Differences in mammal abundance of post-fire silvicultural management stands within the South Korean pine forest

Abstract

Researchers examined difference in the abundance of mammals in post-fire silvicultural management stands within a pine forest in Samcheok, Gangwon province, South Korea, from 2008-2010. Researchers recorded the tracks of 12 mammal species, amur hedgehogs (Erinaceus amurensis), Japanese moles (Mogera wogura), raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), Siberian weasels (Mustela sibirica) European badgers (Meles meles), Bengal cats (Prionailurus bengalensis), wild boars (Sus scrofa), roe deer (Caproelus pygargus), water deer (Hydropotes inermis), Korean hares (Lepus coreanus), red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) and Siberian chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus). There were significant differences in the number of species and tracks linked to mammals among unburned, post-burned Japanese red pine planted and post-burned untreated stands. Of the 12 mammal species analyzed, six species were related to habitat variables in a stepwise approach with repeated measures. Long-term ecological research is needed to understand post-fire pine forest management. © Medwell Journals, 2012.