Fine‐scale effects of simulated wind disturbance: Vertebrate use of uprooted pine treefalls

Abstract Wind is a primary disturbance type in many forests that influences forest processes and dynamics. The degree of impact depends upon storm characteristics and forest composition. Toppled trees increase canopy openness and create unique pit‐and‐mound microrelief that may provide wildlife habitat. Few studies have examined wildlife use of these structures, especially during the immediate days following disturbance. Therefore, we investigated how vertebrates use newly uprooted longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris ) trees and examined how patterns of use varied with time and tree characteristics. We used static winching methods to topple 9 live longleaf pine trees to simulate wind disturbance. Within a few days, we deployed 2 camera traps at each tip up and monitored the structure monthly from May through December 2021. We recorded 1,115,453 photos; 2% had vertebrates ( n = 22,401), of which 2,413 were independent observations. We identified 48 species that used tip ups to perch, bask, forage, sing, or take refuge. Our analyses of 14 of the most captured species revealed a progression of vertebrate use through time, dominated initially by birds and lizards, followed by amphibians and meso‐mammals. Understanding the ecological impacts of wind disturbance will be useful for management and conservation efforts in wind‐prone forests facing projected increases in storm frequency and severity. Our results suggest that tip ups are an ephemeral wildlife habitat resource that should be considered in decision making surrounding salvage logging and stump harvesting.