Plantation Forests and Biodiversity: Oxymoron or Opportunity? (eBook)

Contents 6
Foreword 8
Plantation forests and biodiversity: oxymoron or opportunity? 10
Abstract 10
Introduction 11
Habitat or non-habitat? Is there biodiversity in plantation forests? 14
Effects of plantation forests at the landscape scale 16
Habitat supplementation or complementation to forest species 16
Connectivity 17
Buffering effects 17
Plantation forests---good or bad for biodiversity? It depends on the context 18
Does plantation forestry lead to reduced harvesting and improved protection of natural forests? 18
What land use or vegetation preceded the establishment of plantation forests, and are there affinities to the natural vegetation and fauna of the area? 19
How much time has passed since plantation establishment, and has colonisation by native species occurred? 20
Are the planted area and embedded remnants of natural vegetation managed for biodiversity conservation? 20
Plantation forestry compared with other ‘productive’ land uses---a ‘lesser evil’? 21
Plantation forests in different contexts---seven countries as case study examples 22
Brazil 22
Indonesia 23
United Kingdom 24
New Zealand 24
China 25
United States of America 25
France 26
Enhancing biodiversity in plantation forests 26
Stand-level recommendations 27
Landscape level recommendations 28
Plantation forests and certiWcation 29
Conclusions 30
References 31
Epiphytes of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) plantations in Ireland and the effects of open spaces 37
Abstract 37
Introduction 37
Methods 38
Study sites 38
Epiphyte sampling 39
Data analysis 41
Results 41
Epiphyte diversity 41
Vertical distribution 44
Effects of aspect 45
Discussion 47
Epiphyte diversity 47
Vertical distribution 48
Effects of aspect 49
Conclusions 49
References 50
Bird assemblages in pine plantations replacing native ecosystems in NW Patagonia 53
Abstract 53
Introduction 54
Methods 55
Study area 55
Habitat characterization 55
Bird surveys 58
Data analysis 58
Results 59
Habitat characterization 59
Bird abundance and richness 60
Community analysis 63
Relationships between bird species and habitat structure 65
Discussion 66
Changes at species level 68
Management and Conservation Implications 69
Conclusions 70
Acknowledgments 71
References 71
Identifying practical indicators of biodiversity for stand-level management of plantation forests 74
Abstract 74
Introduction 75
Methods 76
Species groups 76
Study design 77
Field survey 78
Data analysis 79
Stand structural types 79
Biodiversity measures 79
Indicators 80
Results 80
Stand structural types 80
Sitka spruce 80
Ash 82
Indicators 82
Structural 85
Compositional 87
Functional 88
Discussion 89
Surrogacy 89
Evaluation of indicators 90
Structural 90
Compositional 92
Functional 93
Using indicators 94
Conclusions 94
Acknowledgements 95
References 95
Options for biodiversity conservation in managed forest landscapes of multiple ownerships in Oregon and Washington, USA 99
Abstract 99
Introduction 100
Forest management approaches at landscape and stand scales 104
Management approaches at landscape scales 104
Management approaches at stand scales 105
The Applegate Watershed Design 106
Regulatory approaches and incentives for biodiversity conservation 109
Habitat Conservation Plans for nonfederal lands under ESA 109
Programmatic HCP 110
Safe Harbor and Candidate Conservation Agreements under ESA 111
State forest practices rules 111
Forest certification 113
Conclusions 115
Acknowledgments 117
References 117
Impact of four silvicultural systems on birds in the Belgian Ardenne: implications for biodiversity in plantation forests 122
Abstract 122
Introduction 123
Materials and methods 124
Study region 124
Sampling design 124
Bird data 125
Data analysis 126
Results 127
Species richness and abundance 127
Plot analysis (each stage) 127
Silvicultural system analysis (stages 1 + 2 + 3 pooled together) 129
Species composition 130
Plot analysis 130
Silvicultural systems analysis 131
Discussion 133
Stand composition: conifer vs. beech 133
Stand structure: even-aged vs. uneven-aged silvicultural systems 133
Stand age: bird diversity according to silvicultural stages 134
Conclusion 134
Acknowledgements 134
References 134
The early effects of afforestation on biodiversity of grasslands in Ireland 137
Abstract 137
Introduction 138
Materials and methods 139
Study sites 139
Data sampling procedure 140
Data analyses 141
Results 142
Species frequency 142
Ordination and variance partitioning 144
Soils 145
Discussion 148
Conclusions 150
Acknowledgements 151
References 151
Multi-scale habitat selection and foraging ecology of the eurasian hoopoe (Upupa epops) in pine plantations 153
Abstract 153
Introduction 154
Methods 155
Study area 155
Bird surveys 155
Nesting success 156
Ringing and radio-tracking 156
Habitat use and foraging ecology 157
Prey availability 158
Statistical analyses 158
Results 159
Habitat selection at the landscape scale 159
Habitat selection at the home-range scale 159
Habitat use according to behaviour 160
Small-scale selection of foraging habitats 162
Prey abundance, foraging and nesting success 162
Discussion 163
Habitat use and landscape complementation 163
Foraging and prey availability 164
Implications for conservation 165
References 166
Diversity and composition of fruit-feeding butterflies in tropical Eucalyptus plantations 168
Abstract 168
Introduction 169
Methods 170
Study site 170
Butterfly sampling 170
Environmental data 171
Data reduction 171
Data analysis 171
Linking butterfly data with environmental variables 173
Results 174
Discussion 175
Butterfly-environment relationships 175
Disaggregating the responses of fruit-feeding Nymphalidae 179
Conservation implications 179
Acknowledgements 179
Appendix 180
References 181
Impact of landscape and corridor design on primates in a large-scale industrial tropical plantation landscape 184
Abstract 184
Introduction 185
Materials and methods 186
Study area and management practices 186
Sampling design 189
Vegetation surveys 190
Primate surveys 190
Data analyses 192
Results 192
Overall landscape structure 192
Riparian forests (corridors) 192
Disturbance in the riparian forests 193
Roads 194
Primates 194
Species diversity and abundance 194
Habitat of primates 195
Vegetation 196
Diversity and abundance 196
Food availability for primates 196
Discussion 197
Conservation value of the plantation landscape 197
Effect of landscape connectivity on biodiversity 200
Integrated planning 201
Impact of roads 201
KPPN 202
Effect of illegal logging on primates 202
Food availability for primates 202
Conclusions 202
References 203
Non-native plantation forests as alternative habitat for native forest beetles in a heavily modified landscape 206
Abstract 206
Introduction 207
Methods 208
Study sites and collection of beetles 208
Collection of environmental variables 210
Assessment of species richness and community composition 211
Assessment of community and individual responses between different habitat types 212
Results 213
Estimated species richness 213
Relative beetle abundance in different habitat types 214
Variation in beetle community composition between habitat types 215
Individual species responses 216
Changes in the proportion of exotic beetles across habitat boundaries 217
Discussion 218
High native beetle biodiversity in plantation forests 218
Relative abundance of exotic species in plantation forests 220
Plantations as 'surrogates' for native forest 221
Conclusions 221
Acknowledgements 222
Appendix 1 222
References 224
Importance of semi-natural habitats for the conservation of butterfly communities in landscapes dominated by pine plantations 228
Abstract 228
Introduction 229
Methods 230
Study area and plot selection 230
Buttefly sampling 231
Plot variables 233
Landscape variables 234
Data analysis 234
Results 235
Species richness and abundance of individual species 235
Composition of species communities 238
Discussion 240
Importance of semi-natural habitats in plantation landscapes 241
Relative effects of plot and landscape variables 243
The presence of threatened species 244
How to improve butterfly diversity in plantation forests 244
Conclusion 246
References 246
Relevance of exotic pine plantations as a surrogate habitat for ground beetles (Carabidae) where native forest is rare 249
Abstract 249
Introduction 250
Methods 251
Study area 251
Carabid sampling 251
Analysis 253
Results 254
Species composition 254
Relative abundance 255
Species richness 256
Ordination 257
Discussion 258
Habitat comparisons 258
Vegetation history and the carabid fauna 259
Eyrewell Forest and carabid conservation 260
Conclusions 260
References 261
Stand-level management of plantations to improve biodiversity values 264
Abstract 264
Introduction 265
Methods 267
Site description 267
Experimental design, monitoring and statistical procedures 267
Results 269
State-and-transition model 272
Discussion and management implications 278
Acknowledgements 280
Appendix 280
References 286