D. G. Milchunas

Habitat differences 9 years after planting of slash pine are compared for three levels of site disturbance in a north Florida flatwoods. Observed wildlife abundance is discussed in light of structural (quality, occurrence and stratification) and nutritional habitat differences. Where grasses and forbs were most productive (low site preparation intensity), ground arthropods, small mammals, herhivores, birds, and insectivores were most abundant. Increased site preparation accelerated pine overstory and shrub midstory development with greater foliage arthropad abundance. Rapid vegetation...

Seasonal measures of the animal community and understory vegetation in nine year old slash pine plantations of three different levels of site preparation intensity are compared to mature natural stands. While there appear to be no significant differences in bird, mammal or arthropod populations between the three site preparation intensities of young plantation. responses were significantly different when mature stands were included in the comparison. Bird and small mammal abundance and diversity was much greater in the mature longleaf pine stand than any other habitat type. Low intensity...