| Popis: |
Powerline rights-of-way provide permanently maintained linear corridors of early seral vegetation that can harbor high levels of biodiversity. Management of vegetation located within powerline rights-of-way, as guided by the framework of Integrated Vegetation Management, creates three distinct vegetative zones: the forest zone, border zone, and wire zone. The implementation and management of distinct vegetative zones creates structurally complex physiognomies supporting diverse plant communities and a variety of wildlife, including economically and culturally important ungulates such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis). This study analyzed components of plant community ecology and explored ungulate use in these three distinct vegetative zones found within powerline rights-of-way in northern Idaho and northwestern Montana. Hypotheses explored were: 1) species diversity and richness values vary according to vegetative zone, and, 2) ungulate use will also vary by vegetative zone, as influenced by plant community composition and percent accepted forage cover. Vegetation surveys and linear mixed models were used to explore differences in Shannon’s diversity index and species richness values between different study sites and the vegetative zones in the rights-of-way at those sites. Fecal pellet count surveys and generalized linear mixed models were used to explore white-tailed deer and Rocky Mountain elk use in distinct vegetative zones. Results from the vegetation surveys and corresponding analysis showed species richness and species diversity increased from forest zone to the wire zone, potentially driven by changes in light intensity, edge effects and frequency of disturbance. Fecal pellet count surveys combined with floristic analysis and linear mixed models suggested that ungulate use was most apparent in vegetation zones that contained the highest abundance of accepted forage species. Observations suggest that ungulate use and foraging behavior could be altered in powerline rights-of-way by pressure from natural predators and human intrusion. These results imply that utility companies and land managers should continue using or adopt integrated vegetation management practices to encourage the development and persistence of early seral plant communities in right-of-way features potentially conserving or enhancing biodiversity at landscape scales. |
