An investigation of avifauna and vegetation community composition: a comparison of edge and interior forest habitats.

Abstract

Comparisons of tree and bird species were made between an edge habitat created by a clearcut and the surrounding forest interior adjacent to it. Observations were made in a northern hardwood forest on the property of UMBS, which is located in the northern portion of the lower peninsula of Michigan. Experimental procedures were conducted to quantify richness of bird species and richness and abundance of tree species. The sample size included three replicates in two regions, edge and forest interior. Edge effects were exhibited in a general sense, but did not prove to be species specific. Significant differences between edge and forest interior habitats were found for the following values: total tree biomass, percentage of overstory canopy cover, and overstory biomass. Community similarity coefficients for trees and birds were as follows: 0.717 and 0.500 respectively. Despite the large similarity of the tree communities between edge and forest regions, communities of birds seemed were somewhat dissimilar, possibly indicating preferences for habitat type, edge or forest interior.