Local and landscape determinants of small mammal abundance in industrial pine plantations

Abstract

Given the rapid loss of the world’s biodiversity, modern plantation forestry should aim to produce wood and fiber whilst conserving terrestrial biodiversity. Tree plantations can support wildlife, however, their capacity to maintain native animals can be affected by factors at both local and landscape scales. To provide relevant scientific evidence for the management of tree plantations, we studied the factors influencing the abundance of small mammals in a landscape dominated by exotic tree plantations in a global biodiversity hotspot. We aimed to evaluate the influence of both local and landscape variables on the abundance of different species of native small mammals in Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) plantations in Central Chile. From 2008 to 2012 and over a 150 km latitudinal range, 73 pine stands were surveyed for small mammals during reproductive and non-reproductive season. We found that the abundance of Abrothrix longipilis increased with vegetation volume in the upper layer and the percentage cover of native forest in the landscape, but decreased with increasing vegetation volume in the lower layer. The abundance of A. olivaceus increased with vegetation volume in the lower layer and the percent cover of native forest in the landscape, but decreased with increasing vegetation volume in the upper layer and landscape ruggedness. The abundance of Phyllotis darwini increased with vegetation volume in the lower layer and landscape ruggedness, but decreased with increasing vegetation volume in the upper layer. The abundance of Oligoryzomys longicaudatus increased with vegetation volume in the lower layer. Our results evidence that the abundance of small mammals in Monterey pine plantations is influenced by variables at both local and landscape scales. The range of animal responses to the local habitat shows that the quality of plantations as habitat for wildlife will depend on the life history attributes of the species that inhabit plantations along with their successional stages. At landscape level, our study shows that the benefits of native forests for small mammals were extended towards neighboring habitats, highlighting the importance of maintaining native forests within productive landscapes. Conserving and restoring native forests within timber farms will contribute to preserve small mammals, and these management actions will promote more sustainable forestry in Central Chile.