MISSOURI
OZARK FOREST ECOSYSTEM PROJECT (MOFEP)
MOFEP Integration Study
Integration of data associated with MOFEP is a critical component of understanding
the impact of the forest management treatments on community distribution
patterns and ecological processes. As post-treatment data become
available for many studies, we are analyzing preliminary treatment effects
at different ecological scales, including effects on individual species,
taxon communities, and groups of communities in MOFEP. To rigorously
evaluate the effectiveness of management treatments for Missouri Ozark
forests, we must examine treatment effects at a variety of temporal, spatial,
and ecological scales. Analyses of pre-treatment data demonstrated
that distribution, diversity, and abundance patterns differ among ecological
scales (Gram et al. 2001, Shifely & Kabrick 2002), and we suspect that
treatment effects will also vary at different scales. Thus, the first
objective of our study was to analyze integrated post-treatment data by
using both quantitative and qualitative meta-analysis techniques to evaluate
the effects of the treatments after five years on the animal communities
(i.e. oak herbivores, mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles). This
first attempt at integration and analysis of post-treatment data provides
insight into potential general treatment effects. The study also
identifies shortcomings in data collection and statistical issues that
need to be addressed as MOFEP proceeds.
Our second objective is continued collaboration and consultation with
other MOFEP investigators. I have been working closely with the MOFEP
bird study to compile the pre- and post-treatment data for all bird
species to analyze the short-term effects of forest management on the bird
community. We currently have a manuscript in press at Conservation
Biology and we are analyzing data for two additional papers.
I have also collaborated with Rochelle Renken to analyze the pre- and post-treatment
herpetofauna data; a manuscript is currently under review at Conservation
Biology. These collaborations facilitate the analysis and publication
of MOFEP results in a timely manner. With six years of experience
in both working with most MOFEP data sets and developing efficient working
relationships with project investigators, I expect to continue contributing
manuscripts to both the management and basic ecological literature as well
as presenting results at professional meetings.
Related Publications
Gram, W. K., P. Porneluzi, R. Clawson, and J. Faaborg. In Press. Effects
of forest management on the density and nesting success of bird species
in Missouri Ozark forests. Conservation Biology.
Gram, W. K., V. L. Sork, R. J. Marquis, R. B. Renken, R. L. Clawson,
J. Faaborg, D. K. Fantz, J. LeCorff, J. Lill and P. A. Porneluzi. 2001.
Evaluating the effects of ecosystem management: a case study in a Missouri
Ozark Forest. Ecological Applications 11(6): 1667-1679.
Gram, W. K., V. Sork, & R. Marquis. 1997. Synthesis and integration
of pre-treatment results from the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project
(MOFEP). In Proceedings of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project
symposium: an experimental approach to landscape research, edited by B.
L. Brookshire and S. R. Shifley. 1997 June 3-5, St. Louis, MO. U. S. Department
of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station,
General Technical Report NC-193.