Effects of compositional and configurational heterogeneity of the urban matrix on the species richness of woody plants in urban remnant forest patches

In South Africa, much of the forest biome is vulnerable to human-induced disturbance. The forest-dwelling butterfly Charaxes xiphares occidentalis is naturally confined to a small forest region in the south-western Cape, South Africa. Most of the remaining habitat of this species is within a fragmented agricultural matrix. Furthermore, this geographical area is also heavily invaded by alien plants, especially Acacia mearnsii. We investigated how C. x. occidentalis behaviourally responds to different habitat conditions in the landscape. We were particularly interested in touring, patrolling and settling behaviour as a conservation proxy for preference of a certain habitat configuration in this agricultural matrix. Remnant forest patches in the agricultural matrix showed fewer behavioural incidents than in a reference protected area. Moreover, dense stands of A. mearnsii negatively influenced the incidence and settling pattern of this butterfly across the landscape, with fewer tree settlings associated with more heavily invaded forest patches. This settling pattern was predominantly seen in female butterflies. We also identified specific trees that were settled upon for longer periods by C. x. occidentalis. Distance to a neighbouring patch and patch size influenced behavioural incidences, suggesting that further patch degradation and isolation could be detrimental to this butterfly. Conservation implications: We highlight the importance of clearing invasive tree species from vulnerable forest ecosystems and identify key tree species to consider in habitat conservation and rehabilitation programmes for this butterfly. We also suggest retaining as much intact natural forest as possible. This information should be integrated in local biodiversity management plans.

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Dynamics and Edge Effect of an Atlantic Forest Fragment in Brazil

Floresta e Ambiente ◽

10.1590/2179-8087.064713 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 340-349 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Poliana Gabriella Araújo Mendes ◽

Maria Amanda Menezes Silva ◽

Tassiane Novacosque Feitosa Guerra ◽

Ana Carolina Borges Lins-e-Silva ◽

Airton de Deus Cysneiros Cavalcanti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Edge Effect ◽

Woody Plants ◽

Response Times ◽

Forest Edge ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Forest Fragment ◽

Canopy Tree ◽

Forest Interior

ABSTRACT The woody plants in an edge area formed approximately 35 years ago in an Atlantic Forest fragment in northeastern Brazil were examined, and three environments defined: edge, intermediate, and interior. Canopy tree densities and basal areas were found to be similar in all three environments, and also similar to previous published studies in the same region; species richness was greatest at the forest edge. The understory showed greater species richness in the forest interior, but greater diversity and equitability in the intermediate environment. Understory environments close to the forest edge demonstrated larger stem diameters than in the forest interior, although at lesser densities and with smaller total basal areas. Our results indicated the existence of distinct patterns in canopy and understory that most likely reflect differences in the response times of these two vegetation layers, with the understory being more sensitive to alterations in environmental structure.

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The effect of altitude, patch size and disturbance on species richness and density of lianas in montane forest patches

Acta Oecologica ◽

10.1016/j.actao.2017.06.004 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 83 ◽

pp. 1-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Dharmalingam Mohandass ◽

Mason J. Campbell ◽

Alice C. Hughes ◽

Christos Mammides ◽

Priya Davidar

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Patch Size ◽

Montane Forest ◽

Forest Patches

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Landscape-scale drivers of mammalian species richness and functional diversity in forest patches within a mixed land-use mosaic

Ecological Indicators ◽

10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106176 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 113 ◽

pp. 106176

Author(s):

Yvette C. Ehlers Smith ◽

David A. Ehlers Smith ◽

Tharmalingam Ramesh ◽

Colleen T. Downs

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Species Richness ◽

Functional Diversity ◽

Mammalian Species ◽

Landscape Scale ◽

Forest Patches ◽

Mixed Land Use

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Conservation Value of Remnant Forest Patches: Tree Composition, Spatial Patterns, and Recruitment in the Ottoville Lowland Forest, American Samoa

Pacific Science ◽

10.1353/psc.2006.0018 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 60 (3) ◽

pp. 319-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Joshua O. Seamon ◽

Sheri S. Mann ◽

Orlo C. Steele ◽

Ruth C. B. Utzurrum

Keyword(s):

Spatial Patterns ◽

American Samoa ◽

Conservation Value ◽

Forest Patches ◽

Lowland Forest ◽

Remnant Forest ◽

Tree Composition

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Bird assemblages in wildlife habitat strips in a Tasmanian plantation matrix

Pacific Conservation Biology ◽

10.1071/pc020082 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 82 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Michael A. MacDonald ◽

Robert J. Taylor ◽

Steven G. Candy

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Bird Species ◽

Wildlife Habitat ◽

Native Forest ◽

Total Abundance ◽

Forest Patches ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Linear Forest ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Production Forests

In Tasmania, a system of 100 m wide strips of native forest, referred to as wildlife habitat strips, is retained within production forest, including plantations. Thirty-nine points in 18 wildlife habitat strips within both eucalypt and pine plantations (which were not differentiated for the purposes of the present study) were paired with points in nearby extensive native forest and surveyed for birds. At non-riparian sites (upper slopes and ridges), bird species richness and total abundance were both significantly lower in habitat strips than in controls. This difference is quantitative rather than qualitative, as ordination did not distinguish strip sites and controls, and no species were obviously absent from habitat strips. Riparian zones showed no significant difference in species richness and total abundance between habitat strips and controls. Species richness and total abundance relative to controls increased as wildlife habitat strip length increased over the measured range (0.4-2.1 km). It is thought that this may be because birds perceive strips as linear forest patches rather than corridors, so that there may be a habitat area effect. Other strip characteristics such as width and plantation age were not significant in riparian areas, but may be important on upper slopes and ridges, and the former will affect strip area. Wildlife habitat strips appear to be a valuable component of a conservation programme for birds in production forests in Tasmania.

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Patterns, determinants and models of woody plant diversity in China

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2010.1897 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 278 (1715) ◽

pp. 2122-2132 ◽

Cited By ~ 95

Author(s):

Zhiheng Wang ◽

Jingyun Fang ◽

Zhiyao Tang ◽

Xin Lin

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Woody Plants ◽

Large Scale ◽

Explanatory Power ◽

Woody Species ◽

Tropical Species ◽

Controversial Issues ◽

Strongly Correlated ◽

Distribution Maps ◽

The Mean

What determines large-scale patterns of species richness remains one of the most controversial issues in ecology. Using the distribution maps of 11 405 woody species in China, we compared the effects of habitat heterogeneity, human activities and different aspects of climate, particularly environmental energy, water–energy dynamics and winter frost, and explored how biogeographic affinities (tropical versus temperate) influence richness–climate relationships. We found that the species richness of trees, shrubs, lianas and all woody plants strongly correlated with each other, and more strongly correlated with the species richness of tropical affinity than with that of temperate affinity. The mean temperature of the coldest quarter was the strongest predictor of species richness, and its explanatory power for species richness was significantly higher for tropical affinity than for temperate affinity. These results suggest that the patterns of woody species richness mainly result from the increasing intensity of frost filtering for tropical species from the equator/lowlands towards the poles/highlands, and hence support the freezing-tolerance hypothesis. A model based on these results was developed, which explained 76–85% of species richness variation in China, and reasonably predicted the species richness of woody plants in North America and the Northern Hemisphere.

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