Hey when I am recording I would like a little LESS species diversity - at
least within recording distance of the mic 8-)
Seriously, the most species diversity in a particular area is not
necessarily a good thing. There are some things that need habitat possibly
in large areas where they do not come in contact with species of the more
fragmented habitats - I am thinking of some of our woodland caribou up here
and Spotted Owls in the NW. Last I heard it looks like the fragmentation
caused by logging there has admittedly brought in a lot of new species, also
make a lot of good bunny habitat which brings in more Great Horned Owls.
These guys do not mind an occasional spotty for dinner. Also the Barred
Owls who have evolved in areas where there are Great Horns seem to fare
better than their shy somewhat smaller cousin meaning they are now coming in
and occupying areas which were formerly Spotty habitat and interbreeding
with them. The woodland caribou apparently survive by being in such low
numbers in their habitat that they cannot support a wolf pack. Fragment the
habitat making more deer and moose habitat, get in a lot of deer and moose
to feed the wolves and you get them rapidly picking off the caribou which
are easy prey. Winners and losers and we do not know enough about the grand
design of nature to always predict the outcome and sometimes make some
horrible guesses.
No matter what you do there are winners and losers. Locking areas up,
protecting them from fire etc also creates winners and losers and not always
the ones intended. Look at the ecological disaster called Yellowstone.
Locking up the place and throwing away the key has resulted in elk which
have obliterated habitat for bears (shrubs browsed to death) beaver and
associated critters on beaver ponds (elk essentially removing the aspen from
the park as well as willows and all things slightly palatable - starving elk
even skirting the spruce) - I better get off that soapbox or this message
will take a meg.
In California in the Sierra the foresters and environmentalists were at
loggerheads for a long time each keeping the other from doing anything. I
know several years ago I was in the Tahoe basin and horrified at the trees
there - dead and dying. Trees that should have been thinned out decades
before by natural fires or logging. Now sitting as a powder keg waiting to
go off with a resulting very very hot unnatural very damaging fire through
the basin which most experts at that time were predicting would create huge
amounts of ash which would run into the lake wiping out its beautiful color
for centuries. I hope somebody has come to their senses and started trying
to remedy as best they can the situation. Even the very old giant Sequoia
survive BECAUSE of fire - their thick bark protecting them from the blazes
of natural fires which occurred frequently in the area. Man has eliminated
a lot of the natural disturbance which took place in this area creating
conditions for a huge unnatural disturbance. But then again in the natural
world there will be winners and losers. Always are except when you are a
very very adaptable critter able to create your own living space and buy
strawberries at any time of the year almost anywhere. - better quit the off
topic rambling before the listowner gives me a deserved smack
Barb Beck (5th generation Californian)
who escaped to
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
-----Original Message-----
From: Walter Knapp
Sent: December 16, 2002 12:29 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] Re: Advice for a new budding recordist.
Dan Dugan wrote:
>>--oryoki
>>
>>ps. Does the Nature Sound Society sierra recording
>>camp still use the University of San Francisco field
>>station near Yuba Pass? I have fond memories of
>>my visit there, before the summit area was logged.
>
>
> Yes! This year's is tentatively scheduled for June 20-22. There are
> still lots of good recording places at the summit and around the area.
Actually, if not done too extreme, things like logging can increase edge
habitat. And edge habitat is where most of the species diversity is. It
might even be better.
Though I'm clear across the country and don't know the site.
Walt
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