), Spencer (1981), and Martin (1987), making Sagehen Creek Experimental Forest an essential location for the field work. Literature Cited: Bissonette, J. A. and D. J. Harrison. 1997. The influence of spatial scale and scale-sensitive properties in habitat selection by American marten. Pages 368-385 in Bissonette, J. A. editor. Wildlife and landscape ecology: effects of pattern and scale. Proceedings from the Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon, USA. Buskirk, S. W. and R. A. Powell. 1994. Habitat ecology of fishers and American martens. Martens, sables, and fishers: biology and conservation. Pages 283-296 In: S. W. Buskirk, A. S. Harestad, M. G. Raphael and R. A. Powell (eds) Ithaca, NY, Comstock Publishing Associates, Cornell University Press. Finney, M. A. 2001. Design of regular landscape fuel treatment patters for modifying fire growth and behavior. Forest Science 47:219-228. Fuller, A.K. and D.J. Harrison. 2005. Influence of partial timber harvesting on American martens in North-Central Maine. Journal of Wildlife Management 69: 710-722. Martin, S. 1987. Ecology of the pine marten (Martes americana) at Sagehen Creek, California, Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Berkeley, 220 p. Payer, D.C. and D.J. Harrison. 2003. Influence of forest structure on habitat use by American marten in an industrial forest. Forest Ecology and Management 179: 145-156. Potvin, F., L. Belanger, and K. Lowell. 2000. Marten habitat selection in a clearcut boreal landscape. Conservation Biology, 14: 844-857. Slauson, K. M. 2003. Ecology of American Martens in coastal northwestern California. Thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA. Spencer, W. D. 1981. Pine marten habitat preferences at Sagehen Creek, California. MS thesis, Department of Forestry, University of California, Berkeley, 121 p. Spencer, W., R.H. Barrett, and W.J. Zielinski. 1983. Marten habitat preferences in the Northern Sierra Nevada. Journal of Wildlife Management, 47:1181-1186. Strickland, M. A. and C. W. Douglas. 1988. Marten. Pages 531- 545 in Novak, M, J.A. Baker, M. E. Obbard, and B. Mallock, editors. Wild furbearer management and conservation in North America. Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario, Canada. Thompson, I.D. and A.S. Harestad. 1994. Effects of logging on American martens and models for habitat management. Pages 355-367 in S.W. Buskirk, A.S. Harestad, M.G. Raphael, and R.A. Powell, ed. Marten, sables, and fishers: biology and conservation. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, USA. Zielinski, W.J, R. L. Truex, F. V. Schlexer, L. A. Campbell, and C. Carroll. 2005. Historical and contemporary distributions of carnivores in forest of the Sierra Nevada, California, U.S.A. Journal of Biogeography 32:1385-1407. Zielinski, W. J. 1981. Food habits, activity patterns and ectoparasites of the pine marten at Sagehen Creek, California. Department of Forestry. University of California, Berkeley, CA, 121 p.

Visit #11767 @Sagehen Creek Field Station

Approved

Under Project # 7382 | Research

The Effect of Forest Landscape Change on the Distribution of American Martens at the Sagehen Creek Experimental Forest, California.

faculty - Oregon State University

Reservation Members(s)

Katie Moriarty Jul 1 - Sep 16, 2007 (78 days)
Katie Moriarty Jul 1 - Sep 16, 2007 (78 days)
Katie Moriarty Jul 1 - Sep 16, 2007 (78 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Classroom 3 Jul 1 - Sep 16, 2007
Lab / Classroom 3 Jul 1 - Sep 16, 2007
Library / Classroom 3 Jul 1 - Sep 16, 2007
Meadow Cabin (Lower Camp) 3 Jul 1 - Sep 16, 2007