Manual for Ageing and Sexing Birds of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park and Northcentral Chile, with Notes on Range and Breeding Seasonality

Bosque Fray Jorge National Park (hereafter Fray Jorge ) comprises 9,959 ha on the coast of Chile’s Region IV (Coquimbo), approximately 400 km north of Santiago and 100 km south of La Serena (30°41’S, 71°40’W) (Fig. 1). It is a Biosphere Reserve and has been protected from grazing and disturbance since 1941 (Squeo et al. 2004). As such, it is a biotic oasis surrounded by agricultural and increasingly disturbed terrain (Bahre 1979). The climate is Mediterranean, with ca. 130 mm of annual precipitation measured since 1989 at an on-site meteorological station, 90% falling in winter (May-Sept). Summers are warm and dry, although fog and coastal clouds are common. Vegetation is characterized as coastal matorral steppe (Gajardo 1994), generally spiny and drought-deciduous or evergreen, with heavy shrub cover (ca. 50-60%; Meserve et al. 2009) and understory herbs on a primarily sandy substrate (Gutiérrez et al. 2010).https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/spmns/1001/thumbnail.jp

Manual para Estimar Edad y Sexo en Aves del Parque Nacional Bosque Fray Jorge y Chile Central, con Notas sobre Rangos de Distribución y Estación Reproductiva

El Parque Nacional Fray Jorge (en adelante Fray Jorge ) comprende 9.959 ha. en la costa de la IV Región de Chile (Coquimbo), a unos 400 km al norte de Santiago y a 100 km al sur de La Serena (30 ° 41\u27S, 71 ° 40\u27W) (Fig. 1). Se trata de una Reserva de la Biosfera que se ha protegido del pastoreo y las perturbaciones antrópicas desde 1941 (Squeo et al. 2004). Como tal, es un oasis biótico rodeado de áreas agrícolas cada vez más intervenidas por el hombre (Bahre 1979). El clima es mediterráneo, con 130 mm de precipitación anual, la que cae 90% en invierno (May-Sep) y es medida desde 1989 en una estación meteorológica en el lugar. Los veranos son cálidos y secos, aunque la niebla y las nubes costeras son frecuentes. La vegetación se caracteriza por la estepa matorral costero (Gajardo 1994), generalmente espinosa y hojas caducas de verano -períodos de sequías- o perennes, con densa cobertura de arbustos (aproximadamente 50-60%; Meserve et al. 2009) y hierbas de sotobosque en un sustrato principalmente de arena (Gutiérrez et al. 2010).https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/spmns/1000/thumbnail.jp

Microhabitat associations of northern flying squirrels in burned and thinned forest stands of the Sierra Nevada

Prescribed burning and mechanical thinning are used to manage fuels within many western North American forest ecosystems, but few studies have examined the relative impacts of these treatments on forest wildlife. We sampled northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) and microhabitat variables in burned, thinned and control stands of mixed-conifer forest of the southern Sierra Nevada at the Teakettle Experimental Forest. We used this information to determine the effects of burning and thinning on the microhabitat associations of flying squirrels. Across pretreatment stands, the probability of flying squirrel capture increased with decreasing distance to a perennial creek and increasing litter depth. The probability of flying squirrel capture also was greater with increased canopy cover in thinned stands and increased litter depth in burned stands. Greater canopy cover may provide protection from predators, thicker litter layers may harbor a greater abundance of truffles, a primary food of northern flying squirrels, and creeks may provide squirrels with food sources, drinking water and nest trees. Results from this study underscore the need for more information on the effects of forest management on northern flying squirrels near the southern extent of the species’ geographic range

Microhabitat associations of northern flying squirrels in burned and thinned forest stands of the Sierra Nevada

Prescribed burning and mechanical thinning are used to manage fuels within many western North American forest ecosystems, but few studies have examined the relative impacts of these treatments on forest wildlife. We sampled northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) and microhabitat variables in burned, thinned and control stands of mixed-conifer forest of the southern Sierra Nevada at the Teakettle Experimental Forest. We used this information to determine the effects of burning and thinning on the microhabitat associations of flying squirrels. Across pretreatment stands, the probability of flying squirrel capture increased with decreasing distance to a perennial creek and increasing litter depth. The probability of flying squirrel capture also was greater with increased canopy cover in thinned stands and increased litter depth in burned stands. Greater canopy cover may provide protection from predators, thicker litter layers may harbor a greater abundance of truffles, a primary food of northern flying squirrels, and creeks may provide squirrels with food sources, drinking water and nest trees. Results from this study underscore the need for more information on the effects of forest management on northern flying squirrels near the southern extent of the species’ geographic range

Threat of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome to Field Biologists Working with Small Mammals

Field biologists should use personal protective equipment appropriate for their activities

Biogeography and assemblage structure of small mammals across a transition zone in southern Chile

Includes bibliographical references (pages 161-182)The structure and correlates of small terrestrial mammal assemblages were investigated across a major ecological transition in southern Chile. Habitats ranged from wet primary growth Valdivian temperate rainforest to deciduous southern beech (Nothofagus') woods, shrub (matorral) , and finally pre-Patagonian pampa/steppe. In five visits over two years, 1750 small mammals of 13 species were collected from 36 traplines with a total effort of 9169 trapnights. Traplines yielded 1 to 7 species each. Species were heterogeneously distributed across the transition whereas small mammal carrying capacities and assemblage parameters such as richness, evenness, diversity, and biomass demonstrated no obvious patterns. Assemblages contained more species on average than expected by chance. This may have been related to patterns of trophic and microhabitat diversification. There were nonetheless only two recurrent species groupings of 32 observed, suggesting that assemblage composition may be unpredictable. Competitive interactions may determine the distributions of some species here but structural vegetative characteristics and climate appear to be the proximate and ultimate factors, respectively, influencing the presence of most species here. Tree and litter cover especially emerge as parameters to which these mammals respond. Litter depth, shrub cover, and number of shrub species also appear influential. These data agree with conclusions obtained from work with heteromyid rodent assemblages in the North American Southwest, including: (1) mammalian assemblages are composed of species individualistically distributed according to unique requirements for food and other resources; (2) local biotas may be quite variable; (3) local assemblages respond to environmental changes on relatively small spatial scales; and (4) local assemblage composition may not be representative of communities of larger regions. The fact that assemblages as ecologically and historically distinct as heteromyids from the North American Southwest and southern South American sigmodontines share such fundamental patterns of structure suggests these explanations may be more general in applicability.M.S. (Master of Science

Differential effects of habitat fragmentation on birds and mammals in Valdivian temperate rainforests Efectos diferenciales de la fragmentación del hábitat sobre aves y mamíferos del bosque valdiviano

Four recent studies on Chilean vertebrates underscore the very different effects that habitat fragmentation may have under different conditions. In southern Chile, birds exhibited significant species-area relationships, whereas the more depauperate small mammal community did not. The avifauna of highly isolated rainforest remnants in Fray Jorge National Park (IV Región) presented steeper species-area relations than those in southern Chile, reminiscent of land-bridge islands after faunal relaxation. The small mammal results were unexpected but may reflect the reduced vagility and immigration potential of this group. Additionally, the inter-remnant matrix habitat may support large populations of only some species, allowing them to capitalize on resources that are available in forest remnants. Such an effect is less likely for birds due to their greater vagility. Although the influence of remnant area is more clearly demonstrated for birds in Chile, it appears that small mammal assemblages may be more immediately impacted by habitat fragmentation than are birds, and that further fragmentation of temperate rainforests will seriously impoverish the small mammal assemblage, many of whose members are endemic to this region. Further research should emphasize the role of the inter-remnant matrix, of habitat corridors, and of the relative sensitivity of different species to matrix/corridor quality and remnant isolation<br>Cuatro estudios recientes en vertebrados chilenos subrayan los efectos muy diversos que la fragmentación del hábitat puede tener bajo diversas condiciones. En el sur de Chile, las aves exhibieron relaciones significativas entre la riqueza de especies y el área de hábitat ("especies-area"), mientras que tal relación no se observó en la comunidad de pequeños mamíferos, la cual tiene menos especies. La avifauna de los fragmentos remanentes altamente aislados del Parque Nacional Fray Jorge (IV Región) presentaron relaciones especies-área más pronunciadas que aquellas de Chile meridional. Lo observado para los pequeños mamíferos fue inesperado aunque puede reflejar un menor potencial de movilidad e inmigración en este grupo. Además, el hábitat de la matriz inter-fragmento puede albergar solo a poblaciones grandes de algunas especies, lo que les permitiría capitalizar los recursos que están disponibles en los fragmentos de bosque. Tal efecto es menos probable para el caso de las aves producto de su mayor movilidad. Aunque la influencia del área de los fragmentos remanentes es más claro en el caso de las aves en Chile, es probable que los ensambles de mamíferos pequeños sean más afectados en el corto plazo por la fragmentación del hábitat que las aves, y que una fragmentación adicional de los bosques templados lluviosos determinará un mayor empobrecimiento de los ensambles de pequeños mamíferos, muchos de los cuales son endémicos en esta región. Estudios adicionales deberían enfatizar el papel de la matriz ínter-fragmento, el de los corredores de hábitat, y evaluar la sensibilidad relativa de diversas especies al aislamiento de los fragmentos remanentes y a la calidad de la matriz/corredo