Long‐Term Trends in Faunal Recolonization After Bauxite Mining in the Jarrah Forest of Southwestern Australia

Abstract

Fauna serve a key role in many forest ecological processes. Despite this, few studies have considered long‐term faunal recolonization after mining and rehabilitation of forest ecosystems. In the jarrah forest of southwestern Australia, permanent fauna monitoring sites have been established in bauxite mined areas rehabilitated in 1990 and in a range of representative unmined forest control sites. At each site mammals, birds, reptiles, and ants were surveyed in 1992, 1995, and 1998. The aims of the monitoring were to develop a better understanding of faunal recolonization trends, to produce recommendations for promoting fauna return, and to consider which techniques and fauna groups are best suited for monitoring recolonization. The results showed that successional trends varied between fauna groups. Generalist foraging mammals recolonized rapidly, whereas small predators took longer. Feral mice were initially abundant and then declined. Birds gradually recolonized, and after 8 years bird communities were very similar to those in unmined forest sites. Reptile species took longer, and after 8 years numbers of species remained lower than in unmined forests. Species richness and diversity of ants in 8‐year‐old rehabilitation were comparable with those of unmined forest in some rehabilitated sites but were lower in others. The composition of ant communities was still different from that of unmined sites. Ant species that only use disturbed forest declined rapidly in abundance as rehabilitation aged. The results suggest that although the rates of faunal recolonization will vary, with time most or all mammal, bird, reptile, and ant species should inhabit rehabilitated bauxite mines. The densities of many are likely to be similar to those in unmined forest, but for others it is too early to know whether this will be the case. Techniques for promoting fauna return are discussed. This study demonstrates that no single fauna group is suitable for use as an overall “indicator” of faunal recolonization; different fauna species and groups reflect different aspects of faunal succession.

More than just trees: Assessing reforestation success in tropical developing countries

“…Diversity is usually measured by determining the abundance and richness of species within trophic levels (plants, herbivores, carnivores) or functional groups (trees, shrubs, saplings, herbs) within the forest (McLachlan and Bazely, 2003;Nichols and Nichols, 2003;Weiermans and Van Aarde, 2003;Benayas et al, 2009;Kanowski et al, 2009) (Table 4).…”

Efeitos da sucessão florestal sobre a anurofauna (Amphibia: Anura) da Reserva Catuaba e seu entorno, Acre, Amazônia sul-ocidental

“…A maioria enfatiza as assembléias de vertebrados como mamíferos, aves e lagartos (MARGALEF 1977, BROWN & SOUTHWOOD 1987, FONSECA 1989, BROWN 1991, NICHOLS & NICHOLS 2003. Contudo, algumas característi-cas específicas do ambiente podem influenciar as assembléias de anuros, tais como a disponibilidade de determinados microhábitats e poças d'água.…”

“…Mudanças na composição das assembléias de vários grupos de animais, vertebrados e invertebrados, ao longo da sucessão da vegetação também vêm sendo relatadas em diferentes biomas (RICHARDS 1926, MARGALEF 1977, SOUSA 1984, USHER & JEFFERSON 1991, THOMAS 1995, STEFFAN-DEWENTER & TSCHARNTKE 1997, BALMER & ERHARDT 2000, IMBEAU et al 2003, NICHOLS & NICHOLS 2003.…”

“…Isso, por sua vez, pode alterar a fauna tanto de invertebrados (RICHARDS 1926, SCHOENER 1970, BROWN & SOUTHWOOD 1987, BROWN 1991, STEFFAN-DEWENTER & TSCHARNTKE 2001) como de vertebrados (RICHARDS 1926, FONSECA 1989, NICHOLS & NICHOLS 2003. Os efeitos da sucessão florestal sobre a estrutura das assembléias de anuros são muito pouco conhecidos, em particular no bioma amazônico (TOCHER 1998).…”

Riqueza e composição de espécies de formigas no processo de recuperação de uma voçoroca

“…A não relação entre o tempo de recuperação e a riqueza de formigas é comum (COELHO et al, 2009;NICHOLS;NICHOLS, 2003;OTTONETTI et al, 2006), e pode-se inferir que, neste estudo, mesmo com o aumento da disponibilidade dos recursos e melhoria nas condições ambientais ao longo da recuperação, as espécies ainda podem competir pelos mesmos o que não leva a um aumento do número de espécies (CORRÊA et al, 2006). Outras possíveis explicações são que o remanescente florestal e a pastagem são muito próximos e a colonização por espécies de formigas pode ser rápida ou a recuperação, com o incremento na riqueza e abundância de espécies vegetais, não é suficiente para que as formigas percebam essa mudança como melhores condições e recursos para seu estabelecimento nas áreas.…”