The Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia are covered with mixed oak forests at lower elevations and coniferous forests at higher
elevations. At sites where these forests have
been undisturbed by human activity, there are diverse communities of invertebrates
,
mammals, and birds. However, a large portion
of these forests have been extensively logged, resulting in widespread
habitat
fragmentation. Patches that have regrown after
logging have few large trees, low structural complexity, and low diversity. They
are
typically further fragmented by additional
logging, roads, and power lines. These factors restrict the opportunities for species to
disperse between regions of undisturbed
habitat, which reduces biodiversity and threatens population survival.
Logging is predicted to continue in these forests. Which of the following management strategies is most likely to help preserve the
health of the forests of the Blue Ridge mountains
as logging continues?
OA planting a variety of new species of shrubs and trees around roadways and power lines
OB. allowing forest patches already affected by logging to undergo secondary succession
OC. placing fences around the remaining regions of undisturbed habitat to prevent fragmentation
OD. identifying and protecting regions needed to maintain connectivity among undisturbed forests