Wildlife in the Southern Blue Ridge Ecoregion: Assessing Management Impacts and Establishing Regional Monitoring Efforts

Abstract

The Southern Blue Ridge Mountains are biologically important, harboring many rare and endangered species and high levels of biodiversity. A history of fire suppression in the region has led to loss of biodiversity through the decline of fire-reliant ecosystems. Forest managers have accelerated the reintroduction of fire into the Southern Blue Ridge, but could benefit from more evidence-based information about the effects that fires, and other related management activities, could have on the region’s wildlife. By performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant literature we summarize the impacts that various management activities have on the abundance and diversity of wildlife taxa in this region. Using our analysis we also provide suggestions for collaborative regional wildlife monitoring, highlighting species and taxa that are most sensitive to management.