Landscape context of plantation forests in the conservation of tropical mammals

Abstract

Plantation forests have been expanding in many tropical and subtropical environments. Howerver, even when they replace less wildlife friendly land uses such as pastures and annual crops, the biodiversity levels of pristine natural habitats often have not been recovered. Here we addressed how the landscape context of plantation forests located in Southeastern Brazil affects species richness and community resilience of medium and large size mammals. The area covered by native habitat fragments surrounding plantation forests is positively related to functional richness, including the presence of species more vulnerable to extinction in fragmented landscapes. In addition, the degree of aggregation of plantation forest stands is negatively related to more vulnerable species. No primates were recorded in our seven plantation forest sites (ranging from 272 to 24,921 ha), even when they were seen in native habitat fragments adjacent to commercial tree stands. Two invasive species (Sus scrofa and Lepus capensis) were recorded in four plantation forest sites. The impoverishment of fauna in plantation forests is due to two factors. First, plantation forests generally are structurally simplified habitats when compared to highly diverse tropical forests. Secondly, the isolation from habitat fragments which act as source of individuals in the landscape precludes the establishment of individual in plantation forest. We also highlighted the management practices to improve the complexity of vegetation in commercial tree stands should be taken cautiously, insofar as reduced productivity per area entails a greater demand for land. Thus, an alternative would be intensify the management of the commercial tree stands for wood production together with the restoration of adjacent areas set aside to conservation and native habitat fragments protection.

Mammal Diversity in Oil Palm Plantations and Forest Fragments in a Highly Modified Landscape in Southern Mexico

“…Some ecologists have gone so far as to suggest that the long-term future of most terrestrial biodiversity may depend largely on the answers to these questions (Balvanera et al, 2001;Rosenzweig, 2003;Armsworth et al, 2007). The landscape context (composition and configuration) of agroecosystems and native habitat is now understood to be one of the main determinants of species persistence at a local scale (Daily et al, 2003;Fischer et al, 2006;Lindenmayer et al, 2007;Begotti et al, 2018). However, there is still some controversy surrounding the best landscape management practices for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services; for example, the "land-sparing vs. land-sharing" debate (Fischer et al, 2014;Jiren et al, 2018).…”

Spatial alteration of fragmented forest landscape for improving structural quality of habitat: a case study from Radhanagar Forest Range, Bankura District, West Bengal, India

“…al. 2016;Mandal & Chatterjee, 2018) and enhance physical core area of the same habitat (Begotti, Dos Santos Pacífico, de Barros Ferraz, & Galetti, 2018). After the alteration of some encroached area into the forest land, the shape complexity decreases in four large patches in RFR.…”

The distribution and conservation status of Tapirus terrestris in the South American Atlantic Forest

“…The nonforest vegetation of the matrix also does not appear to be the cause of isolation as tapirs use a wide array of agro/pastoral lands. These non-forest habitats include those generally believed to be hostile to wildlife, such as grain fields, sugarcane, cattle pastures, and eucalyptus and pine plantations (Galetti et al 2001;Bachand et al 2009;Medici 2010;Trudel et al 2010;D' Avila Centoducatte et al 2011;Begotti et al 2018). This suggests that forest fragmentation and matrix type are not the cause of isolation per se.…”