I think it would be very interesting to see some data on moisture content of
snags and downed CWD. My observation (esp. on caraibd beetles) indicate even
in the coastal temperate rainforest of the Pacific Northwest coast, large
CWD provides a refuge from summer drought conditions for some invertebrates,
and the patterns is probbaly even more pronounced in drier forest of the
interior.

Although I am not an expert on the deadwood literature, I am unaware of much
literature specifically focusing on this dynamic. There is a wealth of
information on the value of wetlands to biodiversity conservation, and it
would be valuable to assess the role of CWD a micro-wetlands for forest
biodiversity conservation.

Does your database include moisture content info?

James Bergdahl
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY CENTER
PO Box 8317
Spokane, WA 99203
Email: bergdahl@...
Ph: 509 835 5233


-----Original Message-----
From: symphylan <dawn_nelson@...>
To: dead_wood@yahoogroups.com <dead_wood@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Tuesday, January 15, 2002 5:08 PM
Subject: [dead_wood] snag importance - thanks, and another question


>Thanks to all of you who sent me some references about the importance
>of snags!
>
>Now, perhaps someone out there can be of even more help. I am working
>on my PhD dissertation, examining the invertebrate community of dead
>tree bark - as compared to live tree bark. I collected my own data
>for the invertebrates. However, I also have 15 years of timber
>inventory data for the small research forest where I worked- data on
>over 32,000 trees - DBH, species, condtion, etc. I need to do
>*something* with these data that relates to the importance of snags
>for wildlife. My own invertebrate work is basically just a preliminary
>survey, and doesn't really point in a direction that would be of
>interest. Obviously, reading the papers that folks have suggested will
>help, but I was also hoping some of you might have some concrete
>ideas. Should I look at the snag size distribution over time? The
>number of available snags in different cover types? The rate of snag
>falling? The percentage of trees dying over a given time period? My
>database is very rich, and I could mine it forever. What I need are a
>few concrete ideas to focus on - issues that snag people want to see
>addressed in publications, particularly relating to snag importance
>for wildife. And, of course, if you folks have such ideas, and know of
>specific papers that touch on these particular ideas. . . well, so
>much the better!
>
>Thank you so very much. . .
>--Dawn
>
>
>
>
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