Stand-Level Wildlife Habitat Features and Biodiversity in Southern Pine Forests: A Review

Abstract Forest certification programs require management of stand-level habitat elements supported by up-to-date science. Coarse woody debris (CWD) and snags have shown potential for impacting diversity, although their contributions in pine systems are not always well documented. We reviewed the scientific literature for information on relationships between wildlife communities and these habitat elements, with particular emphasis on southern pine systems, and offer analyses of information gaps and research needs. There is a need to improve knowledge of the impact of silvicultural actions, including herbicide use, on snag and CWD dynamics, and to develop reliable predictive models connecting management to stand-level habitat features and associated wildlife communities. Multivariate analyses should be used in studies of community ecology and response to habitat characteristics. We encourage long-term experiments to increase the power of hypothesis testing and account for temporal variation in wildlife populations. Wildlife responses should be measured using demographic characteristics rather than mere density.