Research
PNW
Funded Projects
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
PNW Project Overview 1996
Interactions Between Fungi and Cavity Nesters: Applications to Managing Wildlife and Forest in Western Washington
Principal
Investigator:
James
C. Bednarz, Arkansas State University, Department of Biological
Sciences
Awarded: $9,800
Project
Description:
ONRC
joined the Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) and
Rayonier in
funding this project. The
first phase of this project involves surveying and quantifying use of
cavities by primary cavity-nesting species (i.e. woodpeckers) and by
northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) in western
Washington. Next, trees will
be sampled to identify species of fungi associated with woodpecker and
flying squirrel nesting cavities. The
project will then test three potential delivery systems for inoculating
fungal species beneficial to wildlife into trees in terms of cost
effectiveness. This includes considering adverse fungal effects on growing
timber. The final phase of
this project includes conducting follow-up surveys of inoculated trees to
determine if treated sites are being used by cavity-nesting and
cavity-roosting wildlife, and determine if woodpecker densities have
changed. Complete follow-up surveys will be contingent upon when
woodpeckers and other wildlife become established at inoculation sites
(year 2000 or after).
ONRC’s role in this project was to purchase a fieldcam video system,
which provided an innovative, high technology approach to monitor cavity
nests of birds and den sites of mammals in this project. Researchers
recommended that the fieldcam video equipment remain with the Olympic
Natural Resources Center (ONRC) and be loaned out, when available, to
other research projects that may benefit by use of this equipment.
Project Status:
The
field cam video system was purchased and used to support this project.
A peer-reviewed report is currently being published.
Other researchers and education groups have used the field cam
video system.
Peer-reviewed
Report Abstract:
To
develop management prescriptions to promote the use of forests by
cavity-using wildlife, researchers investigated the relationship that
wood-decay fungi play in facilitating nest excavation by woodpeckers.
Field crews located 78 woodpecker nests in western Washington,
documented the presence of basidiocarps and collected wood samples to
identify the decay organisms in trees.
Basidiocarps of Fomitopsis
pinicola (red-belted conk) were found on 47.4% of all woodpecker nest
trees.
This fungus was also recovered from wood samples in the 7.7% of all
woodpecker nest trees that did not possess conks.
An additional 32 fungal types from 20 genera were present in
woodpecker nest trees.
F. pinicola was selected
as the organism to inoculate into trees experimentally to promote
colonization by woodpeckers, because this was the most common fungus
associated with woodpecker trees.
In 1997 and 1998, field crews inoculated 65 clusters of 10 trees in
33 separate managed forest stands in western Washington.
The experimental design of inoculations allow examination of the
effect of blank (control) vs. fungal inoculations, the influence of tree
species (i.e., Tsuga heterophylla,
Pseudotsuga menziesii), the effect of available snags, and the effect
of size/age classes of trees on future colonization by woodpeckers.
Visual examinations for presence of mycelium and/or conks, and
retrieval of wood samples and isolation of fungal cultures from randomly
selected trees (N=58) inoculated
in 1997 and 1998, indicated the successful colonization of F.
pinicola in 50% to 70% of the trees inspected in 1998 and 1999.