Enhancing Avifauna in Commercial Plantations

Abstract

The occurrence of fauna in commercial plantations is often associated with structural complexity. Through a meta-analysis, we tested whether the structural complexity of plantations could enhance bird species assemblages and whether bird assemblages respond differently depending on taxonomic affiliation, body size, and diet. Our analyses included 167 case studies in 31 countries in which bird assemblages in forests and plantations were compared and 42 case studies in 14 countries in which bird assemblages in plantations of different structural complexity were compared. Species richness, but not abundance, was higher in forests than in plantations. Both species richness and abundance were significantly higher in complex than in structurally simple plantations. Taxonomic representation and body size did not differ between forest and plantations, except that there were fewer insectivorous birds in plantations than in forests. In the comparison of simple versus complex plantations, abundance of all taxonomic and dietary groups was higher in complex plantations. Body size did not affect bird species richness or abundance. Independent of the type of plantation, bird richness and abundance were greater in structurally complex plantations. Enhancing the structural complexity of plantations may mitigate their impact and offer habitat for some native species.

Differential effects of vegetation restoration in Mediterranean abandoned cropland by secondary succession and pine plantations on bird assemblages

“…The influence of the passive or active vegetation restoration after cropland abandonment in this region is consistent with the pattern of relationships between bird communities and the increase in structural complexity of growing vegetation that is observed worldwide (Wiens, 1989;Nájera and Simonetti, 2009). Nevertheless, this positive effect was considerable higher in pine plantations than in the secondary succession trajectory, and is mainly related to the ubiquitous presence of generalist woodland species in the plantations.…”

The conservation value of oil palm plantation estates, smallholdings and logged peat swamp forest for birds

“…doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.08.026 the contrary, other studies (Aratrakorn et al, 2006;Koh, 2008) have concluded that stand age did not influence species richness of groups like birds in oil palm landscapes. To date, survey efforts to investigate the impacts of management regimes have been limited to large plantation estates, whereas smallholdings have not been examined (Aratrakorn et al, 2006;Danielsen and Heegaard, 1995;Edwards et al, 2010;Koh, 2008;Peh et al, 2006;Najera and Simonetti, 2010a;Sheldon et al, 2010).…”

Mapping Species Composition of Forests and Tree Plantations in Northeastern Costa Rica with an Integration of Hyperspectral and Multitemporal Landsat Imagery

“…are prone to burning in dry regions, which increases carbon emissions [17] and species within plantations differ in carbon sequestration rates [18]. Plantation species with open or structurally complex canopies can promote dense native understory regrowth and forest connectivity [19][20][21]. Conversely, fast-growing tree species with dense shade can function as "biological deserts" with very low biological diversity [22].…”