Movements of neotropical understory passerines affected by anthropogenic forest edges in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest

Edge effects are suggested to have great impact on the persistence of species in fragmented landscapes. We tested edge avoidance by forest understory passerines in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest and also compared their mobility and movement patterns in contiguous and fragmented landscapes to assess whether movements would increase in the fragmented landscape. Between 2003 and 2005, 96 Chiroxiphia caudata, 38 Pyriglena leucoptera and 27 Sclerurus scansor were radio-tracked. The most strictly forest species C. caudata and S. scansor avoided forest edges, while P. leucoptera showed affinities for the edge. Both sensitive species showed larger mean step length and maximal observed daily distance in the fragmented forest versus the unfragmented forest. P. leucoptera did not show any significant difference. There were no significant differences in proportional daily home range use for any of the three species. Our results suggested that fragmentation and the consequent increase in edge areas do influence movement behavior of sensitive forest understory birds that avoided the use of edges and increased the speed and distance they covered daily. For the most restricted forest species, it would be advisable to protect larger patches of forest instead of many small or medium fragments connected by narrow corridors. However, by comparing our data with that obtained earlier, we concluded that movement behavior of resident birds differs from that of dispersing birds and might not allow to infer functional connectivity or landscape-scale sensitivity to fragmentation; a fact that should be taken into consideration when suggesting conservation strategies.     

Long-term erosion of tree reproductive trait diversity in edge-dominated Atlantic forest fragments

Habitat loss and fragmentation promote relatively predicable shifts in the functional signature of tropical forest tree assemblages, but the full extent of cascading effects to biodiversity persistence remains poorly understood. Here we test the hypotheses that habitat fragmentation (a) alters the relative contribution of tree species exhibiting different reproductive traits; (b) reduces the diversity of pollination systems; and (c) facilitates the functional convergence of reproductive traits between edge-affected and early-secondary forest habitats (5-32 years old). This study was carried out in a severely fragmented 670-km² forest landscape of the Atlantic forest of northeastern Brazil. We assigned 35 categories of reproductive traits to 3552 trees (DBH ? 10 cm) belonging to 179 species, which described their pollination system, floral biology, and sexual system. Trait abundance was calculated for 55 plots of 0.1 ha across four habitats: forest edges, small forest fragments (3.4-83.6 ha), second-growth patches, and core tracts of forest interior within the largest available primary forest fragment (3500 ha) in the region. Edge-affected and secondary habitats showed a species-poor assemblage of trees exhibiting particular pollination systems, a reduced diversity of pollination systems, a higher abundance of reproductive traits associated with pollination by generalist diurnal vectors, and an elevated abundance of hermaphroditic trees. As expected, the reproductive signature of tree assemblages in forest edges and small fragments (edge-affected habitats), which was very similar to that of early second-growth patches, was greatly affected by both habitat type and plot distance to the nearest forest edge. In hyper-fragmented Atlantic forest landscapes, we predict that narrow forest corridors and small fragments will become increasingly dominated by edge-affected habitats that can no longer retain the full complement of tree life-history diversity and its attendant mutualists.     

Small mammals in agricultural landscapes of Prince Edward Island (Canada): Effects of habitat characteristics at three different spatial scales

We examined the influence of habitat characteristics at the microhabitat, macrohabitat, and landscape spatial scales on small mammals occurring in 12 forest patches within four agricultural landscapes of Prince Edward Island (Canada). Landscape features were important determinants of small mammal variables at all levels, but especially at the community level, whereas microhabitat characteristics tended to influence small mammals at the population level. Macrohabitat characteristics had only minor effects on small mammals occurring in our study sites. Species richness was most strongly influenced by patch area, reaching a threshold at forest patches of roughly 8-10 ha. The proportions of both forest and hedgerow cover within 400 m from the study site were also significant determinants of small mammals species diversity, possibly reflecting their ability to perceive suitable habitats, forage in areas outside the forest patches, and/or disperse in agricultural landscapes. At least one small mammal species (Napaeozapus insignis) benefitted from the presence of agricultural fields at distances up to 1000 m. Tamias striatus benefitted from the presence of hedgerow cover within 400 m from forest patches, possibly allowing them to move between forest patches. Clearly, the maintenance of forest patches of 8-10 ha and of forest cover within 400 m from them is fundamental for the conservation of small mammals inhabiting agricultural landscapes on the Island. Conservation strategies should also consider the establishment of more effective regulations to prevent and/or reduce hedgerow removal on Prince Edward Island.     

The age and amount of regrowth forest in fragmented brigalow landscapes are both important for woodland dependent birds

In highly-modified agricultural landscapes, regrowth (secondary) forest on abandoned farmland offers the potential for passive landscape restoration for biodiversity conservation. While numerous studies have investigated the ecological values of regrowth for fauna recovery at the local-level (1-10 ha), there is a dearth of studies quantifying the contribution of regrowth forest at the landscape-level (100-1000s ha). To address this critical knowledge gap we question how the age and amount of regrowth forest in the landscape influence species richness and abundance of mature forest dependent species? Using woodland dependent birds in fragmented sub-tropical brigalow landscapes in southern Queensland, Australia, we applied model averaging and hierarchical partitioning analyses to test and rank the relative importance of the amount of regrowth forest in the landscape in three age classes (<15, 15-30, and >30 years) compared to local (grazing disturbance, abundance of aggressive miners, mistletoe abundance and patch age) and landscape measures of habitat (amount of mature forest and number of mature forest patches). Response variables included the species richness of woodland dependent birds and sub-groupings of foraging guilds, and the abundance of selected individual species. The importance of explanatory variables differed considerably among response groups. Local attributes, such as patch age and the abundance of mistletoe plants, had the strongest influences on woodland dependent birds. However, we found that the amount of regrowth forest, particularly >30 years, also had a strong influence on both species richness and abundance. This study confirms that regrowth, especially older regrowth, can make an important contribution to landscape restoration in highly-modified agricultural landscapes.     

Effects of fragmentation on pollinator abundance and fruit set of an abundant understory palm in a Mexican tropical forest

Tropical forest fragmentation affects both biodiversity and plant reproductive success when small, isolated fragments sustain a reduced diversity or abundance of pollinators. Fragmentation-related effects have been poorly investigated in the case of palms, an important structural and functional component of tropical forests. We examined the relationships between fragment size and diversity and abundance of flower visitors, and palm reproduction, by quantifying the arthropod fauna associated to inflorescences of the palm Astrocaryum mexicanum, and its fruit set, in fragments of different size. The sample yielded a total of 228,772 arthropods (10 orders, 60 species). Coleoptera was the predominant group (?50% of the species), followed by Hymenoptera (20%), while the remaining (30%) was distributed among the other eight orders. We found a predominance of pollinating insects (Coleoptera-Nitidulidae), representing 85% of all visitors. Pollinator abundance was negatively affected by fragmentation, with a 4.2-fold average difference between small (<35 ha) and large (114-700 ha) fragments. However, fruit set was relatively high (?0.7) and not affected by fragmentation during three reproductive seasons. This could be explained because small fragments retained remarkably high numbers of pollinators (1191.4/inflorescence) and by the high abundance of palms (and flowers) in fragments. Further research is needed, however, to assess if fragmentation restricts pollinator movements to plants within the fragments, leading to a reduction in genetic variation of the progeny present in forest remnants.     

Retention patches as potential refugia for bryophytes and lichens in managed forest landscapes

Leaving small patches of forest intact at harvesting is now a standard procedure to mitigate negative effects on biodiversity. One purpose of the patches is to “life-boat” species over the forest regeneration phase, although the capacity of small forest fragments to do so is very uncertain. We investigated the survival of red-listed and indicator species of bryophytes and lichens in 74 retention patches in boreal Sweden. The patches were between 0.01 and 0.5 ha in size and of six different types with respect to tree species composition and location on the harvested area. Species presence and abundance were recorded shortly after harvest in transects covering the whole patches, and an identical inventory was carried out 6 years after the first. During this time, bryophytes generally decreased, most pronounced for liverworts. The largest decreases were found in buffer zones to streams and lakes and the smallest in tree groups dominated by deciduous trees. By contrast, among the lichens some species decreased while others increased, and there was no difference between retention patch types. Among the species abundant enough to be analyzed individually, the lichens Calicium parvum and Micarea globulosella decreased less in larger patches and the bryophyte Hylocomiastrum umbratum decreased more in patches of irregular shape. The results imply that retention patches of this size might be too small to function as refugia for sensitive bryophytes and lichens until the surrounding forest regenerates, but that some lichens appear to persist or even increase. Retention harvesting is still a young management practice and further studies on its long-term conservation benefits will be valuable.     

Forest fragment size and microhabitat effects on palm seed predation

The establishment of plant species depends crucially on where the seeds are deposited. However, since most studies have been conducted in continuous forests, not much is known about the effects of forest fragmentation on the maintenance of abiotic and biotic characteristics in microhabitats and their effects on seed survival. In this study, we evaluated the effects of forest fragmentation on the predation upon the seeds of the palm Syagrus romanzoffiana in three microhabitats (interior forest, forest edge and gaps) in eight fragments of semi-deciduous Atlantic forest ranging in size from 9.5 ha to 33,845 ha in southeastern Brazil. Specifically, we examined the influence of the microhabitat structure, fauna and fragment size on the pattern of seed predation. Fragments <100 ha showed similar abiotic and biotic characteristics to those of the forest edge, with no seed predation in these areas. Forest fragments 230-380 ha in size did not present “safe sites” for S. romanzoffiana seed survival and showed high seed predation intensity in all microhabitats evaluated. In fragments larger than 1000 ha, the seed predation was lower, with abiotic and biotic differences among gaps, interior forests and forest edges. In these fragments, the survival of S. romanzoffiana seeds was related to squirrel abundance and interior forest maintenance. Based on these results, we concluded that there are no safe sites for S. romanzoffiana seed establishment in medium- and small-sized fragments as result of the biotic and abiotic pressure, respectively. We suggest that on these forest fragments, management plans are needed for the establishment of S. romanzoffiana, such as interior forest improvement and development in small-sized sites in order to minimize the edge effects, and on medium-sized fragments, we suggest post-dispersal seed protection in order to avoid seed predation by vertebrates. Our findings also stress the importance of assessing the influence of forest fragmentation on angiosperm reproductive biology as part of the effective planning for the management of fragmented areas.     

Bryophyte responses to fragmentation in temperate coastal rainforests: A functional group approach

The species richness and frequency of occurrence of bryophytes within taxonomic and functional groups was examined in relation to the size of 20 old-growth patches (size range: 0.6-63.6 ha) remaining after logging in temperate rainforests of coastal British Columbia. At the centre of each remnant patch, bryophytes were sampled in sixty-three 10 cm × 30 cm microplots on three substrate-types (forest floor, downed logs and tree bases). Generalized linear models demonstrated that the species richness and frequencies of some bryophyte functional groups were related to patch size. In particular, some dispersal-limited groups (perennial stayers) and microclimate-sensitive groups (closed canopy species, epixylic (log-dwelling) species, and liverworts) showed significant declines in either richness or frequency as patch size decreased. In contrast, colonists and open canopy species showed little association with patch size. Many, but not all, of the significant patch size relationships disappeared when the three smallest patches (0.6-1.8 ha) were eliminated from the analysis. These results suggest that patches sized 3.5 ha or larger may provide habitat capable of sustaining a diverse array of bryophyte functional groups in temperate rainforest landscapes.     

Long-term effects of fragmentation and fragment properties on bird species richness in Hawaiian forests

Forest fragmentation is a common disturbance affecting biological diversity, yet the impacts of fragmentation on many forest processes remain poorly understood. Forest restoration is likely to be more successful when it proceeds with an understanding of how native and exotic vertebrates utilize forest patches of different size. We used a system of forest fragments isolated by volcanic activity 153 years ago in Hawaii to examine how long-term fragmentation, as well as fragment size and structural features affect the richness of native and exotic bird species. The total number of bird species increased rapidly with forest fragment size, with most of the native species pool found in patches <3 ha. Smaller fragments were dominated by native bird species with several exotic bird species found only in the largest fragments, suggesting that exotic bird species in this landscape show greater area-sensitivity than native species. We used airborne scanning light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to assess whether fragment area was correlated with estimates of fragment vegetation volume as well as measures of tree height. Fragment area was highly correlated with vegetation volume, maximum tree height, and canopy height heterogeneity, and these variables were strong predictors of bird richness, demonstrating that remote sensing can provide key insights into the relationship between fragment structural attributes and biodiversity indicators. Overall, this work demonstrates the value of conserving small remnant mid-elevation forest patches for native birds in Hawaii. This work also provides insight into how newly created forest patches might be used by native and exotic bird species in Hawaii.     

Rapid avifaunal collapse along the Amazonian deforestation frontier

The combined effects of rapid habitat loss, fragmentation and disturbance on tropical forest avifaunas have not been examined to date. The southern Amazonian ‘arc of deforestation’ marks the boundary of the most aggressive agricultural frontier in tropical forests worldwide. We sampled 21 disturbed and undisturbed primary forest patches, ranging in size from 1.2 to 14,476 ha, to elucidate the synergistic effects of both forest disturbance and fragmentation on bird community structure, and pinpoint which species were the “winners” and “losers” from this process. A number of forest patch metrics, derived from an independent remote sensing approach, explained much of the resulting presence/absence matrix. The bird community exhibited a highly nested structure, with small patches being most dissimilar from one another. Bird species differed in their response to both forest patch size and forest canopy perforation according to their dependence on closed-canopy primary forest. Forest patch geometry, which clearly modulated the shape of species-area relationships accounted for 83-96% of the variation in species richness, but forest habitat quality resulting from logging and surface-fire disturbance was also a significant predictor of species richness for the most forest-dependent taxa.     

Pattern and change of a boreal forest landscape in northeastern China

We have studied the spatial and temporal patterns of a boreal forest landscape in northeastern China using aerial photographs from 1955 (before logging) through 1980. The primary forest landscape is a complex mosaic of four tree species, and three age classes for each tree species, for a total of eighteen patch types. In addition, the complexity of the primary forest landscape shows great variation in the number, size and areal composition of patches. The forest landscape has been fragmented obviously by deforestation. There is an average increase in patch number from 291.6 to 438.0 patches per 10 000 ha, and an average decrease in patch size from 34.3 to 22.8 ha. Most of the logged areas are small in size, an average of 10.9 ha. The areal composition of different patch types has been changed greatly since the 1950s. The hardwood forest areas (especially) have increased significantly (p=0.05); coniferousLarix gmelinii decreased significantly (p=0.05), andPinus sylvestris var.mongolica remained about the same. The area of old-age class in the dominant species,Larix gmelinii, has decreased significantly (p=0.05). In addition, young and middle age classes of all tree species occupy a larger proportion of the area in 1980 than in 1955. Due to deforestation and recovery, therefore, many of these ecosystems are in early succession stages.     

Composition and abundance of birds in Andean alder (Alnus acuminata) patches with past and present harvest in Bolivia

We compared species richness and abundance of birds between five patches under selective Alnus exploitation and five patches that have not been harvested for at least 10 years prior to our study, during the early dry season (April-July 2001), in Cotapata National Park. Using “point counts” we recorded birds and their distribution in two (<1.5 m and >1.5 m) forest layers. Simultaneously we evaluated the floristic structure (size [dbh] distribution, basal area, tree density, tree height, and vegetation cover) and composition (diversity) on three transects placed within each Alnus patch. Both bird diversity and vegetation cover were significantly higher in not presently used patches but only for the higher layer of the forest, whereas plant diversity was higher in presently used patches. Lack of differences between the two types of Alnus patches in any of the vegetation parameters measured in the lower layer was coupled with an indistinct avifauna. Small changes in habitat characteristics following a perturbation like selective logging have the potential to affect richness and abundance of birds, at least within the habitats directly affected by the perturbation.     

Conservation value of forest fragments to Palaeotropical bats

Forested landscapes in Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly fragmented, making this region a conservation and research priority. Despite its importance, few empirical studies of effects of fragmentation on biodiversity have been undertaken in the region, limiting our ability to inform land-use regimes at a time of increased pressure on forests. We estimated the biodiversity value of forest fragments in peninsular Malaysia by studying fragmentation impacts on insectivorous bat species that vary in dependence of forest. We sampled bats at seven continuous forest sites and 27 forest fragments, and tested the influence of fragment isolation and area on the abundance, species richness, diversity, composition and nestedness of assemblages, and the abundance of the ten most common species. Overall, isolation was a poor predictor of these variables. Conversely, forest area was positively related with abundance and species richness of cavity/foliage-roosting bats, but not for that of cave-roosting or edge/open space foraging species. The smallest of fragments (<150 ha) were more variable in species composition than larger fragments or continuous forest, and larger fragments retained substantial bat diversity, comparable to continuous forest. Some fragments exhibited higher bat abundance and species richness than continuous forest, though declines might occur in the future because of time lags in the manifestation of fragmentation effects. Our findings suggest that fragments >300 ha contribute substantially to landscape-level bat diversity, and that small fragments also have some value. However, large tracts are needed to support rare, forest specialist species and should be the conservation priority in landscape-level planning. Species that roost in tree cavities or foliage may be more vulnerable to habitat fragmentation than those that roost in caves.     

Forest disturbance and river proximity influence chameleon abundance in Madagascar

Many chameleon species are thought to be restricted to primary rainforest where they are threatened by the continued fragmentation and degradation of natural vegetation. We surveyed chameleon abundance in forest subject to high disturbance, low disturbance and in a riparian zone in Madagascar. Four Calumma species and Brookesia thieli were present in all habitats, but B. minima was not recorded from the high-disturbance forest. Chameleons were more abundant in rainforest subject to low-disturbance (e.g. selective timber extraction) than in patches of high-disturbance forest that was recovering from burning. Riparian zones within low-disturbance forest provided linear patches of high chameleon abundance and are therefore an important conservation resource because they also protect a range of other endemic and threatened species. Carefully designed management plans are needed to conserve biodiversity and allow the sustainable use of forest products by people in Madagascar.     

The role of forest structure, fragment size and corridors in maintaining small mammal abundance and diversity in an Atlantic forest landscape

Using the abundance and distribution of small mammals at 26 sites in an Atlantic forest landscape, we investigated how species abundance and alpha and beta diversity are affected by fragment size and the presence of corridors. To account for the variability in forest structure among fragments, we described and minimized the influence of foliage density and stratification on small mammal data. Sites were distributed among three categories of fragment size and in continuous forest. For small and medium-sized categories, we considered isolated fragments and fragments connected by corridors to larger remnants. Small mammal abundance and alpha and beta diversity were regressed against site scores from the first axis of a Principal Component Analysis on forest structure variables. Residuals were used in analyses of variance to compare fragment size and connectivity categories. Forest structure influenced total abundance and abundance of some species individually, but not the diversity of small mammal communities. Total abundance and alpha diversity were lower in small and medium-sized fragments than in large fragments and continuous forest, and in isolated compared to connected fragments. Three species were less common, but none was more abundant in smaller fragments. At least one species was more abundant in connected compared to isolated fragments. Beta diversity showed an opposite relationship to fragment size and corridors, increasing in small and isolated fragments. Results highlight the importance of secondary forest for the conservation of tropical fauna, the hyper-dynamism of small isolated fragments and the potential of corridors to buffer habitat fragmentation effects in tropical landscapes.     

The influence of social behaviour, dispersal and landscape fragmentation on population structure in a sedentary bird

White-browed Babblers Pomatostomus superciliosus lived in groups of up to 13 birds in the highly fragmented landscape of the WA wheatbelt. Contacts between these groups and sexual differences in dispersal behaviour interacted with the landscape mosaic at a number of spatial scales to produce a hierarchically structured population with four levels of organization: (1) groups, which were the basic breeding unit; (2) social neighbourhoods, where group interactions were frequent, and male dispersal and female post-natal and breeding dispersal occurred; (3) local population neighbourhoods, which contained social neighbourhoods between which female natal dispersal was frequent; and (4) metapopulations, which contained local population neighbourhoods between which dispersal was infrequent. The boundaries of these structural units, with the exception of the group, were not discrete and were influenced by the structure of the landscape they occupied.Interactions between groups occupying different patches were rare, and the frequency of group interactions was lower in small patches. Male dispersal was restricted to groups within the same patch or in patches less than 1 km apart. Therefore, decreasing patch size and increasing patch isolation resulted in smaller social neighbourhoods. Males generally dispersed to smaller groups and these dispersals may have enhanced the productivity of these groups by increasing their size. Therefore, habitat loss and fragmentation are likely to disrupt social neighbourhoods resulting in lower levels of social interaction and reduced productivity.The size and configuration of local populations were dependent on female natal dispersal, which in turn depended on landscape connectivity. White-browed Babblers used remnant vegetation in preference to other landscape elements when dispersing, but were not dependent solely on corridors. The permeability to dispersal of the boundaries between remnants and agricultural vegetation was dependent on patch configuration. Changes in boundary permeability were found to alter connectivity between habitat patches in a complex and asymmetric manner. Therefore, it is essential to consider landscape connectivity in a spatially explicit context for species that use some elements of the landscape mosaic in preference to others when dispersing.Habitat loss and fragmentation impose a complex set of changes, at a number of different scales, to processes that affect aspects of a species' life history. In order to manage species in fragmented agricultural landscapes it is necessary to understand the hierarchical structure of their populations, and how processes affect the different organizational levels within this structure.     

The effects of forest patch size and matrix type on changes in carabid beetle assemblages in an urbanized landscape

In this study we compared ground beetles (Carabidae) from a range of different forest fragments along an urbanization gradient in Brussels, Belgium. We address the following questions: (i) How does the degree of urbanization in the surrounding habitat affect forest beetles, and does it interact with the effects of patch size and distance to forest edge? (ii) Do these factors have a different effect at the level of individual species, habitat affinity groups or total community? During 2002 we sampled 13 forest plots in 10 forest patches, ranging in size from 5.27 to 4383 ha. The beetles were captured using transects of pitfall traps from the edge to a distance of 100 m into each woodland and identified to species level. Effects of urbanization, forest size and forest edge were evaluated on total species number, abundance and habitat affinity groups and ten abundant, widespread model carabid species. Overall, the effects of urbanization, forest size and edge effects slightly influenced total species richness and abundance but appeared to have a major effect on ground beetle assemblages through species specific responses. More urbanized sites had significantly fewer forest specialists and more generalist species. Large forest fragments were favoured by forest specialist species while generalist species and species frequently associated with forest (forest generalists) dominated the smaller forests. Forest edges mainly harboured generalist species while forest specialist species were more frequent into the forests if the forest patches were large enough, otherwise they disappeared due to the destruction or impoverishment of their habitat. Our results show the importance of differentiating between habitat affinity, especially habitat generalists versus specialists, the latter having a higher value in nature conservation, and merely the quantity of species represented in human-dominated areas.     

Body size, niche breadth, and ecologically scaled responses to habitat fragmentation: mammalian predators in an agricultural landscape

The ability to make a priori assessments of a species' response to fragmentation, based on its distribution in the landscape, would serve as a valuable conservation and management tool. During 1997-1999, we monitored 717 scent stations to examine seasonal use of forest patches, corridors, and crop fields by coyotes (Canis latrans), domestic cats (Felis catus), foxes (Vulpes vulpes and Urocyon cinereoargenteus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), and long-tailed weasels (Mustela frenata). For each species we developed landscape-based ecologically scaled landscape indices (ELSI), and we modeled species spatial distribution across three spatial scales (landscape-level, element-level, and local habitat-level). Our results suggest that these predators view landscape fragmentation at different spatial scales and demonstrate strong interspecific differences in their response to elements of the landscape. All species except coyotes and domestic cats avoided agricultural fields. In general, predator species that were more mobile (i.e. high ESLI for landscape connectivity; coyotes) were characterized by landscape- and element-based logistic models. In contrast, models including local habitat features generally were most appropriate for less mobile or more stenophagous predators (e.g. long-tailed weasels). Our analysis extends the application of the ESLI concept to species assemblages that do not appear to function as metapopulations, and it highlights the importance of examining spatial scale and species-specific responses to habitat fragmentation. We discuss the relevance of these findings for defining ecological landscapes, understanding predator-prey interactions at multiple spatial scales, and conserving predator and prey populations in fragmented landscapes.     

Nestedness of bird assemblages in fragmented Afromontane forest: the effect of plantation forestry in the matrix

Bird species composition (61 species) of Afromontane forest fragments (n = 19) embedded in a natural grassland matrix or a plantation forestry matrix were compared. Forest bird assemblages in a natural grassland matrix displayed a nested non-random species distribution. Species loss was significantly area-dependent and predictable. Assemblages in the plantation-dominated matrix were also nested but were neither area- nor isolation-dependent and these potential processes had equal influence over bird species composition. Forests patches <50 ha in plantation were more species rich than those in a grassland matrix and visa versa for patches >50 ha. The effect of the matrix is revealed here with arboreal plantation cover promoting dispersal across the landscape, favouring abundant generalist bird species in smaller patches than expected in the plantation matrix, and the loss of some specialists and species living at low densities from large (>50 ha) patches. Because of a significant species-area relationship and possible area-dependent extinction, the largest forest patch in the nested series in a grassland matrix protects most bird species (89%). However, in a plantation matrix the absence of a species-area relationship requires the combination of many larger forest patches to protect most bird species. Plantation forests in the matrix significantly alter forest bird assemblage structure and composition. To avoid the effects of insularisation and to maintain the viability of bird communities in Afromontane forests requires conservation of the larger forests in a natural matrix. However, for forests in a plantation matrix, the management of dispersal processes by manipulation of the matrix may be as important to conserving species and communities as is minimising extinctions. Avoiding placing plantations near large forests, increasing the size of small patches, and where afforestation is unavoidable, placing plantations in the vicinity of small rather than large forest patches, are preferable management practices.     

Fragmented but not isolated: Contribution of single trees, small patches and long-distance pollen flow to genetic connectivity for Gomortega keule, an endangered Chilean tree

Habitat fragmentation is a major threat to species survival worldwide due to genetic isolation, inbreeding depression, genetic drift and loss of adaptive potential. However the data on how gene-flow changes following habitat fragmentation is contradictory. If there is significant gene-flow between spatially isolated populations then limited conservation resources could be directed away from projects to ‘establish genetic connectivity’ and used to address other consequences of habitat fragmentation.This research focused on an endangered tree species Gomortega keule (Gomortegaceae) in a fragmented landscape in the Central Chile Biodiversity Hotspot and addressed three questions: (1) How far does pollen move between pollen donors and seed trees and what is the shape of the dispersal curve? (2) Do insect pollinators travel outside of forest patches? (3) Do small populations and single trees contribute to genetic connectivity across the landscape?Paternity analysis results show that G. keule’s insect pollinators travel outside of forest patches, over distances of 6 km, beyond the scale of population fragmentation or genetic structure. Pollen moved from small sites and single trees into large sites, as well as in the other direction, indicating these sites play a key role as functioning elements of the wider population and as stepping stones between sites. Fragmentation at the scale investigated has not led to genetic isolation, thus genetic connectivity per se is not a conservation priority. Other consequences of land-use change, specifically continuing habitat loss and population reduction, still threaten the survival of the species.