Dynamics of avian species and functional diversity in secondary tropical forests

Sayer, Catherine A.; Bullock, James M.; Martin, Philip A.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2017.05.004

Cited by 45 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 82 publications

(97 reference statements)

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“…, Sayer et al. ), this could provide co‐benefits for both carbon and biodiversity (Gilroy et al. , Jantz et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In existing shifting cultivation landscapes without any old-growth forest, secondary forest creation through regeneration by increasing rotation frequency in a smaller area (Scenario 2) is the next most optimal pathway for REDD+ investment. As regenerating secondary forests store substantial carbon stocks and often harbor rich biodiversity (Gilroy et al 2014a, Sayer et al 2017, this could provide co-benefits for both carbon and biodiversity (Gilroy et al 2014b, Jantz et al 2014, Pandey et al 2014. However, such benefits may change seasonally given that in winter, Himalayan farmland is more diverse than is forest (Elsen et al 2017).…”

Section: Potential Of Redd+ In Shifting Cultivation Landscapesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Quantifying carbon stocks in shifting cultivation landscapes under divergent management scenarios relevant to REDD+

Borah

Evans

Edwards

2018

Ecological Applications

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Shifting cultivation dominates many tropical forest regions. It is expanding into old‐growth forests, and fallow period duration is rapidly decreasing, limiting secondary forest recovery. Shifting cultivation is thus a major driver of carbon emissions through deforestation and forest degradation, and of biodiversity loss. The impacts of shifting cultivation on carbon stocks have rarely been quantified, and the potential for carbon‐based payments for ecosystem services (PES), such as REDD+, to protect carbon in shifting cultivation landscapes is unknown. We present empirical data on aboveground carbon stocks in old‐growth forest and shifting cultivation landscapes in northeast India, a hotspot of threatened biodiversity. We then model landscape‐level carbon stocks under business‐as‐usual scenarios, via expansion into the old‐growth forest or decreasing fallow periods, and intervention scenarios in which REDD+ is used to either reduce deforestation of primary or secondary forest or increase fallow period duration. We found substantial recovery of carbon stocks as secondary forest regenerates, with a 30‐yr fallow storing about one‐half the carbon of an old‐growth forest. Business‐as‐usual scenarios led to substantial carbon loss, with an 80% reduction following conversion of old‐growth forest to a 30‐yr shifting cultivation cycle and, relative to a 30‐yr cultivation landscape, a 70% reduction when switching to a 5‐yr cultivation cycle. Sparing old‐growth forests from deforestation using protected areas and intensifying cropping in the remaining area of shifting cultivation is the most optimal strategy for carbon storage. In areas lacking old‐growth forest, substantial carbon stocks accumulate over time by sparing fallows for permanent forest regeneration. Successful implementation of REDD+ in shifting cultivation landscapes can help avert global climate change by protecting forest carbon, with likely co‐benefits for biodiversity.

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“…, Sayer et al. ), this could provide co‐benefits for both carbon and biodiversity (Gilroy et al. , Jantz et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Potential Of Redd+ In Shifting Cultivation Landscapesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying carbon stocks in shifting cultivation landscapes under divergent management scenarios relevant to REDD+

Borah

Evans

Edwards

2018

Ecological Applications

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“…Although ecologists and conservationists have focused on deforestation, extensive areas of the tropics are naturally regenerated forest and their importance for biodiversity has not been fully explored (Achard et al 2002, Aide et al 2013, Chazdon et al 2016, Reid et al 2018. While most secondary forest studies have focused on vegetation, recent studies have analysed the recovery patterns of vertebrates during secondary forest succession (Andrade and Rubio-Torgler 1994, Medellin and Equihua 1998, Blake and Loiselle 2001, Crouzeilles et al 2017, or have evaluated the functional (Sayer et al 2017) and phylogenetic diversity (Edwards et al 2017) of vertebrates in tropical secondary forest. Understanding these dynamics is essential for generating management plans and conservation strategies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recovery of amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal diversity during secondary forest succession in the tropics

Acevedo‐Charry

Aide

2019

Oikos

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In tropical regions, many studies have focused on how vegetation and ecosystem processes recover following the abandonment of anthropogenic activities, but less attention has been given to the recovery patterns of vertebrates. Here we conduct a meta‐analysis (n = 147 studies) of amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal recovery during tropical secondary forest succession (i.e. natural regeneration). For each taxonomic group, we compared changes in species richness and compositional similarity during natural secondary succession to reference forests (mature or old growth forest). In addition, we evaluated the response of forest specialists and the change in bird and mammal functional groups during natural secondary succession in the tropical moist forest biome. Overall, species richness of all groups reached levels of the reference forests during natural secondary succession, but this was not the case for species compositional similarity. The delay in recovery of forest specialists may be the reason for the delay in recovery of species compositional similarity. Overall, vertebrate recovery increased with successional stage, but other potential predictors of diversity recovery, such as, the geographical setting (amphibian and reptile species compositional similarity recovered more rapidly on islands), rainfall (mammal species richness and compositional similarity recovered faster in regions of low rainfall), and the landscape context (amphibian, reptile and mammal species compositional similarity recovered faster in regions with more forest patches) influenced vertebrate recovery. These results demonstrate the important role of secondary forests in providing habitat for many vertebrates, but the slow recovery of species compositional similarity, forest specialists and some functional groups (e.g. insectivorous birds) highlighted the challenge of secondary forest persistence, and strongly argues for the continued protection of old growth/mature forest as habitat for forest specialists and as sources for secondary forest sites.

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“…Moreover, the recovery of taxonomic diversity does not necessarily imply in the recovery of important ecosystem functions, since taxonomic indicators consider all species as equivalent despite their differences in ecological traits [36]. The assessment of functional diversity and recovery of functional groups is fundamental to evaluate ecosystem restoration, since they provide direct links to ecosystem processes [29,37].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bird Functional Traits Respond to Forest Structure in Riparian Areas Undergoing Active Restoration

2018

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Abstract:Monitoring wildlife responses is essential to assess restoration projects. Birds are widely used as bioindicators of ecosystem restoration, but most studies use only taxonomic descriptors to compare categories of reference and restoring sites. Here, we used forest structure as a continuous predictor variable to evaluate avifaunal taxonomic and functional indicators in riparian forest reference and restoration sites on southeastern Brazil. Reference sites were riparian forest remnants, and restoration sites were pasture before seedling reintroduction. Forest structure variables (mean tree height, canopy depth, mean diameter at breast height, basal area, tree layering, tree density, and grass cover) were reduced into two axes using a Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Forest Axis 1 (tree biomass vs. grass cover) and Forest Axis 2 (canopy depth vs. tree density). Bird species were classified in relation to five functional categories (i.e., diet, foraging stratum, nest height, cavity dependence for nesting, and forest dependence). Forest Axis 1 influenced the functional diversity of bird assemblages and the relative abundance within levels of each functional category (except for nest height). The relative abundance of all functional categories combined was also affected by Forest Axis 2. Therefore, forest structure affected the predominant functional traits of bird species in riparian sites under restoration. Sites with higher tree biomass were the richest, with canopy birds that were insectivores and frugivores of high forest dependence, whereas more open sites were associated with birds of low forest dependence and ground-foraging insectivores. Forest structures of similar-aged sites were strongly variable, due to natural and anthropic disturbances, so restoration age was a poor indicator of forest development. These unpredictable disturbances can change the development of sites under restoration, so that forest structure can be a better descriptor of the trajectory of these ecosystems.

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Dynamics of avian species and functional diversity in secondary tropical forests

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Cited by 45 publications

References 82 publications

Quantifying carbon stocks in shifting cultivation landscapes under divergent management scenarios relevant to REDD+

Quantifying carbon stocks in shifting cultivation landscapes under divergent management scenarios relevant to REDD+

Recovery of amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal diversity during secondary forest succession in the tropics

Bird Functional Traits Respond to Forest Structure in Riparian Areas Undergoing Active Restoration

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