Download or read book Direct and Indirect Impacts of Emerald Ash Borer on Forest Bird Communities written by Lawrence Charles Long and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmare) is an exotic invader in North American forests. The buprestid wood borer has killed millions of ash trees since its discovery in southeastern Michigan in 2002. Because North American ash trees lack an evolutionary history with EAB, it has the potential to functionally extirpate the genus Fraxinus from the North American continent. Widespread, simultaneous ash mortality is likely to initiate a cascade of direct and indirect ecological effects. Forest infestation by EAB and subsequent loss of ash trees may lead to altered habitat and food availability for native insectivores such as birds. The objectives of this research were to: (1) determine utilization of EAB as a food resource by non-migratory bark-gleaning birds, (2) quantify forest regeneration in response to EAB-induced ash tree mortality and (3) determine the impact of EAB-induced regeneration on forest bird communities.

Download or read book Understanding and Managing Emerald Ash Borer Impacts on Ash Forests written by Randall K. Kolka and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2018-10-12 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Understanding and Managing Emerald Ash Borer Impacts on Ash Forests" that was published in Forests

Download or read book Acoustic Monitoring of Bird Community Composition in Emerald Ash Borer Damaged and at Risk Southern Ontario Forests written by and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The invasive beetle Emerald ash-borer (EAB), is killing North American ash trees, and the subsequent loss of canopy could change avian community composition. Birds are vulnerable to canopy alteration and their vocal behaviour, integral to social systems, indicate consequences of habitat change. I recorded bird vocalizations to characterize community composition and investigated current and potential influences of EAB canopy damage. In chapter 1, I examined recordings in Oakville, Ontario, where ash morality has reached 98%. With unmanned aerial vehicle acquired images and pixel-based analysis, I measured canopy cover in plots with ash mortality or no ash mortality. Species richness was similar, however, when separating species by foraging substrate, I found a significantly larger proportion of bark foragers representing the community in ash mortality plots. In York Region, Ontario forests, I detected minimal canopy damage and similar avian community composition across forests varying in ash components. Avian communities are influenced by EAB, with a higher proportion of bark foragers in forests with ash morality. In chapter 2, I characterized optimal sampling schedules for avian communities in forests susceptible to EAB. I recorded 14 plots for 48 hrs in May (before ash flush) and again in June (during EAB forestry work). Among earlier recordings, community composition was similar in ash stands. Species detections were signficantly higher in May. In June, significantly fewer migrant species were detected as were members of most feeding/foraging guilds compared to May. With more detections in spring, my research emphasizes early sampling in the breeding season and offers a potential protocol for continued monitoring of EAB and the response of birds.

Download or read book Understanding and Managing Emerald Ash Borer Impacts on Ash Forests written by Randall Kolka and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The emerald ash borer (EAB) is rapidly spreading throughout Eastern North America and devastating ecosystems where ash is a component tree. This rapid and sustained loss of ash trees has already resulted in ecological impacts on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and is projected to be even more severe as EAB invades ash dominated wetlands of the western Great Lakes region. We propose a Special Issue that will address current research documenting ecological impacts of EAB in forest ecosystems, as well as management approaches to mitigate those impacts. Prospective authors are invited to contribute original researches to this Special Issue of Forests. Topics may include, but are not limited to: Managements of ash forests and potential replacements, nutrient and vegetation dynamics, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration and cycling, hydrologic impacts, and pre or post-infestation silvicultural approaches or management strategies.

Download or read book Forest Responses to Emerald Ash Borer induced Ash Mortality written by Wendy S. Klooster and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Invasions by exotic insect pests and pathogens have been devastating North American forests for decades. Presently, emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis) is devastating populations of native ash (Fraxinus species) trees throughout eastern North America. Disturbances, such as canopy gap formation due to EAB-induced ash mortality, alter availability of resources including light, water, and mineral nutrients, potentially resulting in shifts in plant community composition. Following the loss of nearly all reproductively mature trees, ash regeneration was effectively eliminated, and the "orphaned cohort" of ash in the seedling layer represents the potential for persistence of ash in EAB-impacted forests. Hemispherical photographs, used to calculate percent gap fraction, were taken at a height of 1.5 m to determine how loss of ash was affecting radiant energy resources available to the understory vegetation. Variation among gap fraction values indicated high heterogeneity in light reaching the forest understory. Percent gap fraction was negatively correlated with percent plant cover within the 2 - 5 m and> 5 m layers, suggesting that while gaps may have formed in the canopy layer, light was intercepted before reaching the forest understory. Plant abundance and composition within the forest understory did not change dramatically during the course of the study, nor was there a direct connection between species abundance or diversity and gap fraction. Plant communities were slightly differentiated by the soil hydrological conditions, and less diverse communities occurred in mesic and xeric sites than in hydric sites. Growth of invasive and native species in the understory was not influenced by percent gap fraction; invasive species typically outgrew native species regardless of light level and soil hydrological condition. In a comparison of emergence and survival of Lonicera maackii and Rosa multiflora under various native and invasive leaf litters we found no difference in establishment success for either invasive species under the different leaf litters over two or three growing seasons. However, leaf litter from ash and many of the invasive species contained similarly high concentrations of Ca and P, suggesting some degree of functional overlap, which may play an important ecological role if ash species are eliminated from North American forests following EAB-induced mortality and if invasive species increase in abundance. In EAB-infested forests, plant community responses to ash mortality will be based on the hierarchical structure of what plant species are able to grow in the climate, soil conditions, and topography within the impacted sites, as well as the stochastic nature of which species are poised to colonize gaps following canopy tree mortality. As EAB infestation continues to spread throughout North American forests, fewer vegetation patches will include ash as an important component, potentially altering the overall mosaic of habitat and ecosystem function across the landscape. The results of these studies did not conclusively answer the question of how forests will change following EAB-induced ash mortality; however, these data will provide an excellent baseline for future research on long-term impacts of EAB on northern forests.

Download or read book The Ecological Impacts of the Emerald Ash Borer Agrilus Planipennis written by Constance Elizabeth Hausman and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The introduction of exotic species is the inevitable consequence of an expanding global society that relies heavily on international trade of goods and services. These introduced species have negative effects on biodiversity and disrupt native communities. In fact, the spread of non-native species is the second greatest threat to the loss of biodiversity next to habitat destruction. The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Buprestidae), is a recent example of an exotic forest pest species. EAB completes its life cycle on ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) including larvae feeding on cambium tissue which interferes with water and nutrient translocation. Once ash trees become infested with EAB, mortality is>99%. This dissertation was initiated after EAB was discovered and attempts to understand how EAB affects long-term forest community dynamics in order to provide practical applied conservation strategies. These research projects are designed to identify the ecological impacts of EAB and to determine long-term community changes to native deciduous forests. The research objectives are: (1) to identify consequences of EAB eradication efforts, (2) to determine altered community composition under different disturbance intensities (tree removal management recommendations) and (3) to design effective ex situ conservation protocols for future ash tree preservation. EAB causes a disturbance to native forest by creating large light gaps through ash tree dieback; yet, EAB eradication efforts magnified the scale of disturbance through time and space which facilitated the establishment of invasive plant species. The tracked vehicles used during eradication also caused significant soil compaction. Management efforts applied to EAB-infested forests should prioritize appropriate tree removal techniques to minimize the disturbance to the surrounding community. Ash stands in close proximity to roads or edges, or near established invasive populations may benefit from proactive removal of invasive species. This research contributes to ash conservation efforts by providing a guideline for ex situ collection methods. By understanding diversity and spatial genetic structure of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), a seed collection protocol has been constructed that optimizes the likelihood of capturing all alleles in a population while minimizing collection efforts. This cumulative research provides effective forest management recommendations and prioritizes ash conservation.

Download or read book Effects of Community Structure on Forest Susceptibility and Response to the Emerald Ash Borer Invasion of the Huron River Watershed in Southeast Michigan written by Annemarie Smith and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilusplanipennis Fairmare) is an exotic, wood- boring beetle that has killed millions of ash trees (Fraxinus species) in southeastern Michigan. If not contained and eradicated this invasive insect has the potential to devastate ash throughout North America causing substantial economic and ecological consequences. The objectives of this research were to (1) determine if community composition, diversity, and stand structure influence susceptibility of forests to EAB invasion, and (2) determine how EAB-induced ash mortality may influence forest community composition. Plots were established during the summers of 2004 and 2005 in 31 forest stands within the Huron River watershed in southeast Michigan that were categorized as xeric (N = 11), mesic (N = 11) or hydric (N = 9). Overstory, understory and seedling tree species composition were quantified in three replicated plots along a transect within each stand. Each ash tree was closely inspected for signs of EAB colonization and degree of dieback. Stem density, basal area, Shannon diversity (H'), relative dominance of ash, relative density of ash, ash importance value, and percent canopy cover were quantified for each stand. EAB has caused significant mortality in all stands across the study area. Dieback of black ash (F. nigra) was more advanced than that of white (F. americana) and green ash (F. pennsylvanica). Percent mortality, percentage of infested stems, and EAB attack frequency were also higher in black ash than the other two species. This difference could be the result of the insect's preference, differences in the physiology of phloem tissue, or an edge effect inherent in riparian and marshy sites to which black ash is adapted. There were no relationships between EAB-induced dieback or mortality and species diversity, stand density, stand basal area, ash basal area, ash density, relative dominance of ash or relative density of ash. Distance from the putative epicenter of the invasion was the only variable that was negatively correlated with all measures of EAB impact. This suggests that it is only a matter of time until all stands suffer complete mortality of Fraxinus species. Widespread loss of ash due to the EAB invasion will initiate changes in community composition and structure in all three forest types. Maple (Acer spp.) and elm (Ulmus spp.) were common on xeric and mesic stands and will likely experience an increase in importance as numerous saplings fill canopy gaps. However, as elms saplings grow they will become susceptible to Dutch elm disease (Chryphonectria parasitica), which is common in the study area. Maple and cherry were over represented in the understory of hydric stands where they should increase in importance. Oaks were poorly represented in the understory layers of all stands and will likely decrease in dominance over the long term. Ash species were common in the sapling layer and were the most abundant species in the seedling layer in all stand types. The high density of juvenile ash may prolong the EAB invasion by providing host material after mature trees are killed. This project documents the initial stages of the invasion of North American forests by EAB. The high susceptibility of all ash species and stands provides clear evidence that EAB has the potential to extirpate ash in North America with ecological impacts similar to those inflicted by Dutch elm disease and chestnut blight. This study also provides baseline data of the community composition of the Huron River watershed at the time of initial EAB colonization, which will facilitate long-term studies of ecological impacts and successional trajectories resulting from of wide-spread gap formation caused by EAB-induced ash mortality.

Download or read book Indirect Ecological Impacts of Emerald Ash Borer and Associated Ash Decline in Southern Ontario Riparian Areas written by David Nisbet and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Short and Long Term Impacts of Forest Management in Response to the Invasive Emerald Ash Borer in New England Forests written by Hanusia Higgins and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As non-native forest pests disperse across the United States, the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis (EAB), has emerged as one of the most costly and destructive invaders. In response to EAB, forest management practices, including pre-salvage logging, "phloem reduction" (large ash removal), and strategies to improve future ash regeneration, have been implemented to meet economic, ecological, cultural, and safety objectives. Although many studies have quantified the impacts of EAB on mortality of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.), less is known about the short- and long-term ecological impacts of forest management in response to this pest. In summer 2020, we measured forest structure and composition at sites across New England that included white ash harvests motivated by the threat of EAB impacts. Management responses varied from selective ash removals to capture potential economic losses to group selection harvests designed to recruit new ash cohorts. Informed by our findings, we modeled three approaches to ash management under three potential future climate regimes, along with EAB and natural wind disturbance for a 100-year period in northern Bennington County, Vermont. This dual approach allowed us to examine both the immediate aftermath of forest management responses to EAB, and the future outcomes of these management practices on ash trees and their natural communities, in the context of other important drivers of forest dynamics such as climate change. In our observational study, we found a lower proportion of white ash basal area in harvested study sites compared to unharvested control sites. However, white ash regeneration at the seedling and sapling stages was higher in harvested than in unharvested plots. In addition, our modeling of ash management practices projected more white and black ash biomass present in 2120 forests when harvests and chemical treatments prioritizing ash retention and regeneration were implemented compared to typical current practices, and less ash biomass in 2120 following more aggressive salvage and pre-salvage harvests removing white ash. Climate also played a significant role in next-century forest composition, as more drastic climate projections compared to current conditions favored warmer-adapted species in the region. Our findings indicate that forest management practices that align with ash species' silvics, such as the greater light availability needed to successfully recruit new white ash cohorts, can bolster ash regeneration and perpetual presence in New England forests. Although EAB remains a significant threat, our work confirms the importance of implementing a variety of management approaches, supported by recent findings that ash survival and resistance to EAB is more prevalent, and more variable, than previously thought. This work will help inform future management decisions in response to this invasive pest that ensure long-term ecological and economic options are maintained on site.

Download or read book Pathways and Risk Assessment of Emerald Ash Borer Movement Into and Within the Western United States written by William R. Jacobi and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Emerald Ash Borer written by Susan H. Gray and published by Cherry Lake. This book was released on 2008-01-01 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Emerald Ash Borers have shiny green bodies and an appetite for ash trees. This native Asian insect hitchhiked to North America and has killed millions of ash trees. Learn more about the emerald ash borer and what is being done to try to stop its spread.

Download or read book Emerald Ash Borer written by Deborah G. McCullough and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 2 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Vegetation Coarse Woody Debris and Cerambycid Communities in Riparian Forests Invaded by the Emerald Ash Borer written by Patrick Engelken and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), a phloem-boring beetle native to Asia was first detected in the greater metropolitan area of Detroit, Michigan, USA in 2002. The range invaded by EAB has continued to progress and now encompasses much of the eastern U.S. and Canada. Previous studies have quantified mortality of ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees following EAB invasion, particularly in forests in southeast Michigan and Ohio, but little is known about the impacts of EAB in riparian forests bordering streams and rivers. In the northeastern U.S., black ash (F. nigra Marsh.) and green ash (F. pennsylvanica Marsh.) are abundant in riparian forests and are both highly preferred and vulnerable EAB hosts. In riparian forests where ash trees were abundant prior to the EAB invasion, mortality could result in cascading effects in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.My research, which is presented in three chapters of this thesis, focused on evaluating effects of EAB on forest overstories, regeneration dynamics, and associated woodboring cerambycid beetles in riparian forests of Michigan. Each chapter is intended to be submitted as a manuscript for publication in scientific journals.In Chapter One, I assessed the overstory trees, regeneration, shrubs, herbaceous plants, coarse woody debris, and photosynthetically active radiation in canopy gaps formed from EAB killed ash trees and in adjacent forests in riparian forests bordering first order streams. Sites were located in three distinct watersheds across southern Michigan and were selected to represent a temporal gradient of the EAB invasion. In canopy gaps along streams, green ash (F. pennsylvanica) and black ash (F. nigra) dominated the overstory before the EAB invasion but more than 85% were killed by EAB in all sites, resulting in canopy gaps. In southeastern sites with the longest EAB invasion history, dead ash trees had begun to fall and coarse woody debris (CWD) volumes were higher than in areas of more recent EAB invasion, where most of the dead ash remain standing. Regeneration in canopy gaps was dominated by ash but seedlings were rare and gap understories were dominated by dense sedge mats (Carex spp.).In Chapter Two, I captured cerambycid beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in cross vane panel traps baited with (R) 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one, an aggregation pheromone attractive to several genera of cerambycids. Traps were deployed in the canopy and at ground level at the perimeter of the canopy gaps described in Chapter 1. Trapping took place during summer months of 2017 and 2018, and captured beetles were collected at 2-3 week intervals. During both trapping seasons, the majority of species were initially captured early in the summer. Beetle captures were similar among watersheds and between canopy and ground level traps, but canopy traps captured more species than ground traps. Several species captured in high abundance were notably more common in different watersheds, and are perhaps responding to forest changes in the aftermath of the EAB invasion.In Chapter Three, I evaluated riparian forests along three rivers in northwest lower Michigan that are economically important for recreation, provide habitat for spawning Great Lake trout and salmon and drain into reservoirs that empty into Lake Michigan. Forests were evaluated in a similar manner as in Chapter One. In these northern forests, canopy gaps from EAB killed ash trees comprised 15-20% of the forest area near river banks. Prior to the EAB invasion, green ash (F. pennsylvanica) and black ash (F. nigra) dominated overstories in all gaps, but >95% of those trees had died. Most dead ash trees remained standing and ash CWD was limited in all canopy gaps. Green ash saplings and recruits dominated the advance regeneration in canopy gaps, but black ash regeneration was minimal. As in southern Michigan, seedlings were rare in gaps, where understory vegetation was dominated by dense sedge mats.Overall, results from this research provide a baseline of the post-EAB invasion status of riparian forests across Michigan. Green ash and black ash have been functionally lost in the overstory, and canopy gaps now make up a large component of the riparian corridors. While ash regeneration is present in canopy gap understories, dense sedge mats may inhibit future seedling recruitment. If the remnant ash cohort is unable to persist, large areas where ash was abundant prior to the EAB invasion may transition away from forests towards sedge dominated meadows. This may present long term changes in terrestrial and aquatic conditions. Ash mortality appears to be altering assemblages of cerambycid species, indicating EAB can indirectly affect other taxa. Effects of EAB related changes in riparian forests on aquatic ecosystems are as of yet largely unknown.

Download or read book Modeling the Effects of Emerald Ash Borer on Forest Composition in the Midwest and Northeast United States written by and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 23 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The nonnative invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire; EAB) has caused considerable damage to the ash (Fraxinus spp.) resource in North America. While there are methods to mitigate, contain, control, or even eradicate some nonnative invasive insects, EAB continues to spread across North America. Considering strong evidence suggesting>99 percent probability of host tree mortality, the loss of the North American ash resource is possible. To examine anticipated effects of EAB on tree species composition, we modeled future spatial and temporal changes in forest composition over the next 50 years with and without ash mortality anticipated from EAB spread. We used U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data, the current extent of EAB in the United States and Canada, estimated spread rate and host mortality data, and a suite of human population, energy, consumption, land use, and economic models to project the future condition of forests in the Midwest and Northeast United States. Our results suggest that in most cases EAB will not have a substantial effect on ecosystem function of future forests measured by FIA because of the replacement of ash by other species. The transition from ash to other species may take many decades, but forests can eventually recover when a variety of associated species replace ash.

Download or read book Invasive Species in Forests and Rangelands of the United States written by Therese M. Poland and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-02-01 with total page 455 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmental challenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.

Download or read book Tritrophic Interactions in Forests written by Nicholas A. Barber and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study examines direct and indirect relationships between three trophic levels to determine effects on plant damage, herbivore abundance and community structure, and bird distribution in forest ecosystems. Exclusion experiments on white oak (Quercus alba) revealed that bird predation effects to not vary spatially despite variation in abundance of both birds and insects. Using a leaf quality manipulation, I demonstrated that bird impacts do not differ with host plant quality. Rather, birds and plant traits had additive effects on herbivore damage. Bottom-up effects of leaf quality were also more important than top-down effects of birds in structuring the insect herbivore community on white oak. Leaf quality influenced the total abundance and richness of herbivores as well as the abundance of different feeding guilds. These effects of leaf quality were strongest at the end of the growing season, when leaf quality is presumably lowest overall. Bottom-up effects may also be modified by the physical environment in which a plant grows. I studied abundance and distribution of a specialist oak herbivore and showed that individuals choosing a host plant may face a trade off between the optimal physical environment and suitable plant traits. Finally, I demonstrated a bottom-up effect of invasive prey on insectivorous birds: outbreaking gypsy moths alter the annual distribution of native cuckoos at a regional scale. This study indicates that complex interactions exist beyond a simple, unidirectional consumption model of plants, herbivores, and avian predators. The indirect positive effect of birds on plants appears robust to variation in the abundance and traits of the three trophic levels, but the mechanism for this effect may vary through time and space. The impact of birds, however, did not vary with plant characteristics. These characteristics, which can depend on environmental context, likely play a larger role in determining the abundance, structure, and impacts of herbivores than do insectivorous bird predators.

Download or read book Response of Breeding Birds to Forest Disturbance in the Arkansas Ozarks written by Maureen Rose McClung and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Forests of the Ozarks are important breeding grounds for many bird species, each with specific habitat requirements. Natural and anthropogenic disturbance events can alter vegetational structure of forests, thereby influencing communities of breeding birds. The objectives of my study were to examine the response of breeding birds and their habitat to three types of forest disturbance: (1) uneven-aged management, (2) ice damage, and (3) woodland restoration. Avian and vegetation surveys were conducted during the 2008, 2009, and 2010 breeding seasons (May-June) in the Ozark National Forest, Arkansas. Each site was surveyed for birds four times a season using fixed-radius point counts. For objective (1), I compared control and thinned plots (n=32 total) immediately after treatment (1994, data from a previous study) and fifteen years post-treatment (2008). Although vegetation differed between treatments in 1994, avian species richness, community composition, and occupancy for three of four populations (representing different nesting guilds) were similar among treatments. Fifteen years later, original differences in habitat had diminished and bird communities were still similar between treatments. For objective (2), I compared sites with high and low ice damage (n=32 total) one year before and two years after a 2009 ice storm. High damage sites had more open canopy and woody debris ground cover, but avian species richness, community composition, and occupancy of three populations (representing different nesting guilds) did not differ between years for either treatment. For objective (3), I compared recently restored woodland and mature forest sites (n=16 total) for three years following restoration (burning and thinning). Restored sites resembled woodland, with open canopy and herbaceous ground cover. They also had higher avian species diversity and more early successional species, cavity-nesters, and some canopy-nesters. These differences diminished with time since fire. Overall, forest bird communities demonstrated resilience to small-scale canopy openings created by uneven-aged management and ice damage. However, when fire was introduced along with thinning, avian communities shifted towards those more typical of open woodland. To maximize habitat availability for the most number of species, managers should plan for areas of both closed-canopy forest and woodland ecosystems.