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Experimental protocol on request.
Experimental protocol on request.
Method
Participation levels
According to the following description, different levels of participation to this project are possible:
Level 1: Pair of sites in presence and pseudo-absence for two years.
Installation of 2 to 4 sampling plots per site. The plots are set in sites where the White-backed Woodpecker occurs and where it does not. The experiment will stand in the forest for 2 years. |
Level 2: Pair of sites in presence and pseudo-absence for one year.
As level 1 but the experiment will stand in the forest for only 1 year. |
Level 3: Sites in presence only for two years.
Installation of 2 to 4 sampling plots per site. The sampling plots are set only in sites where the White-backed Woodpecker is present. The experiment will stand in the forest for 2 years. |
Level 4: Sites in Presence only for one year.
As level 3, but the experiment will stand in the forest for only 1 year. |
NB: independently of the level of participation, there is no restriction concerning the number of studied sites. That is, we are very happy if you can do more than 2 sites.
Site selection
Presence site
A presence site is defined as a site where the White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos) was recorded during its breeding period at least once in the past 10 years. In the best case, you or an experienced ornithologist already observed the bird. Alternatively, presence sites can be identified using available databases (Regional or National Bird Atlas, GBIF…).
Pseudo-absence site
A pseudo-absence site is defined as a site where the White-backed Woodpecker was historically never recorded according to the available database (Regional or National Bird Atlas, GBIF…), but could potentially occur. Pseudo-absence site must be similar to the sites where the WBW occurs. Presence and pseudo-absence sites must be in a buffer area around the presence site with a minimal distance of 2 km but not further than 5 km.
e.g. within the Swiss part of the project, the woodpecker occurs in beech dominated mixed forests with an elevation above sea level comprise between 700 m and 1100 m. Therefore, potential pseudo-absence sites must be beech dominated mixed forests at an altitude between 700 – 1100 m a.s.l.
For both type of site selection, we recommend to contact local ornithologists.
A presence site is defined as a site where the White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos) was recorded during its breeding period at least once in the past 10 years. In the best case, you or an experienced ornithologist already observed the bird. Alternatively, presence sites can be identified using available databases (Regional or National Bird Atlas, GBIF…).
Pseudo-absence site
A pseudo-absence site is defined as a site where the White-backed Woodpecker was historically never recorded according to the available database (Regional or National Bird Atlas, GBIF…), but could potentially occur. Pseudo-absence site must be similar to the sites where the WBW occurs. Presence and pseudo-absence sites must be in a buffer area around the presence site with a minimal distance of 2 km but not further than 5 km.
e.g. within the Swiss part of the project, the woodpecker occurs in beech dominated mixed forests with an elevation above sea level comprise between 700 m and 1100 m. Therefore, potential pseudo-absence sites must be beech dominated mixed forests at an altitude between 700 – 1100 m a.s.l.
For both type of site selection, we recommend to contact local ornithologists.
Plot selection
The same method is employed for both presence and pseudo-absence sites. Two plots are installed per site. A plot is defined as a circle of 500 m2. The sampling plots must be at least 100 m away from each other. The first plot must be set in a place where the amount of deadwood is higher than the average of the site. The second plot must be set in a place where the amount of deadwood is representative of the average of the site. If four plots are set within the same site, double the plot with high and average amount of deadwood. The distance of 100 m must be kept even for similar treatments.
NB: Ideally, plots close to forest edges should be avoided as well as non-representative areas (wind-throw, logging sites).
NB: Ideally, plots close to forest edges should be avoided as well as non-representative areas (wind-throw, logging sites).
Dead-wood exposition
6 pieces of wood of the same tree species as the dominant one are installed within each of the sampling plots. Each piece of wood should have a diameter ± 16cm and a length of ± 80 cm. The wood pieces should be cut and installed during the Autumn/ Winter 2018. The 6 pieces of wood are exposed as pairs in the three strata described below.
Tree crown
Mimics a dead branch in the tree crown and is sampling the upper part of the forest strata. A pair of wood pieces are attached together and pulled-up in the center of tree crown.
Snag
Mimics a dead standing tree and is sampling the understory of the forest. A pair of wood pieces are attached together at breast height (± 1,3 m) on a living tree of the same species. The cardinal point exposition (North, South, East, West) must be the same as the Tree Crown treatment.
Log
Mimics a fallen tree on the ground and is sampling the ground level of the forest. A pair of wood pieces are attached together and lie on the ground. The cardinal point exposition (North, South, East, West) must be the same as the Tree Crown treatment.
Tree crown
Mimics a dead branch in the tree crown and is sampling the upper part of the forest strata. A pair of wood pieces are attached together and pulled-up in the center of tree crown.
Snag
Mimics a dead standing tree and is sampling the understory of the forest. A pair of wood pieces are attached together at breast height (± 1,3 m) on a living tree of the same species. The cardinal point exposition (North, South, East, West) must be the same as the Tree Crown treatment.
Log
Mimics a fallen tree on the ground and is sampling the ground level of the forest. A pair of wood pieces are attached together and lie on the ground. The cardinal point exposition (North, South, East, West) must be the same as the Tree Crown treatment.
Wood retrieval
One piece of wood of each pair is retrieved to the field station. Therefore, in 2019, half of the pieces will be retrieved and will reflect 1 year of colonisation by saproxylic beetles at each of the 3 forest strata. The remaining half will be retrieved in 2020.
Rearing
The pieces of wood are reared in a place sharing roughly similar climatic conditions as the plots. Each piece of wood is placed separately in an emergence trap. An emergence trap consists of an opaque plastic pipe (length = 1 m; diameter = 20 cm; standardized reference = DN200) closed on both side with a lid combined with a trapping bottle filled with 70% ethanol on a side and a fine metallic mesh on the other side. We use a PVC plastic pipe that is normally used to build drainpipes / sewers, but any pipe will do. The metallic mesh is important to prevent the wood from becoming completely moldy and avoiding insect to bore escape holes. The trapping bottles must be emptied regularly.
Material
The following material can be furnished for the experiment (list for two plots): rope, lids (x12), emergence bottles (x12), mesh patch (x12) .
For convenience of transport, it would be better if you manage to buy the plastic pipe by your own. A invoice-based reimbursement will take place for this. Also, if you already have some of the proposed material (trapping bottles, ropes…) just let us know.
For convenience of transport, it would be better if you manage to buy the plastic pipe by your own. A invoice-based reimbursement will take place for this. Also, if you already have some of the proposed material (trapping bottles, ropes…) just let us know.
Next step
A dead-wood inventory and a forest’s stand characterization should be performed in the sampled plots before the end of the experiment (±1h per pot). The employed method is not fixed yet and is still an open discussion.
One person of each team involved in his project will have the opportunity to contribute for potential publications.
One person of each team involved in his project will have the opportunity to contribute for potential publications.