Some Effects of Afforestation on the Flora and Fauna of an Upland Sheepwalk During 12 Years After Planting

Sykes, Jonathan M.; Lowe, Vaughan; Briggs, David

doi:10.2307/2403669

Cited by 28 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…A tentative hypothesis for the pattern observed by Simberloff et al (2002) is that plantations and areas influenced by plantations offer less suitable habitat for native animals and contain fewer seed predators, as has been found in other areas (see Estades 1994; Lindenmayer and Hobbs 2004;Murúa 1989, 1990;Sykes et al 1989). Another potentially important factor influencing the pattern of invasion on Isla Victoria is that these seeds are winddispersed and there is no evidence of secondary dispersal by rodents in this area (Caccia and Ballare 1998;Diaz et al 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Seed predation as a barrier to alien conifer invasions

2008

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Interactions between exotic plants and animals can play a major role in determining success or failure of plant introductions. Seed predation has been seen as important in explaining biotic resistance to plant invasion, but this hypothesis has rarely been tested. We studied seed predation on exotic forest plants on an island in Patagonia, Argentina where 43 pine species, including 60% of the world's known invasive Pinaceae, were introduced ca. 80 years ago, but where exotics attain relatively high densities only near the original plantings. To test if seed predation limits exotic conifer establishment in this area, we compared seed predation in areas close to plantations (colonized by exotics) and far from them (not invaded). Seeds of exotics were preferred over seeds of native species, possibly because exotic seeds are bigger. Predation was more intense in areas far from plantations than in areas close to them, substantially reducing the chances of exotic seed establishment. Using automatic cameras, we found that both rodents and birds preyed on exotic seeds. This study suggests that native seed predators can be an important component of biological resistance to plant invasion.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Seed predation as a barrier to alien conifer invasions

2008

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“…Changes in vegetation following afforestation result from a series of factors, some of which are imposed quickly whilst others develop gradually; these may act simultaneously or sequentially (Sykes et al 1989). The substantial differences in species richness, relative abundance and species composition observed between planted and unplanted sites were primarily due to removal of grazing, changes in nutrient management and drainage for afforestation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Wallace and Good (1995) studied the effects of afforestation on upland plant communities in England and found that in the early stages (\6 years), stands tend to have poorly developed woodland flora; although cover may be high, the species present on mineral soils tend to be those characteristic of unmanaged sites. Sykes et al (1989) reported the effects of reduced grazing and ground preparation following afforestation of upland grasslands. They found that grasses and rushes increase most in frequency, while species of wet habitats and small stature species become less frequent.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most research on the effects of afforestation on understorey plant communities focuses on the mature stages of plantation development and emphasises the role of forest structure, particularly canopy cover (Hill and Jones 1978;Hill 1979;Sykes et al 1989;Wallace et al 1992;Wallace and Good 1995;Fahy and Gormally 1998;Ferris et al 2000;French 2005). In contrast, early changes in composition and structure of vegetation following afforestation have received comparatively little attention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The early effects of afforestation on biodiversity of grasslands in Ireland

Buscardo

Smith

Kelly

et al. 2008

Topics in Biodiversity and Conservation

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The target rate of afforestation in Ireland over the next 30 years is 20,000 ha per year, which would result in an increase of the forest cover from the current 10% to 17%. In order to promote sustainable forest management practices, it is essential to know the composition and conservation value of habitats where afforestation is planned and the effects of subsequent planting upon biodiversity. The objectives of this study were to investigate changes in vegetation composition and diversity of grasslands 5 years after afforestation with Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) and determine the primary ecological and management factors responsible for these changes. Species cover, environmental and management data were collected from 16 afforested and unplanted improved and wet grassland site pairs in Ireland. Our results indicate that 5 years after tree planting, there were significant changes in richness, composition, and abundance of species. Competitive and vigorous grasses were more abundant in planted than in unplanted sites, as were generalist species found in both open and wooded habitats, while small-stature shadesensitive species were less abundant. Vascular plant species richness and Shannon's diversity index were higher in unplanted wet grassland, than in the planted sites. Bryophyte species richness was higher in planted improved grassland than in unplanted sites. The differences were primarily the result of the exclusion of grazing, ground preparation, changes in nutrient management and drainage for afforestation. Drainage ditches provided a temporary habitat for less competitive species, but the overall effect of drainage was to reduce the diversity of species dependent on wet conditions. Variance partitioning showed differences in the relative influences of environmental and management variables on biodiversity in the two habitats, probably due to the greater pre-afforestation grazing pressure and fertilisation levels in improved grasslands. The differences in biodiversity 123Biodivers Conserv (2008) 17:1057-1072 DOI 10.1007 between planted and unplanted grasslands indicate that afforestation represents a threat to semi-natural habitats where distinctive and highly localised plant communities could potentially occur.

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“…The soils consist mainly of stagnohumic gleysoil developed in clay-rich glacial till. The only deep peaty soils (~2 m) occur in the southern areas of Stone Chest (Sykes et al, 1989).…”

Section: Habitat Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using cohort analysis to reconstruct the size and structure of deer populations in forestry with special reference to roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.)

Lowe¹,

Thompson‐Schwab²

2003

Forestry

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SummaryThis paper describes an attempt to assess retrospectively the numbers and demography of a population of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) on an estate and its contiguous area of forestry in North Cumbria, England, amounting to 968 ha, of which 285 ha was woodland. After ageing all the jaws of deer which had been culled or found dead over a period of 29 years (359 deer), populations were reconstructed for each of the earlier years using cohort analysis. Excessive immigration of bucks onto the area of newly planted woodland and the absence of resident does for the first 8 years limited the analysis to one part of the estate (Kingfield) with assessments for the years 1972-1997. As mortality data for Kingfield were limited (222 deer), they also magnified the effects of gains and losses through migration. As a result, and because the area was surrounded by forestry with only lightly culled deer populations, immigration by non-territorial bucks caused some difficulty in assessing the real population in the earlier years. At first sight therefore, these results would appear to negate the usefulness of cohort analysis to determine the numbers of deer in forestry. They do, however, demonstrate quite clearly that, as long as virtually complete mortality data are collected, even with small numbers reasonably accurate assessments of previous populations can be obtained. The most reliable analyses for the whole period were those of the does and female kids, the only real residents. Using these data and those of the bucks for recent years, the probable levels of stocking latterly amounted to 48.8 deer km -2 in plantations of all ages, or 60 deer km -2 in woodland >13 years after planting. The density of deer was also shown to have been positively and significantly (P ≤ 0.001) related to the area of woodland >13 years after planting (<40 ha in 1972, 70 ha after 1993). Moreover, it is now possible to set more realistic targets for the culls on the estate at ~40 per cent of the reconstructed populations, amounting to an annual cull of 19.5 deer km -2 of Forestry, Vol. 76, No. 4

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Some Effects of Afforestation on the Flora and Fauna of an Upland Sheepwalk During 12 Years After Planting

Cited by 28 publications

References 14 publications

Seed predation as a barrier to alien conifer invasions

Seed predation as a barrier to alien conifer invasions

The early effects of afforestation on biodiversity of grasslands in Ireland

Using cohort analysis to reconstruct the size and structure of deer populations in forestry with special reference to roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.)

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