Urban forest fragmentation impoverishes native mammalian biodiversity in the tropics

Abstract

Urban expansion has caused major deforestation and forest fragmentation in the tropics. The impacts of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity are understudied in urban forest patches, especially in the tropics and little is known on the conservation value of the patches for maintaining mammalian biodiversity. In this study, camera trapping was used to determine the species composition and species richness of medium‐ and large‐sized mammals in three urban forest patches and a contiguous forest in Peninsular Malaysia. We identified the key vegetation attributes that predicted mammal species richness and occurrence of herbivores and omnivores in urban forest patches. A total number of 19 mammal species from 120 sampling points were recorded. Contiguous forest had the highest number of species compared to the urban forest patches. Sunda Pangolin and Asian Tapir were the only conservation priority species recorded in the urban forest patches and contiguous forest, respectively. Top predators such as Malayan Tiger and Melanistic Leopard were completely absent from the forest patches as well as the contiguous forest. This was reflected by the abundance of wild boars. We found that mammal species richness increased with the number of trees with DBH less than 5 cm, trees with DBH more than 50 cm, and dead standing trees. In the future, the remaining mammal species in the urban forest patches are expected to be locally extinct as connecting the urban forest patches may be infeasible due to land scarcity. Hence, to maintain the ecological integrity of urban forest patches, we recommend that stakeholders take intervention measures such as reintroduction of selected species and restocking of wild populations in the urban forest patches to regenerate the forest ecosystems.

Land Use and Landscape Pattern Changes on the Inside and Outside of Protected Areas in Urbanizing Selangor State, Peninsular Malaysia

“…Ecological effects originated from edges between forest and non-forest areas create edge effects and alter biophysical features for species, such as radiation, wind and water fluxes and therefore, lead to microclimate change (Estreguil & Mouton, 2009;Sauders et al, 1991). Previous studies on mammal species richness in Selangor state also recorded the absence of large carnivore or top predator (e.g., Malayan Tiger and Melanistic Leopard) both in the contagious forest and fragmented urban forest reserves (Adila et al, 2017;Tee et al, 2018). Because most of the large mammals in the tropics such as rhinoceroses, tigers and elephants, are unlikely to persist in the multiple-use matrix that are subjected to anthropogenic disturbance (Lynam, 2010;Pattanavibool & Dearden, 2002).…”

Habitat fragmentation and logging affect the occurrence of lesser mouse‐deer in tropical forest reserves

“…To (Table 2; Table S1-S3). The selection of variables was based on previous studies (Jamhuri et al, 2018;Sasidhran et al, 2016;Tee et al, 2018) that were conducted to assess the mammal species present in a different type of tropical forest. We also used existing ecological information to guide us in selecting several site-level and landscape variables (e.g., elevation, habitat type, type of forest).…”

“…Across its range, wild populations of chevrotain or mouse‐deer are declining because of habitat fragmentation, habitat destruction for timber extraction, and poaching (Adila et al, 2017; Heydon & Bulloh, 1997; Jamhuri et al, 2018; Nguyen et al, 2019; Tee et al, 2018). Chevrotain species inhabit primary and secondary lowland rainforests and, in all parts of their range, are hunted for food (Azhar et al, 2014; Luskin et al, 2014).…”

Higher mortality rates for large‐ and medium‐sized mammals on plantation roads compared to highways in Peninsular Malaysia

“…Both vertebrate and invertebrate species occurring in forests are under increasing pressure from habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and hunting and/or illegal hunting, that is, poaching (Alroy, 2017;Jamhuri et al, 2018;Newbold et al, 2014;Samantha et al, 2020;Tee et al, 2018). Using satellite imagery, Curtis et al (2018) reported that 27% of global forest loss (~5 million hectares of forest a year), over a fifteen year period (2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015), can be attributed to deforestation through permanent land use change for commodity production, such as palm oil, mining, oil and gas production extractive industries, and urban expansion.…”

“…Both vertebrate and invertebrate species occurring in forests are under increasing pressure from habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and hunting and/or illegal hunting, that is, poaching (Alroy, 2017; Jamhuri et al., 2018; Newbold et al., 2014; Samantha et al., 2020; Tee et al., 2018). Using satellite imagery, Curtis et al.…”