Riparian management objectives in Pacific Northwest forests have diversified considerably over the last two to three decades, from a primary focus on strictly utilitarian interests to goals that encompass a broader set of objectives that include conservation and restoration. Although this shift has yet to settle on clear statements of objectives for many ownerships, the transition in management directions has heightened the importance of scientific information about riparian areas. With the increase emphasis on a scientific information base, it has become increasingly clear that we know very little about the ecological processes and conditions of riparian areas. This lack of knowledge makes it difficult to select management strategies to achieve the objectives that are being discussed.

Because the primary issues of concern for riparian areas are stream temperature and in-stream structural wood, regulations tend to promote the retention of existing conifers and conversion of hardwood-dominated areas to conifers. Because these regulations are relatively new, it is unclear how successful they will be in increasing riparian conifer dominance. However, the potential is great, and this has raised the question concerning the effect this conversion may have on habitat quality for both fish and wildlife.

In this study, we will examine the influences of woody plant community composition in riparian areas on food chains and response of consumer organisms of interest.

Goals • Determine the influence of riparian woody plant community composition on both aquatic and terrestrial invertebrate and vertebrate populations and communities.   • Determine the interactions among these components of the riparian ecosystem.   • Predict the influence of riparian forest management practices on riparian aquatic and terrestrial vertebrate communities as mediated through food chains. Objectives The broad scientific goal of this project is the characterization of the roles of hardwood- and conifer-dominated riparian vegetation communities in both terrestrial and aquatic riparian food chains. • Objective 1: Identify the primary pathways of nutrient flow to selected consumer organisms and quantify flow rates and pool sizes.   • Objective 2 : Describe the population structure of these selected consumer organisms in riparian areas differing in woody plant community composition.   • Objective 3 : Describe the community structure of the arthropod communities.   • Objective 4: Characterize the spatial patterns of these flows.   • Objective 5: Characterize the effects of nutrient availability on fitness of selected consumer species in riparian areas with different woody plant communities   • Objective 6: Examine associations between arthropods and vertebrate consumers and fine and coarse-scale vegetation patterns.   • Objective 7: Develop conceptual models of vegetation composition effects on consumer species abundance.