Area and edge effects on leaf-litter decomposition in a fragmented subtropical dry forest

Moreno, María Laura; Bernaschini, María Laura; Pérez‐Harguindeguy, Natalia; Valladares, Graciela

doi:10.1016/j.actao.2014.07.002

Cited by 25 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…In fact, when the patch size is smaller than some threshold level, the entire patch becomes edge area (Wu and Vankat, 1991). This edge effect may also explain the observed results that the temperature of smaller patches was higher, and the humidity was lower than the larger ones (Moreno et al, 2014), as small patches have greater proportions of edge areas, hotter and drier than interior area (Laurance, 2004). …”

Section: Jiao Et Alsupporting

confidence: 57%

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Patch size of trees affects its cooling effectiveness: A perspective from shading and transpiration processes

Jiao

Zhou

Zheng

et al. 2017

Agricultural and Forest Meteorology

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A B S T R A C TIncreasing urban greenspace, particularly trees, has been widely recognized as an effective means for urban heat mitigation. Lots of uncertainty, however, occurs on how spatial configuration of trees affects their cooling effectiveness. A frequently asked question from urban planners is that whether a large greenspace patch has better cooling effects than several smaller ones, or vice versa. Here, we attempted to address this question by investigating the effects of patch size of trees on the two key cooling processes: shading and transpiration. We chose two typical tree species, Ginkgo biloba and Populus tomentosa, with 4 different patch sizes, and conducted the research in Beijing. We integrated field measurements of air temperature, relative humidity and transpiration rate with model simulation, and conducted the analysis at both the patch and within-patch level. We found: (1) Smaller patches had higher temperature, lower humidity and greater within-patch variations in temperature and humidity than larger ones. (2) With a fixed area of tree cover, a number of small patches can provide more shade than a single large patch, suggesting a monotonic increase of shade provision with the division of a large patch into smaller ones. (3) There was a non-linear relationship between patch size and transpiration rate, suggesting a maximum transpiration rate might occur at certain patch size. By considering the joint effects of shading and transpiration, an optimal size of patch might occur, at which the joint effects of shading and transpiration are maximized.

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Section: Jiao Et Alsupporting

confidence: 57%

“…Many studies have shown the adverse impacts of UHI effects. For example, it aggravates air pollution (Sun et al, 2015), leads to more extreme heat events (Nasrallah et al, 2004), causes more water and energy consumption (Santamouris et al, 2015), affects the living comfort, and even the health of urban residents (Dung et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patch size of trees affects its cooling effectiveness: A perspective from shading and transpiration processes

Jiao

Zhou

Zheng

et al. 2017

Agricultural and Forest Meteorology

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“…For example, in the same region Moreno et al . () found lower litter decomposition in smaller forest patches (which, in our study, were more common in simple landscapes) while herbivory on forest plants decreased with increasing forest fragmentation (Valladares et al ., ; Videla et al ., ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Natural vegetation cover in the landscape and edge effects: differential responses of insect orders in a fragmented forest

2016

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Human activities have led to global simplification of ecosystems, among which Neotropical dry forests are some of the most threatened. Habitat loss as well as edge effects may affect insect communities. Here, we analyzed insects sampled with pan traps in 9 landscapes (at 5 scales, in 100-500 m diameter circles) comprising cultivated fields and Chaco Serrano forests, at overall community and taxonomic order level. In total 7043 specimens and 456 species of hexapods were captured, with abundance and richness being directly related to forest cover at 500 m and higher at edges in comparison with forest interior. Community composition also varied with forest cover and edge/interior location. Different responses were detected among the 8 dominant orders. Collembola, Hemiptera, and Orthoptera richness and/or abundance were positively related to forest cover at the larger scale, while Thysanoptera abundance increased with forest cover only at the edge. Hymenoptera abundance and richness were negatively related to forest cover at 100 m. Coleoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera were more diverse and abundant at the forest edge. The generally negative influence of forest loss on insect communities could have functional consequences for both natural and cultivated systems, and highlights the relevance of forest conservation. Higher diversity at the edges could result from the simultaneous presence of forest and matrix species, although "resource mapping" might be involved for orders that were richer and more abundant at edges. Adjacent crops could benefit from forest proximity since natural enemies and pollinators are well represented in the orders showing positive edge effects.

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“…However, the effects of habitat disturbance on ecosystem functioning, such as nutrient cycling, are less well studied (Moreno et al . ). Given that a significant fraction of nutrients available to support plant growth are stored within leaf litter, any reduction in decomposition rates might have detrimental consequences for forest regeneration (Molofsky & Augspurger , Dupuy & Chazdon ), and so this topic deserves more study.…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Previous studies have shown that very small forest fragments have reduced rates of leaf litter decomposition (Didham , Moreno et al . ), but decomposition rates of logged forest and larger fragments may be similar to primary forest (Burghouts et al . , Barlow et al .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Leaf litter decomposition rates in degraded and fragmented tropical rain forests of Borneo

Yeong

Reynolds²,

Hill

2016

Biotropica

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Previously extensive tracts of primary rain forest have been degraded by human activities, and we examined how the effects of forest disturbance arising from habitat fragmentation and commercial selective logging affected ecosystem functioning in these habitats by studying leaf litter decomposition rates in litter bags placed on the forest floor. The rain forests of Borneo are dominated by trees from the family Dipterocarpaceae, and we compared leaf litter decomposition rates of three dipterocarp species at eight forest fragment sites (area 3-3529 ha) that had different histories of disturbance pre-fragmentation: four fragments had been selectively logged prior to fragmentation and four had been formed from previously undisturbed forest. We compared these logged and unlogged forest fragments with sites in continuous forest that had been selectively logged (two sites) and fully protected and undisturbed (two sites). After 120 d, undisturbed continuous forest sites had the fastest rates of decomposition (52% mass loss). Forest fragments formed from unlogged forest (32% mass loss) had faster decomposition rates than logged forest fragments (28% mass loss), but slower rates than continuous logged forest (39% mass loss). Leaves of a light-demanding species (Parashorea malaanonan) decomposed faster than those of a shade-tolerant species (Hopea nervosa), but decomposition of all three dipterocarp species that we studied responded similarly to logging and fragmentation effects. Reduced decomposition rates in logged and fragmented forest sites may affect nutrient cycling and thus have detrimental consequences for forest regeneration. Conservation management to improve forest quality should be a priority, particularly in logged forest fragments.Abstract in Malay is available with online material.

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Area and edge effects on leaf-litter decomposition in a fragmented subtropical dry forest

Cited by 25 publications

References 38 publications

Patch size of trees affects its cooling effectiveness: A perspective from shading and transpiration processes

Patch size of trees affects its cooling effectiveness: A perspective from shading and transpiration processes

Natural vegetation cover in the landscape and edge effects: differential responses of insect orders in a fragmented forest

Leaf litter decomposition rates in degraded and fragmented tropical rain forests of Borneo

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