Ecological impacts of non-native tree species plantations are broad and heterogeneous: a review of Brazilian research

Abstract

Non-native tree plantations represent 7% of the world's forests and 1.24% of the Brazilian vegetation. Planted areas are expected to increase in the near future; thus, it is important to systematize existing knowledge on the ecological effects of plantations to aid forest management and biodiversity conservation. Here, we conducted a systematic review of the ecological literature associated with planted Pinus and Eucalyptus species in Brazil. We compared publication metrics with geographical distribution of species, ecosystems, biomes, studied taxa, and ecological impacts. We found 152 publications from 1992 to 2012. Number of publications positively correlated with area planted, number of plantations with forest certification, number of researchers, and richness of studied kingdoms. Most studies were in terrestrial ecosystems (92.1%), the Atlantic Forest biome (55.3%), and the kingdom Animalia (68.2%). Most impacts of non-native tree plantations were negative (55.9%), followed by positive (27%), and mixed (17.1%). Negative impacts were declines in species richness and abundance, seed bank diversity, and natural regeneration. Positive impacts were increase or mainteinance of seed bank diversity and natural regeneration. Mixed impacts were increases in abundance of native tree plantation pests. Taken together, results suggest forest management can help maintain biodiversity if it considers previous environmental conditions and integrates plantations with surrounding habitats.

Short communication: First record of Arapaima gigas (Schinz, 1822) (Teleostei: Osteoglossomorpha), in the Brantas River, Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia

“…Another negative impact, such as biotic homogenization from non-native species which are possible to dominating in waters, synergistic disturbances in altered environments such as reservoirs, and cause negative ecological impacts on populations of native species in River tributaries (Padial et al 2016). Generally, activity of aquaculture considered to be the main factor for the non-native freshwater fish introduction from native to other zoogeographical regions (Valduga et al 2016). The ornamental fish trade is also an important source of the direct release of unwanted organisms, i.e., fish that had been kept as pets, or via escapes from ornamental fish farming (Padilla and Williams 2004;Abilhoa et al 2013).…”

The economic costs of biological invasions in Brazil: a first assessment

“…The species are one of the most common alien species used in forest plantations and management. In Brazil, its ecological and economic impacts are associated with negative effects in the native community (Brewer et al 2018), water consumption and quality (Mello et al 2018), citizen engagements in order to design effective species management (Dechoum et al 2019), impacts on phytosanitary diseases (Schnell e Schühli et al 2016), and changes in ecosystem services, functions, soil composition and nutrient cycling (Valduga et al 2016).…”

Bird-plant interaction networks in native forests and eucalyptus plantations within a protected area

“…Ecosystems with extensive plantations of non-native trees, such as the eucalyptus monocultures, can extinguish local species by replacing native vegetation and simplifying the forest heterogeneity, alter the regional water resources, and diminish soil fertility (Marsden et al, 2001;Borsboom et al, 2002;Kanowski et al, 2005;Carnus et al, 2006;Valduga et al, 2016;Bayle, 2019). On the other hand, eucalyptus plantations can be used as fuelwood, replacing the use of indigenous species, and conserving native forests and wildlife, protecting soil from erosion, and help in habitat restoration by promoting the recruitment, establishment and succession of native woody species (Hobbs et al, 2003;Barlow et al, 2007;Brockerhoff et al, 2008;Bremer & Farley, 2010;Brockerhoff et al, 2013;Bayle, 2019).…”

“…We hypothesized that the richness of seed dispersing birds would be lower in the eucalyptus plantation than in native forest areas due to the replacement of native vegetation by the monoculture. Also, we hypothesized that the interaction network would be more connected in the native forest than in the eucalyptus plantation, due to the exclusion of frugivorous birds and their mutualistic native plant species by the eucalyptus trees (Valduga et al, 2016).…”