Eucalyptus plantations as hybrid ecosystems: Implications for species conservation in the Brazilian Atlantic forest

Tavares, Anna Carolina Faria Moreira Gomes; Beiroz, Wallace; Fialho, Áquila Oliveira; Frazão, Fábio; Macedo, Renan; Louzada, Júlio; Audino, Lívia Dorneles

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2018.10.063

Cited by 24 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 74 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Recent studies in the Atlantic forest (and in neotropical forests in general) have shown that land uses with complete loss of the canopy cover show a marked reduction in dung beetle abundance and diversity 2,3,5,65 and that those preserving the canopy cover (at least partially) are often used by native forest dung beetles 2,3,5,7,66,67 . While these differences have been explained by the hypothesis of physiological restrictions (particularly the tolerance to high temperatures) 3,5,14 , the results of this study are the first direct evidence to suggest that the thermal niche might be one of the main determinants of the ability of forest dung beetles to colonize open areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal niche helps to explain the ability of dung beetles to exploit disturbed habitats

Gómez

Verdú

Zurita

2020

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

in terrestrial ecosystems, insects face a wide range of temperatures among habitats and time; consequently, the thermal niche is one of the main determinants of habitat selection and temporal patterns of activity. the replacement of native forests changes micro-climatic conditions and reduces the diversity of dung beetles; however, the physiological mechanisms behind these changes are not clear. We explore the role of the thermal niche in dung beetles to explain the ability of native species to exploit human-created habitats. Using infrared thermography, we measured variables associated with the thermal niche in 17 native species and used linear mixed-effects model and ANOVAs to compare disturbed habitats and the native forest. endothermy and body mass explained the ability of dung beetles to exploit human-created open habitats. Small and diurnal species with very low endothermy were able to exploit deforested open habitats; evening/nocturnal/crepuscular species showed similar body mass and high endothermy in all habitats. Regarding thermoregulation mechanisms, none of the species (except one) showed defined or efficient mechanisms of physiological thermoregulation. in view of the accelerated process of forest replacement and climate change, a more profound understanding of the physiological requirements of species is essential to predict and mitigate future extinctions. At local scales, anthropogenic habitat disturbance usually modifies microclimatic conditions (e.g. forest canopy loss), resulting in novel thermal challenges for organisms (e.g. open habitats) 1,2. In tropical and subtropical forests, recent studies have shown a marked reduction in the abundance and taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles in land uses with complete loss of canopy cover, such as pastures devoted to cattle raising 2-4. In contrast, land uses preserving canopy cover (such as tree plantations and silvopastoral systems) can partially preserve the structure of the dung beetle assemblages of the native forest 2,5-7. Differences in dung beetle diversity among land uses differing in canopy cover have been associated mainly with a marked increase in ground level temperature 2,8-10 and with the low tolerance of forest dung beetles to high temperatures (typical of open habitats during the day) 3,11-13. Although previous studies have suggested that the physiological intolerance of forest dung beetles to high temperatures is a potential constraint to exploit disturbed habitats 2,3,14 , this hypothesis has never been tested. This knowledge gap on dung beetle thermal biology led us to ask the following question: can the thermal niche of dung beetles explain the occupation of disturbed habitats, and taxonomic and functional changes reported in previous studies? We tested this central question in the southern Atlantic forest of South America, one of the most diverse and threatened ecosystems worldwide 15-17. The physiological responses of insects, especially those associated with temperature (endothermy, thermoregulation, thermal tolera...

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal niche helps to explain the ability of dung beetles to exploit disturbed habitats

Gómez

Verdú

Zurita

2020

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Previous studies have showed that Eucalyptus plantations have a great potential conservation value if considered as complementary habitat for species from native forest, and managed as a hybrid ecosystem (i.e. by conserving historical and novel features, Hobbs et al 2009, Tavares et al 2019). Although we still need more information on ecosystem processes and population persistence in plantations, our results suggest that plantation management considering both landscape aspects and stand structure could increase the conservation value of plantations (Tavares et al 2019) if the presence of functionally diverse dung beetle communities is deemed an important management goal.…”

Section: Final Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such studies suggest that both local conditions, such as structural complexity or canopy cover, and landscape context, such as proximity to remnants of native forests, can enhance the biodiversity in plantations. However, although native species from forest remnants can improve ecosystem functioning within modified areas (Blitzer et al 2012), ecosystem processes can also change as a result of the distinct functional structure of the biological community in the modified habitats (Hobbs et al 2009, Tavares et al 2019.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity in tropical plantations is influenced by surrounding native vegetation but not yield: A case study with dung beetles in Amazonia

Beiroz

Barlow

Slade

et al. 2019

Forest Ecology and Management

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Human-modified forests, including plantations and managed forest, will be a major component of tropical landscapes in the near future. To conserve biodiversity across modified tropical landscapes we must first understand what influences diversity in planted areas. We studied dung beetle communities in Eucalyptus plantations to assess the influence of local (canopy openness and soil texture) and landscape factors (surrounding native forest cover) on taxonomic and functional diversity, and to determine whether biodiversity in plantations is affected by timber production. Dung beetle community composition in Eucalyptus plantations was largely explained by the surrounding native forest cover, as Simpson's diversity and functional diversity (Rao's quadratic entropy) increased with the extent of native forest in buffer areas. However, the abundance of dung beetle species associated with undisturbed forest was not explained by any of the explanatory variables. The coarse sand content of the soil explained much of the functional similarity between plantations and native forests, as well as variation in dung beetle community structure. The total abundance of dung beetles in plantations increased with coarse sand content, whereas body mass declined, and dung beetle abundance and functional originality decreased with canopy openness. Timber production intensity did not explain the variation in any of the measured diversity parameters. If enhancing biodiversity in plantations is a management goal, then these results highlight the importance of restoring or retaining native forest areas in modified landscapes. They also suggest that integrated management could improve biodiversity in Eucalyptus plantations without reducing timber production.

show abstract

“…The Atlantic Forest in the Brazil biodiversity hotspot is being threatened by its replacement for Eucalyptus plantations (Joly et al 2014). In many regions, small remnants of Atlantic Forest currently persist in a matrix of Eucalyptus plantations (Tavares et al 2019). Restoration plantations in this biome must be established with nurserygrown seedlings of high genetic diversity (Sujii et al 2017).…”

Section: Recommendation 6: Design and Adopt Tailored Practices For Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global guidelines for the sustainable use of non-native trees to prevent tree invasions and mitigate their negative impacts

Brundu¹,

Pauchard²,

Pyšek³

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sustainably managed non-native trees deliver economic and societal benefits with limited risk of spread to adjoining areas. However, some plantations have launched invasions that cause substantial damage to biodiversity and ecosystem services, while others pose substantial threats of causing such impacts. The challenge is to maximise the benefits of non-native trees, while minimising negative impacts and preserving future benefits and options. A workshop was held in 2019 to develop global guidelines for the sustainable use of non-native trees, using the Council of Europe – Bern Convention Code of Conduct on Invasive Alien Trees as a starting point. The global guidelines consist of eight recommendations: 1) Use native trees, or non-invasive non-native trees, in preference to invasive non-native trees; 2) Be aware of and comply with international, national, and regional regulations concerning non-native trees; 3) Be aware of the risk of invasion and consider global change trends; 4) Design and adopt tailored practices for plantation site selection and silvicultural management; 5) Promote and implement early detection and rapid response programmes; 6) Design and adopt tailored practices for invasive non-native tree control, habitat restoration, and for dealing with highly modified ecosystems; 7) Engage with stakeholders on the risks posed by invasive non-native trees, the impacts caused, and the options for management; and 8) Develop and support global networks, collaborative research, and information sharing on native and non-native trees. The global guidelines are a first step towards building global consensus on the precautions that should be taken when introducing and planting non-native trees. They are voluntary and are intended to complement statutory requirements under international and national legislation. The application of the global guidelines and the achievement of their goals will help to conserve forest biodiversity, ensure sustainable forestry, and contribute to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations linked with forest biodiversity.

show abstract

Eucalyptus plantations as hybrid ecosystems: Implications for species conservation in the Brazilian Atlantic forest

Cited by 24 publications

References 74 publications

Thermal niche helps to explain the ability of dung beetles to exploit disturbed habitats

Thermal niche helps to explain the ability of dung beetles to exploit disturbed habitats

Biodiversity in tropical plantations is influenced by surrounding native vegetation but not yield: A case study with dung beetles in Amazonia

Global guidelines for the sustainable use of non-native trees to prevent tree invasions and mitigate their negative impacts

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About