Abstract
Acorns are a vital resource for many wildlife species and are required for oak (Quercus spp.) regeneration. Many different methods can be used to estimate acorn production and generate a hard mast index (HMI), however, the ability to compare data collected with different visual survey methods is limited. We conducted five visual acorn production survey methods on 70 oak trees (Quercus spp.) in northern Wisconsin from 1 August to 15 September 2020 to generate equations that convert indices of acorn production into a standardized index based on a 30-second count. We also used historical acorn production data from West Virginia (2000–2020) and North Carolina (2006–2019) for the standardization procedure. Indices from all visual survey methods were highly correlated to the 30-second count estimates, with HMI methods by Ryan et al. (2004) and Greenberg et al. (2007) having the strongest relationships (r = 0.99) with the 30-second count. The conversion equations from this study will provide managers a means of comparing data across visual survey methods and will expand the ability for future research in relation to acorn production.
Published Version
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