Dc. Rudolph et Rn. Conner, FOREST FRAGMENTATION AND RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER POPULATION - AN ANALYSIS AT INTERMEDIATE SCALE, Journal of field ornithology, 65(3), 1994, pp. 365-375
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker population on the Sam Houston National For
est in Texas was surveyed during 1988. The 128 active clusters present
make this population one of the largest in existence. Pine stand ages
varied considerably across the forest. Correlation analysis indicated
that stand area in excess of 60 yr of age is positively correlated wi
th measures of woodpecker density. This relationship is present across
a range of areas from individual compartments (= 520 ha) to blocks of
10-15 compartments. A positive correlation of area in pines of 60 yr
of age and number of woodpeckers per group suggests that the causes of
these relationships are still operating. It is hypothesized that the
fragmentation of forest in excess of 60 vr of age by younger stands is
impacting the demographics of this population.