Water Stewardship Information Sources

Citation Higgins, KL and Yasue, M. 2014. Monitoring liverworts to evaluate the effectiveness of hydroriparian buffers. Environmental Management 53:112-119.
Organization Quest University
URL http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00267-013-0188-4#/page-1
Abstract/Description or Keywords In the coastal temperate rainforest of British Columbia (BC) in western Canada, government policies stipulate that foresters leave unlogged hydroriparian buffer strips up to 25 m on each side of streams to protect wildlife habitat. At present, studies on the effectiveness of these buffers focus on mammals, birds, and amphibians while there is comparably little information on smaller organisms such as liverworts in these hydroriparian buffers. To address this gap of knowledge, we conducted field surveys of liverworts comparing the percent cover and community composition in hydroriparian forested areas (n = 4 sites, n = 32 plots with nested design) to hydroriparian buffer zones (n = 4 sites, n = 32 plots). We also examined how substrate type affected the cover of liverworts. Liverwort communities in buffers were similar to those in riparian forest areas and most liverworts were found on downed wood. Thus, hydroriparian buffers of 25–35 m on each side in a coastal temperate rainforest effectively provide habitat for liverworts as long as downed wood is left intact in the landscape. Because liverworts are particularly sensitive to changes in humidity, these results may indicate that hydroriparian buffers are an effective management strategy for bryophytes and possibly for a range of other riparian species that are particularly sensitive to forestry-related changes in microclimate.
Keywords
Coastal temperate rainforest Forestry Forest management Bryophyte Substrate
Information Type article
Regional Watershed Coast Region
Sub-watershed if known
Aquifer #
Comments
Project status complete
Contact Name Kellina Higgins
Contact Email [email protected]