Conservation Evidence: Evidence Data

Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use nest covers to reduce the impact of research on predation of ground-nesting seabirdsA before-and-after study in Canada found that protecting Caspian tern Sterna caspia nests after researchers disturbed parents from them significantly increased hatching success. This was due to a reduction in predation by ring-billed gulls Larus delawarensis. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F316https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F316Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:26:31 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use prescribed burning on deciduous forests Of four studies found, one paired sites study from the USA found that bird species richness was similar in burned and unburned aspen forests, although there were significant changes in the relative abundances of some species. A replicated, controlled study in the USA found no evidence for changes in community composition in oak and hickory forests following burning. A replicated controlled trial from the USA found no differences in wood thrush nest survival in burned compared to unburned areas. Another replicated controlled trial from the USA found a reduction in the number of black-chinned hummingbird nests following fuel reduction treatments that included burning. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F317https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F317Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:53:13 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use prescribed burning on pine forests Two studies of the 28 captured (all from the USA) found higher bird species richness in sites with prescribed burning, tree thinning and mid- or understorey control or just burning and tree thinning, compared to control sites. Five studies found no differences in species richness or community composition between sites with prescribed burning; prescribed burning, tree thinning and mid- or understorey control; or prescribed burning and tree thinning only, compared to control sites, or those with other management. Eight studies found that some species or guilds (such as open habitat species) were more abundant or more likely to be found in burned areas of pine forest than control areas. One study found that the responses of Henslow’s sparrows to burning varied considerably with geography and habitat. Three studies found that some species were more abundant in thinned and burned stands, compared to controls or other management. Three studies found that overall bird densities or abundances of red-cockaded woodpeckers were higher in open pine forests with prescribed burning, tree thinning and mid- or understorey control, compared with control areas or those thinned but not burned. One found differences were more marked in spring. A study found that a red-cockaded woodpecker population increased following the start of intensive management consisting of prescribed burning and other interventions. Ten studies found that total bird densities or those of some species was the same or lower in sites with prescribed burning compared to control sites, or those with other management. Five studies investigated several interventions at once. Generally, closed-forest species and ground nesters appeared to be adversely affected by burning. Three studies found higher productivities or survival of species in burned or burned and thinned areas, compared to control areas or those burned less recently. Seven studies found no differences in productivity, behaviour or survival (including of artificial nests) in burned areas or burned and thinned areas, compared to controls. One study found that northern bobwhite chicks had lower foraging success in burned areas, compared to other management regimes, whilst another found that different predators were dominant under different management. The three studies that investigated it found that burning season did not appear to affect the effects of burning. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F318https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F318Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:02:39 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use prescribed burning on Australian sclerophyll forest Two of three studies from Australia found no differences in bird species richness in burned sites compared to unburned areas. Three studies found differences in species assemblages in burned and unburned areas, with some species lost and others gained from areas after fire. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F319https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F319Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:44:29 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use prescribed burning on savannas A replicated and controlled study from Kenya, of five studies captured, found that burned areas of savanna tended to have more birds and more species than control or grazed areas. However, the authors note that differences were not present during drought years and burned sites showed significant annual variation, unlike grazed sites. A replicated and controlled study from Australia found that the effects of burning on bird abundances depended on burn season, and habitat type. Two replicated studies in the USA found that some open country species were more common in burned areas than unburned, whilst other species were less so. A small study from the USA found that two eastern bluebird Sialia sialis successfully raised chicks after the habitat around their nest boxes was subject to a prescribed burn. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F320https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F320Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:58:00 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use prescribed burning on shrublands One controlled study from the USA, of eight captured, found that overall bird densities were similar between burned and unburned areas, whilst a replicated and controlled study found that species numbers and bird densities did not vary between areas burned in summer and those burned in winter. Three studies found that some species were more abundant on areas that were burned, compared to those managed differently, or not at all. Four studies found that the densities of individual species were similar or lower on burned areas compared to control areas or those under different management. A before-and-after study found that sage sparrows chose different nest sites before burning compared to after. A controlled study found no differences in greater sage grouse movement between burned and unburned areas. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F321https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F321Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:10:30 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use prescribed burning on grasslands Four studies from the USA, of 21 studies captured, found that overall species richness did not vary between burned areas, or areas burned recently, and unburned sites. One study found that community composition was also similar whilst others found that species showed individual responses. Nine studies from across the world found that at least some study species were found at higher densities or were more abundant in burned areas than in unburned areas or areas under different management. One study investigated multiple interventions at once. Fourteen studies found that at least one study species was less abundant or found at similar abundances on burned areas of grassland, compared to unburned areas or those under different management. However, four studies found that apparent responses varied depending on how soon after fires measurements were taken. Care should therefore be taken when interpreting the results of studies on prescribed burning. One study from the USA found that Florida grasshopper sparrow had significantly higher reproductive success soon after plots were burned, whilst another American study founds that dickcissel reproductive success was higher in patch-burned areas than burned and grazed areas. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F322https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F322Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:38:18 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use prescribed burning on coastal habitats Of three studies captured, one replicated, controlled, paired sites study from the USA found that there was a fall in breeding seaside sparrow numbers on a burned site in the year it was burned. The next year, numbers were higher than on an unburned site. A controlled study in Argentina found that tall-grass specialist species were lost from burned areas in the year of burning, but that some habitats recovered by the following year. A replicated controlled study from the USA found no differences in nest predation rates between burned and unburned areas for two years after burning. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F323https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F323Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:24:19 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use fire suppression/control Two out of three before-and-after studies, from Australia and the UK, found that five species of bird (including noisy scrub-bird, the target species of one study) increased following fire suppression measures. A before-and-after study in the USA found that open habitat species declined in a pine forest site after fire exclusion, whilst mesic woodland species appeared. A before-and-after study from the UK found that five bird species declined following fire suppression. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F324https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F324Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:35:35 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Protect nest trees before burning We found no evidence for the effects of protecting nest trees of bird populations before burning. 'No evidence' for an action means we have not yet found any studies that directly and quantitatively tested this action during our systematic journal and report searches. Therefore we have been unable to assess whether or not the action is effective or has any harmful impacts. Please get in touch if you know of such a study for this action. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F325https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F325Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:48:25 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Clear or open patches in forests Of nine studies, seven from the UK and the USA found that early-successional species increased in clearcut areas or opened forests, compared to control areas, areas before management, or other management techniques. One study found that population increases only occurred in clearcuts up to 20 ha in size. Two studies report that mature-forest species declined in cut/opened areas of forest. A replicated, randomised, controlled study from the USA found no differences in species richness between clearcuts of different sizes, whilst another American study found that a mosaic of cut and uncut areas supported a variety of species. A long-term study from the USA of a landscape with opened patches found that there were no consistent differences between clearcut and controlled areas, although some species were only seen in clearcuts. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F326https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F326Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:51:33 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Clearcut and re-seed forests One of two replicated studies from the USA found similar bird densities in clearcut and re-seeded sites as in sites under other managements. A replicated study from the USA found that pine stands replanted with native pines held more scrub-sucessional species than stands managed with tree thinning, midstory tree removal and burning. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F327https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F327Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:11:04 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Thin trees within forests Of 13 studies, one from the USA which used several interventions found higher species richness in managed sites. Three studies from the USA and the UK found no differences between thinned and control sites. Seven studies from the USA and Sweden found that total bird abundance, or that of some species, were higher in thinned plots than control plots or those under different management. Four of these used other interventions as well. Five studies found that abundances were similar, or that some species were less abundant in areas with thinning. Two studies from the USA found no effect of thinning on wood thrushes, a species thought to be sensitive to it. A controlled before-and-after study found that more nests were in nest boxes in a thinned site, compared to a control site. A replicated randomised, controlled study in the USA found no differences in bird abundances between burned sites with high-retention thinning, compared to low-retention. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F328https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F328Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:16:33 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Coppice trees Of three studies, one, a before-and-after study in the UK found that a population of European nightjars increased following a series of management interventions, including the coppicing of some birch trees. Two before-and-after studies from the UK and the USA found that the use of coppices by some bird species declined over time. The UK study also found that overall species richness decreased with age, but that some species were more abundant in older stands. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F329https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F329Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:58:36 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use patch retention harvesting instead of clearcutting One before-and-after study of two from the USA found that areas under patch retention harvesting contained more birds of more species than clearcut areas, retaining similar numbers to unharvested areas. Two studies from the USA found that forest specialist species were found with greater frequency in patch retention plots than other management types. One found that habitat generalists increased on other management types, relative to patch retention areas. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F330https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F330Fri, 27 Jul 2012 15:02:03 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use selective harvesting/logging instead of clearcutting Six studies of seven from the USA and Canada found that some species were more abundant in selective-logged forests, whilst others were less abundant, compared to both control stands and other managements. One study found that there were no consistent differences between selectively harvested and clearcut stands. A replicated study from the USA found a lower species richness of cavity-nesting birds in snags in selectively-logged stands, compared to clearcuts. A replicated study from the USA found that brood parasitism of two species by brown-headed cowbirds was higher in harvested stands compared to controls, but it was lower for two others. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F331https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F331Sat, 28 Jul 2012 13:49:15 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use variable retention management during forestry operationsA replicated, controlled study from the USA found that nine bird species occurred at higher densities in stands under variable retention management, compared to control stands. Five were found at lower densities. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F332https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F332Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:02:54 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use shelterwood cutting instead of clearcuttingA replicated study from the USA found that community composition of birds in shelterwood stands differed from other forestry practices, with some species more abundant and others less so. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F333https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F333Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:08:41 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Manage woodland edges for birds We captured three studies of two experiments, of which one, a before-and-after study from the UK, found an increase in the local population of European nightjars following several management interventions, including the management of woodland edges for birds. Two studies of a replicated, controlled paired sites experiment in the USA found that bird abundances were higher in woodland edges with border-edge cuts and that predation on artificial nests was lower than in uncut edges. Scrub- and edge-nesting species were more abundant. Overall species richness and nest success did not differ different between treatments. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F334https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F334Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:12:39 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Manually control or remove midstorey and ground-level vegetation (including mowing, chaining, cutting etc) in forests Of fifteen studies captured, one, a replicated controlled study from the USA, found higher bird species richness in areas with midstorey thinning, compared to control areas. One study from the USA found similar bird species richness in areas with mid- and understorey control, compared to other management types. A study from Canada found fewer species in treated sites than controls. Seven studies from Europe and the USA found that total bird densities or those of some species or guilds were higher in areas with mid- or understorey management, compared to before management or to areas without management. Four of these studies used understorey removal as part of a wider management regime. Five studies from the USA and Canada found that densities of some species were lower in areas with midi or understorey control, or that overall bird densities did not different between managed and unmanaged areas. Two of these studies investigated several interventions at once. A replicated controlled study from the USA found similar survival for black-chinned hummingbirds in areas with understorey management, compared to areas with other interventions. Two replicated, controlled studies from Canada found higher nest survival in forests with removal of deciduous trees, compared to controls. A controlled study found that northern bobwhite chicks had greater foraging success in areas with cleared understorey vegetation compared to burned areas, but lower than under other managements. A replicated, controlled study from the USA found that midstorey control did not appear to affect competition between species for nesting sites. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F335https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F335Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:20:23 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Remove midstorey from savannasA controlled study in Argentina found that in summer, but not overall, a control area had higher bird abundance and species richness than an area where shrubs were removed. There were also differences in community composition between treatments. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F336https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F336Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:54:45 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Manually control or remove midstorey and ground-level vegetation (including mowing, chaining, cutting etc) in shrubland Of seven studies, one controlled study from the USA, found that overall bird diversity was similar between chained areas, burned areas and controls. A replicated and controlled study from the USA found that overall diversity was lower on mown sites than controls, but that grassland-specialist species were present on managed sites. Five studies from the USA and Europe found than some study species were found at greater densities or abundances on sites with mechanical vegetation control than on sites with prescribed burning or no management, or that abundances increased after management. One study investigated several interventions at once. One study from the USA found that total bird densities were similar between chained, burned and control sites. A replicated controlled study from the USA found that mown sites had lower bird abundances than control sites. Three studies from the USA found that some species were less abundant on sites with mechanical vegetation removal, compared with burned or control sites, or showed smaller increases after management. One replicated, controlled study from the USA found no differences between areas cut in winter and those cut in summer. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F337https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F337Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:58:09 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Mow or cut natural grasslands Of six studies, two replicated and controlled studies from the USA found higher densities of birds or nests on mown grasslands, compared to unmanaged or burned areas. Two controlled studies from the USA, one replicated, found lower nesting or population densities of some species, on mown grasslands compared to unmown areas. Two replicated and controlled studies found no significant differences in nesting densities or community composition between mown and unmown areas. One study from the USA found that grasshopper sparrow nesting success was higher on mown areas than grazed areas of grassland. A replicated controlled study from the USA found that ducks had similar nesting success on cut and uncut areas. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F338https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F338Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:41:22 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Mow or cut semi-natural grasslands/pastures Of four studies captured, one, a before-and-after study from the UK, found that local wader populations increased following the annual cutting semi-natural grasslands. A replicated, controlled study from the UK found that ducks grazed at higher densities on cut areas, a second replicated study from the UK found that goose grazing densities were unaffected by cutting frequency. A replicated study from the USA found that Henslow's sparrows were more likely to be recaptured on unmown, compared with mown grasslands. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F339https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F339Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:49:03 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Mow or cut reedbeds Of three studies captured, one controlled study from the Netherlands found that warblers nested at lower densities in cut areas of reeds. Productivity and success did not vary between treatments. An unreplicated study from Denmark found that geese grazed at the highest densities on reedbeds cut 5–12 years previously. One replicated study investigated changing water levels in addition to cutting reeds in the UK and found that management did not affect great bittern breeding productivity but did appear to delay territory establishment. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F340https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F340Sat, 28 Jul 2012 20:15:58 +0100