| This study is the first to examine the relationships among herpetofauna, site preparation intensity, forest structure, and spatial characteristics of intensively managed pine stands on the southeastern Coastal Plain. I studied managed Loblolly (Pinus taeda), Longleaf (P. palustrus ), and/or Slash (P. elliottii) pine stands treated with three intensities of site preparation (low, medium, high) and in various age classes, and used AIC (Akaike's Information Criterion) to select linear regression models that best explained herpetofaunal community attributes across all stand types based on habitat and spatial features. Overall species richness of herpetofauna was best explained by site preparation intensity and stand age, with richness responding favorably to less intense site preparation and older pine stands. Reptile species richness and abundance were also best explained by site preparation intensity and stand age; richness and abundance were highest on older stands treated with less-intense site preparation. Models explaining overall abundance, amphibian abundance, and amphibian species richness were not useful, probably because the majority of captures were made up of two common species (Scaphiopus holbrookii and Bufo terrestris ). The highest species richness and abundance of amphibians occurred on intermediate age (15 yrs) stands treated with medium-intensity site preparation. Species richness of herpetofauna was generally lowest on stands treated with high-intensity site preparation, especially on recently clearcut and older (16 yrs) stands. Reptiles dominated low-intensity recently clearcut, low-intensity mature, and medium-intensity 23-yr-old stands, but all other stands were dominated by amphibians or had similar proportions of amphibians to reptiles. Lizards were nearly absent from clearcuts regardless of site preparation intensity. Species richness of lizards was highest on low-intensity mature stands and lizard species richness was lowest on stands treated with high-intensity site preparation. Older stands (15-23 yrs old) treated with medium-intensity site preparation had the highest lizard abundance, but two species ( Anolis carolinensis and Scincella lateralis) dominated. The use of less-intense site preparation in general, and the maintenance of some connected, older, frequently-burned stands within industrial landscapes may benefit herpetofaunal communities, especially reptiles. Leaving residual trees or snags on recently clearcut stands may benefit lizard communities at the landscape level. |
