Abstract
Maximizing biodiversity persistence in heterogeneous human-modified landscapes is hindered by the complex interactions between habitat quality and configuration of native and non-native habitats. Here we examined these complex interactions considering avian diversity across 26 sampling sites, each of which comprised of three sampling points located across a gradient of disturbance: core native habitat fragment, fragment edge, and non-native adjacent matrix. The 78 sampling points were further nested within three neotropical biomes—Amazonia, Cerrado and Pantanal—in central-western Brazil. Matrix type consisted of cattle pastures in the Amazon and teak plantations in the Pantanal and Cerrado. We considered the interactive effects of (1) disturbance-context: fragment core, edge and adjacent matrix, (2) matrix type: tree plantation or cattle pastures, both subject to varying land-use intensity, and (3) native habitat configuration (fragment size, shape and isolation) on bird species richness, abundance and composition. Based on point-count surveys, we recorded 210 bird species. Bird species richness and abundance declined across the disturbance gradient, while genus composition only differed within the adjacent matrix, particularly cattle-pastures. The effect of native habitat area was positive but only detected at fragment edges. Overall bird diversity increased at sites characterized by higher availability of either relict trees within pasture landscapes or old-growth trees within teak plantation landscapes. The core of native fragments played a primary role in ensuring the persistence of bird diversity, regardless of fragment size. In contrast to pastures, tree plantations likely harbour a higher proportion of forest-dependent species while bird diversity can be further enhanced by reduced management intensity in both matrix types. Strategies to maximize avian persistence should not only include retaining native habitats, but also maximizing the size of core native habitats. Likewise, more structurally complex matrix types should be encouraged while maintaining low levels of land-use intensity.
Highlights
The rapid expansion of anthropogenic activities into once remote forest areas has led to unprecedented levels of biodiversity loss worldwide (Gibson et al 2011; Newbold et al 2016)
We investigated the interactive effects of the (1) disturbance-context: fragment core, edge and adjacent matrix, (2) matrix type: teak plantations or cattle pastures, both subject to varying land-use intensity, and (3) native habitat configuration: fragment size, shape and isolation, on bird species richness, abundance and composition
Genus-level composition in teak plantation sites partially overlapped those consisting of cattle pastures (Fig. 3c)
Summary
The rapid expansion of anthropogenic activities into once remote forest areas has led to unprecedented levels of biodiversity loss worldwide (Gibson et al 2011; Newbold et al 2016). In landscapes dominated by terrestrial matrix areas, matrix quality is important (Wiens 1995), enabling some species to move between fragments (Biz et al 2017; Godoi et al 2018) and take advantage of matrix resources, boosting the overall biodiversity sustained within human-modified landscapes (Gascon et al 1999; Daily et al 2001; Mendenhall et al 2014, but see Mahood et al 2012). Depending on their characteristics, the nearby matrix has the potential to affect species diversity within native remnants (Hatfield et al 2020), and viceversa (Tubelis et al 2004). The set of species persisting in such landscapes further depends on their intrinsic ecological traits (Matuoka et al 2020; Newbold et al 2014), with forest specialist species rapidly vanishing from non-native habitats and small, structurally degraded native remnants (Lees and Peres 2008; Morante-Filho et al 2016)
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