Felton, Adam and Knight, Emma and Wood, Jeff and Zammit, Charlie and Lindenmayer, David
(2010).
A meta-analysis of fauna and flora species richness and abundance in plantations and pasture lands.
Biological conservation. 143
:3
, 545-554
[Research article]
![]() |
PDF
134kB |
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2009.11.030
Abstract
We conducted a systematic global review of differences between timber plantations and pasture lands in terms of animal and plant species richness and abundance, and assessed the results using meta-analysis techniques. Our principal aim was to test the hypothesis that plantations contain higher species richness or abundance than pasture. Of the 1967 studies of potential relevance, 66 provided biological monitoring information and 36 met the requirements for meta-analyses. Sufficient data were available for meta-analyses to be conducted comparing the species richness and abundance of plantations and pasture lands for five taxonomic groups: plants, invertebrates, reptiles/amphibians, mammals, and birds. Within each taxon there was considerable variation in the difference between species richness and abundance between plantations and pasture lands. Birds and reptile/amphibians exhibited significantly higher species richness, and mammals exhibited significantly higher abundance, in plantations than in pasture lands which lacked remnant vegetation. Reptile/amphibian species richness was significantly higher in plantations in general. No significant differences in species richness were found for mammals, plants, or invertebrates, and no significant differences in abundance were found for birds, reptiles/amphibians, invertebrates, or plants. It is only within the presence of taxonomic caveats (i.e. reptiles/amphibians), or specific landscape features (i.e. absence of remnant vegetation within pasture), that it can be concluded that plantations support higher species richness or abundance than pasture land. We emphasize that caution is warranted when making general statements about the inherent biodiversity value of diverse and broadly-defined land-uses.
Authors/Creators: | Felton, Adam and Knight, Emma and Wood, Jeff and Zammit, Charlie and Lindenmayer, David |
---|---|
Title: | A meta-analysis of fauna and flora species richness and abundance in plantations and pasture lands |
Series Name/Journal: | Biological conservation |
Year of publishing : | 2010 |
Volume: | 143 |
Number: | 3 |
Page range: | 545-554 |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
ISSN: | 0006-3207 |
Language: | English |
Publication Type: | Research article |
Refereed: | Yes |
Full Text Status: | Public |
Subjects: | Obsolete subject words > FORESTRY, AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES and LANDSCAPE PLANNING > Plant production > Forestry |
Keywords: | Meta-analysis , Tree plantations , Pasture lands , Biodiversity , Species richness , Systematic review , Conservation , Landscape ecology |
URN:NBN: | urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-2-292 |
Permanent URL: | http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-2-292 |
ID Code: | 4544 |
Department: | (S) > Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre |
Deposited By: | Adam Felton |
Deposited On: | 22 Feb 2010 00:00 |
Metadata Last Modified: | 02 Dec 2014 10:31 |
Repository Staff Only: item control page