Forest Mosaic Research Articles

Archetypal classification of vegetation dynamics of a humid subtropical forest region from North-East Argentina

With the aim of studying the primary productivity dynamics of subtropical forests with different degrees of intervention or change due to human intervention, we classify the ecosystems of an area in northeastern Argentina, corresponding to a humid subtropical region, according to their temporal variability. A 22-year time series, ranging from 2000 to 2022, of MODIS EVI was assembled into a spatiotemporal cube, and pixels were classified by an archetypal analysis applied to the frequency components of a Fourier power spectrum. Then the most representative pixels of this classification (archetypoids) were selected. A wavelet decomposition was performed on these archetypoids to identify temporal changes in the frequency composition of the time series, and an ARIMA model to identify changes in the noise pattern of the series. Finally, a distributed-lag model with meteorological variables, was applied to these time series to relate the dynamics of the archetypes to the local climate. A stepwise procedure using Gaussian processes for error and autocorrelation and multiple regressions to determine any univariate relationship between meteorological variables and EVI. The meteorological variables considered were temperature, rainfall, and potential evapotranspiration (PET). The procedure started with a null model with white noise, then Gaussian processes were gradually added to model the errors, and then the explanatory variables, which were filtered moving average time series of the meteorological variables. The interaction between the explanatory variables was assumed to be the minimum EVI of the predicted values of each variable according to Lieibig's law of minimum. The procedure was applied as the BIC decreased to find the optimal model. In this study area, three different archetypes were sufficient to describe most of the variability in the time series matrix. Archetype 1 was characterized by woody plantations of exotic species such as pines, yerba mate and tea, archetype 2 by native forests, and archetype 3 represented a mosaic of forests and agriculture/pasture. The analysis of climate and archetypes indicated that archetype 2 had the highest mean EVI values (i.e., primary productivity), followed by archetype 1 and lastly archetype 3. Also, it showed that all three archetypes responded to the same combination of climate variables (temperature and PET), with varying degrees of sensitivity to each variable. Archetype 2 was the least sensitive to changes in these variables, archetype 1 was more sensitive to PET, and archetype 3 was more sensitive to temperature, while also exhibiting the least response time.

High landscape‐scale forest cover favours cold‐adapted plant communities in agriculture–forest mosaics

AbstractAimThe ongoing climate warming is expected to reshuffle understorey plant community composition by increasing the occurrence of warm‐adapted species at the expense of cold‐adapted species. This process has been evidenced before by a warming community temperature index (CTI) over time. However, data indicate that the local tree canopy can partly explain an observed lag between understorey plant CTI and climate warming rates, though landscape‐scale forest cover effects have not yet been investigated. Here, we test the hypothesis that the amount of forest cover in the landscape lowers local CTI.LocationTemperate forests in France.Time period2005–2019.Major taxa studiedForest vascular plants.MethodsWe compared 2,012 pairs of neighbouring French forest inventory plots with contrasting percentages of forest cover within a 1‐km radius area (landscape forest cover). We computed the difference in the CTI of the understorey communities for each pair and tested the contributions of the landscape‐scale forest cover, local canopy cover, and soil conditions to the differences in CTI.ResultsPlots located in highly forested areas (> 80% in the 1‐km area) had an average CTI 0.26 °C lower (0.81 °C SD) than plots in sparsely forested areas (< 30% in the 1‐km area). Fifty percent of this difference was explained by landscape‐scale forest cover. Bioindicated soil conditions such as pH and available nutrients, which correlated with cold‐adapted species preferences, explained the remaining 50%.Main conclusionsHighly forested landscapes allow cold‐adapted species to survive in given macroclimatic conditions. These landscapes meet cold‐adapted species’ soil requirements and may cool the regional climate. Further microclimatic studies are needed to confirm the cooling capacity of landscape‐scale forest cover.

Meteorological responses of carbon dioxide and methane fluxes in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of a subarctic landscape

Abstract. The subarctic landscape consists of a mosaic of forest, peatland, and aquatic ecosystems and their ecotones. The carbon (C) exchange between ecosystems and the atmosphere through carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes varies spatially and temporally among these ecosystems. Our study area in Kaamanen in northern Finland covered 7 km2 of boreal subarctic landscape with upland forest, open peatland, pine bogs, and lakes. We measured the CO2 and CH4 fluxes with eddy covariance and chambers between June 2017 and June 2019 and studied the C flux responses to varying meteorological conditions. The landscape area was an annual CO2 sink of −45 ± 22 and −33 ± 23 g C m−2 and a CH4 source of 3.0 ± 0.2 and 2.7 ± 0.2 g C m−2 during the first and second study years, respectively. The pine forest had the largest contribution to the landscape-level CO2 sink, −126 ± 21 and −101 ± 19 g C m−2, and the fen to the CH4 emissions, 7.8 ± 0.2 and 6.3 ± 0.3 g C m−2, during the first and second study years, respectively. The lakes within the area acted as CO2 and CH4 sources to the atmosphere throughout the measurement period, and a lake located downstream from the fen with organic sediment showed 4-fold fluxes compared to a mineral sediment lake. The annual C balances were affected most by the rainy peak growing season in 2017, the warm summer in 2018, and a heatwave and drought event in July 2018. The rainy period increased ecosystem respiration (ER) in the pine forest due to continuously high soil moisture content, and ER was on a level similar to the following, notably warmer, summer. A corresponding ER response to abundant precipitation was not observed for the fen ecosystem, which is adapted to high water table levels, and thus a higher ER sum was observed during the warm summer 2018. During the heatwave and drought period, similar responses were observed for all terrestrial ecosystems, with decreased gross primary productivity and net CO2 uptake, caused by the unfavourable growing conditions and plant stress due to the soil moisture and vapour pressure deficits. Additionally, the CH4 emissions from the fen decreased during and after the drought. However, the timing and duration of drought effects varied between the fen and forest ecosystems, as C fluxes were affected sooner and had a shorter post-drought recovery time in the fen than forest. The differing CO2 flux response to weather variations showed that terrestrial ecosystems can have a contrasting impact on the landscape-level C balance in a changing climate, even if they function similarly most of the time.

A structural equation model of land capability and related drivers: Implications for land degradation forecasting in a tropical river basin

AbstractLand degradation is a worldwide problem with natural and anthropogenic causes. An important anthropogenic cause of land degradation is land uses that deviate from land capability, which is the “natural” use. Despite the conscience of scientists about this issue, studies are lacking that set up a quantitative nexus between land capability and related drivers. This nexus is essential because it allows anticipating changes in the drivers that promote or recede degradation. In this study, a partial least squares–path model (PLS–PM) was used to help closing this gap. The pilot study occurred in seven Paraopeba River sub‐basins located in the State of Minas Gerais (Brazil), where capability is dominated by mosaics of forests and pastures. Land capability was assessed by the ruggedness number, being inversely proportional to it. Among multiple potential drivers of land capability initially included in the model, collinearity and other consistency and performance analyses indicated the percentage of latosols and (re)forested areas, annual rainfall, and water‐related processes (e.g., weathering, nutrient leaching) as prominent in the studied region. The results linked increases of latosol and forest occupation to runoff reduction [runoff = latosol × (−0.640) + forest × (−0.156) + reforestation × (−0.379)], suggesting an attenuation of erosion by these parameters, namely gully erosion that impacts on the ruggedness number and land capability in the sequel. The weathering of carbonate rocks was also related to land capability changes because the PLS–PM model exposed a relationship between the ruggedness number and products of carbonate rock dissolution: ruggedness number = alkalinity × (−0.578) + total magnesium × (0.462) + dissolved oxygen × (−0.418). In addition to highlighting processes capable of changing land capability overtime, the model equations brought attention to measures that could improve it in the region thus preventing degradation. The measures included management practices capable to raise the soil's dissolved oxygen (e.g., through aeration) or preventing soil's magnesium deficiency (e.g., through foliar sprays). The network of cause‐and‐effect relationships set up by the PLS–PM model was finally used to elucidate about potential land use changes that would bring capability in the Paraopeba River basin towards a better status, such as conversions to pasture land. Future work is expected to further elucidate about the benefits for land capability of specific land use changes, through the testing of expected socioeconomic development scenarios.

Place names as indicators of traditional forest management in seminatural landscapes. The case of Cameros (La Rioja, Spain)

Former grazing landscapes, shaped through almost a millennium in the mountains of La Rioja (Spain), have evolved into a mosaic of forests and shrublands once the outstanding transhumance activities collapsed in the mid-20th century due to population decrease. Likewise, agricultural lands were abandoned in a process of ‘rural exodus’ from the countryside to towns within the framework of industrialization and urban sprawl in Spain since the 1960s. However, some place names still indicate these earlier activities, such as the use of fire as a technique for pasture renewal, communal forest thickets [dehesas] temporarily excluded from livestock raising, sustainable management of forests resources (wood, fuel, charcoal), agricultural crops etc. even if nowadays the earlier land uses and covers have changed into recently spread forests. We present a typical selection of examples that show the importance of toponymy in conceiving and explaining the cultural heritage of past seminatural landscapes, particularly of those whose main aspect today is secondary wilderness.

The fast-food effect: costs of being a generalist in a human-dominated landscape.

Agricultural expansion in Southeast Asia has converted most natural landscapes into mosaics of forest interspersed with plantations, dominated by the presence of generalist species that benefit from resource predictability. Dietary shifts, however, can result in metabolic alterations and the exposure of new parasites that can impact animal fitness and population survival. Our study focuses on the Asian water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator), one of the largest predators in the Asian wetlands, as a model species to understand the health consequences of living in a human-dominated landscape in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. We evaluated the effects of dietary diversity on the metabolism of monitor lizards and the impact on the composition of their parasite communities in an oil palm-dominated landscape. Our results showed that (1) rodent-dominated diets were associated with high levels of lipids, proteins and electrolytes, akin to a fast-food-based diet of little representativeness of the full nutritional requirements, but highly available, and (2) lizards feeding on diverse diets hosted more diverse parasite communities, however, at overall lower parasite prevalence. Furthermore, we observed that the effect of diet on lipid concentration differed depending on the size of individual home ranges, suggesting that sedentarism plays an important role in the accumulation of cholesterol and triglycerides. Parasite communities were also affected by a homogeneous dietary behaviour, as well as by habitat type. Dietary diversity had a negative effect on both parasite richness and prevalence in plantations, but not in forested areas. Our study indicates that human-dominated landscapes can pose a negative effect on generalist species and hints to the unforeseen health consequences for more vulnerable taxa using the same landscapes. Thus, it highlights the potential role of such a widely distributed generalist as model species to monitor physiological effects in the ecosystem in an oil palm-dominated landscape.

Small vertebrates in CFS ecological corridor (D-PL1: Lojing - Sungai Brok - Sungai Betis Forest Reserves) Kelantan

Small vertebrate surveys were carried out in the Sungai Brok and Sungai Betis Forest Reserves. The Central Forest Spine (CFS) initiative has recognised these forest reserves as part of Kelantan's important ecological corridors, known as D-PL1. The surveys were conducted from July to September 2019. This study aims to identify and update the checklist of small vertebrates in the selected forest reserves. One hectare plot was established in each forest reserve for this study. Traps were used to capture and document these vertebrates, including 100 collapsible cage traps, three harp traps, 10 mist nets, and 25 pitfall traps deployed at each sampling site. In addition, the surveys also carried out active searches and direct observations. Overall, this study recorded 83 species from 38 families of small vertebrates. With the total, small mammals comprise of 13 spp. from six families, birds (53 spp. from 24 families), and herpetofauna (17 spp. from eight families) were recorded during this study. Ten small mammal species are recorded as additional species for D-PL1. Birds and herpetofauna recorded 38 and eight additional species to the existing checklist of D-PL1, respectively. Based on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Version 3.1), this study recorded three threatened species namely Great Argus (Argusianus argus), Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus), and Grey-cheeked Bulbul (Alophoixus tephrogenys) in D-PL1. This information is likely to support stakeholders in formulating a management strategy for the forest mosaics in the corridor, which will continue to serve as an essential habitat for small vertebrates.

Why have Madagascar's mammals, despite being closely‐related to African open‐habitat specialists, failed to radiate into open grasslands?

AbstractSeventy‐five percent of Madagascar is treeless C4‐grassland adapted to human‐lit fire, which likely succeeded pre‐human mosaics of forest, ericoids, grassy‐woodlands and some smaller treeless‐grasslands. In support of pre‐settlement Malagasy grasslands having evolved with many grassland specialist faunal elements, Bond et al. (2022) cite “considerable overlap” in African and Malagasy hippo diets, and suggest time‐scale hampered mammal radiation into treeless‐grasslands. We find, however, that faunal elements referenced are predominantly habitat generalists (not grassland specialists), that African and Malagasy hippos occupy significantly different feeding‐niches, and that despite shared Miocene timeframes, Malagasy non‐arboreal mammals remained forest‐adapted whilst species that share ancestry with them on the African mainland radiated into open habitats.

Den-Dwelling Carnivores in Central Poland: Long-Term Trends in Abundance and Productivity

The monitoring of medium-sized carnivores is essential because of their role in disease transmission and as predators. We focused on red foxes, badgers, raccoon dogs, and domestic dogs, and considered 9441 ha of field–forest mosaic in Central Poland. We compared current (2011–2018) abundance (i.e., number of natal dens recorded annually) and breeding parameters (assessed with the aid of camera traps) with published past data (1980s–1990s). The red fox population increased after rabies vaccinations were introduced and has increased further in the last few years. The population is now stable, which suggests that other factors, possibly mange, limit the population instead. Contrary to historical data, one-fourth of red fox females now breed outside of forests areas, indicating the high plasticity of the species. The number of natal dens of badgers and recruitment rates have also increased. The mean litter sizes of these two species are positively affected by small rodent availability. The raccoon dog, which is an alien and invasive species, used to be recorded sporadically but now breeds regularly (1.8 breeding cases yearly). Nowadays, free-ranging/feral domestic dogs are not controlled by culling, so they have started to breed in the wild (1.6 cases per year), which is a new occurrence.

Tall, heterogeneous forests improve prey capture, delivery to nestlings, and reproductive success for Spotted Owls in southern California

Abstract Predator–prey interactions can be profoundly influenced by vegetation conditions, particularly when predator and prey prefer different habitats. Although such interactions have proven challenging to study for small and cryptic predators, recent methodological advances substantially improve opportunities for understanding how vegetation influences prey acquisition and strengthen conservation planning for this group. The California Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) is well known as an old-forest species of conservation concern, but whose primary prey in many regions—woodrats (Neotoma spp.)—occurs in a broad range of vegetation conditions. Here, we used high-resolution GPS tracking coupled with nest video monitoring to test the hypothesis that prey capture rates vary as a function of vegetation structure and heterogeneity, with emergent, reproductive consequences for Spotted Owls in Southern California. Foraging owls were more successful capturing prey, including woodrats, in taller multilayered forests, in areas with higher heterogeneity in vegetation types, and near forest-chapparal edges. Consistent with these findings, Spotted Owls delivered prey items more frequently to nests in territories with greater heterogeneity in vegetation types and delivered prey biomass at a higher rate in territories with more forest-chaparral edge. Spotted Owls had higher reproductive success in territories with higher mean canopy cover, taller trees, and more shrubby vegetation. Collectively, our results provide additional and compelling evidence that a mosaic of large tree forest with complex canopy and shrubby vegetation increases access to prey with potential reproductive benefits to Spotted Owls in landscapes where woodrats are a primary prey item. We suggest that forest management activities that enhance forest structure and vegetation heterogeneity could help curb declining Spotted Owl populations while promoting resilient ecosystems in some regions.

Testing different isolation distances in woodpecker territory mapping in Central Hungary

Abstract Woodpeckers as cavity excavators are crucial in forest ecosystems, therefore, it is important to study their ecological needs, specifically at the territory scale, using mapping methodologies, of which there are uncertainties considering detection probabilities and the distances of the territory centres in different species and habitats. We studied the effects of the number of visits and isolation distance on detected woodpecker territories in the 1,000 ha forest mosaic of the Peszér forest in Central Hungary. We made territory mapping in 2020 along existing trails and forest roads on the present woodpecker species as Black, Eurasian Green, Great Spotted, Middle Spotted, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Eurasian Wryneck. We found a very low detection probability for single territories during one visit, while with the increasing number of visits it is more unlikely to overlook territories. Considering the isolation distances, by lowering the distance, more territories can be registered, which suggests that researchers should take great care choosing the proper distance for a given species whilst avoiding the over- or underestimation of territories. This paper has an actuality as BirdLife Hungary announced the Eurasian Green Woodpecker as the Bird of the Year in 2022, for drawing attention to this species’ habitat preferences and conservation.

Small Vertebrates in Central Forest Spine (CFS) Landscape: CFSI PL1 Tanum - Sungai Yu Forest Reserves, Pahang

Small vertebrate assessments were conducted in Pahang’s three forest reserves: Tanum, Sungai Yu and Ulu Jelai. The Central Forest Spine (CFS) initiative has identified these forest reserves as CFSI PL1. The assessments were carried out from July until August 2019. This study aims to determine species diversity and update the checklist of small vertebrates in the forest reserves. A 1ha plot was established in each forest reserve for this study. Traps were used to capture and document these vertebrates, including 100 collapsible cage traps, three harp traps, 10 mist nets, and 25 pitfall traps deployed at each sampling site. In addition, the surveys also carried out active searches for herpetofauna and direct observations. Overall, this study recorded 102 species from 35 families of small vertebrates. Of these, small mammals (26 spp. from eight families), birds (56 spp. from 17 families) and herpetofauna (20 spp. from 10 families) were recorded during this study. Tanum FR recorded the highest species diversity of small mammals (H’ value=2.745). Ulu Jelai FR has the highest diversity of birds (H’ value=3.366), and Sungai Yu FR has the highest diversity of herpetofauna (H’ value=2.313). Eleven small mammal species are recorded as new distributional records for the forest reserves. As for birds, this study contributes 25 additional species to the previous checklist of birds in PL1. Compilation of the studies also recorded 22 threatened species of vertebrates in PL1. This information is expected to assist the stakeholders in developing a management plan for the forest mosaics in the corridor to serve as an important habitat for small vertebrates continuously.

Predicting negative human-tiger (Panthera tigris) interactions in mosaic landscapes around Dudhwa and Pilibhit tiger reserves in India

Negative interactions between humans and large carnivores like tigers (Panthera tigris) and leopards (Panthera pardus) are of concern for the conservation of these carnivores, as well as for the health and wellbeing of people who experience such interactions routinely. Such interactions not only lead to human deaths, injuries and loss of domestic animals, but also can result in retaliatory persecution of carnivores and cause their population declines. The Dudhwa-Pilibhit landscape in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is popularly regarded to be the second most affected hotspot of human-tiger conflicts in the country. Yet, very little information is published on human-tiger conflicts in this landscape. In this study, we recorded 7.4 ± 5.8 (range: 1-20) negative interactions per year between people and tigers that led directly to human deaths and injuries. Although there appeared to be peaks in negative interactions in more recent years, these were found to be statistically non-significant. The peaks in the numbers of cases in 2009-10 and 2016-17 can be attributed to higher numbers of human casualties cause by individual ‘problem’ tigers, and not due to an increase in the number of tigers engaging in conflicts. We used binomial generalized linear modelling to model the risk to humans from being attacked by tigers depending on landscape characteristics. This approach demonstrated that the mosaics of forests and human settlements, especially the presence of agriculture, forest patches and waterbodies, were the predominant factors at play. Notably, higher risks were not mediated by the presence of larger cattle population. Proximity of villages to forests or natural vegetation patches was the most significantly contributing factor identified by the model output. This suggested that despite the prevalent perception of attacks on humans occurring in human-dominated areas of this landscape, areas with forests or other natural vegetation entailed higher risks. This was corroborated by field observations, with most attacks occurring within, or close to, forests or dense vegetation. Based on these findings, we recommend that restricting human movements and taking precautionary measures in high-risk areas can significantly reduce negative interactions with tigers in our study area.

Living in a mosaic of Brazilian Atlantic Forest and plantations: spatial ecology of five bushmaster Lachesis muta (Viperidae Crotalinae)

This is the first multiple months study on home range and habitat use by a small group of bushmaster (Lachesis spp.). Five snakes (natives and translocated) were intensively radio tracked in a mosaic of plantations and small fragments of Atlantic Forest in the Reserva Ecologica Michelin in Bahia, Brazil. The average home range was 9.47 ha (MCP 95%) and 44.11 (Kernel 95%) for bushmasters tracked for more than 6 months. The macrohabitats used were primarily composed of disturbed primary (partially logged) and secondary (originally cleared) forests, but also of rubber tree plantations with a dense understory vegetation. Activity centres were closer to the forest edge (~ 22 m) than the core of the small forest fragments. The snakes mainly occupied wooded microhabitats with complex vegetation structures, around 50% under- and mid-story cover. Nocturnal ambush differed from diurnal resting microhabitats on the surface mainly by being significantly closer to mammal trails and a more open understory space. While mammal burrows and refuges under roots and rocks have been used, diurnal resting was primarily on the forest floor (75%). Translocation from sites > 20 km outside the study site has produced little evidence of negative effect, as all individuals grew impressively, continued an apparently normal life and established a home range similar to native bushmasters.

Roost Selection in Relation to a Patchy, Mosaic Management Burn by a Threatened Clutter-Adapted Bat

Fire is a major disturbance for forests and its impacts can be complex, influenced by a range of factors including fire severity and frequency. Changes to global climate have increased the frequency and lengthened the window for wildfires. Anthropogenic fires are now commonly used to try to mitigate the risk and spread of wildfires or for ecological purposes, yet it is unclear how many flora and fauna species respond to this lower severity and more patchily distributed treatment. We assessed day-roost selection by a threatened narrow space bat, Nyctophilus corbeni, after a management burn left a mosaic of unburnt forest, low severity (ground scorch) burnt and higher severity (midstorey to crown scorch) burnt forest. Radio-tracking was used to identify day-roosts of 11 individuals (8 lactating females and 3 males) during the maternity season. Characteristics of day-roost trees (n = 42 trees) were similar for males and lactating females and were comparable to other day-roosts used elsewhere in the broader study area, with bats selecting moderately sized (23–24 cm dbhob) dead buloke (Allocasuarina luehmannii) with hollows. However, roost selection at the scale of the neighborhood varied by sex and was random for lactating females. Selection of the post-burn mosaic by males was non-random at all scales of assessment greater than a 100 m neighborhood, with bats selecting areas burnt by low-severity fire at these scales, but avoiding areas of higher severity fire. Locally, there were ~14 more hollow trees per ha surrounding roosts in areas burnt by low severity fire than in the unburnt forest, whereas forest burnt by higher severity fire had on average ~8 fewer hollow trees per hectare. Our study confirmed that dead buloke with hollows is a key resource for N. corbeni that should be prioritized for retention, particularly when identifying areas to offset habitat loss. Patchy management fires appear to be compatible with roosting habits of breeding N. corbeni, provided hollow resources are not impacted by fire. Management burns may promote roosting habitat for male bats, but areas of higher severity burns need to be minimized. Further research is needed to assess the use of the post-burn mosaic for nightly movements, including foraging. The effects of repeated burning on hollow availability and roost selection by N. corbeni should be investigated to identify suitable intervals between fires for this threatened species.

Provisioning Flexibility and Nestling Growth of Green-Backed Tit Parus monticolus in a Mosaic of Mixed-Oak Forest and Cedar Plantation in Taiwan

In heterogeneous landscapes, birds may mistime their breeding attempts relative to local food abundance. How birds cope with this challenge has been little studied. In this study, we compared the provisioning behavior and nestling condition of the Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus nesting in a landscape mosaic comprised of native mixed-oak forests and exotic Japanese Cedar Cryptomeria japonica plantations. Parent birds in the larvae-poor plantations time their breeding as they do in the larvae-rich forests and have clutches of similar size. We found that parent birds were flexible in adjusting their criteria for prey choice on the basis of larval abundance. In early spring, in cedar plantations where larval abundance was low, male parents maintained constant nearby feeding trips to the early broods, just as they did in the mixed-oak forests, but reduced their dietary specialization on larvae, while female birds increased their provisioning frequency. Combining both parents' efforts, the early brood nestlings raised in the cedar plantations received food deliveries more frequently and with a higher proportion of non-larval prey than their counterparts did in the mixed-oak forests. In contrast, during late brood rearing, when larvae were abundant, both parents in the plantations foraged heavily on larvae at the expense of other prey, just as they did in the mixed-oak forests. We found that parent birds reared heavier nestlings as the contribution of large larvae to the diet increased. Moreover, the nestlings during early broods in the plantations had lower body weights than their counterparts in the mixed-oak forests. We suggest that the provisioning flexibility of Green-backed Tits helps them gather food for raising nestlings when their breeding attempts are less synchronized with the larval food supply in their habitat. As a result, they can breed successfully in the exotic cedar plantations.

Three spatially separate records confirm the presence of and provide a range extension for the giant pangolin Smutsia gigantea in Kenya

AbstractPangolins are some of the most overexploited but least studied mammals. The giant pangolin Smutsia gigantea is the largest of the eight pangolin species, measuring up to 180 cm in length and weighing up to 40 kg. It is a nocturnal, solitary species that occurs at low densities and little is known regarding its biology and ecology. It is distributed widely across the rainforests and forest savannah mosaics of equatorial Africa but its exact range extent is unknown. Apart from a single record in Kenya predating 1971, the eastern limit of its range was thought only to extend to central Uganda and western Tanzania. Here we present three spatially separate records confirming the presence of this species in Kenyan Afromontane forests. The three records are c. 120 km apart and c. 500 km east of the nearest confirmed giant pangolin population in Uganda. These records represent a significant range extension for the species and highlight the biodiversity and conservation importance of the Afromontane forests of western Kenya.

Human land-use effects on mammalian mesopredator occupancy of a northeastern Connecticut landscape.

Mammalian mesopredators—mid‐sized carnivores—are ecologically, economically, and socially important. With their adaptability to a variety of habitats and diets, loss of apex predators, and forest regrowth, many of these species are increasing in number throughout the northeastern United States. However, currently the region is seeing extensive landscape alterations, with an increase in residential and industrial development, especially at the expense of existing forest and small‐scale farmland. We sought to understand how important an existing mosaic of working lands (timberland and farmland) in a forested landscape is to mesopredator species. We did this by studying mesopredator occupancy across three land uses (or habitat types): forest reserve (protected), timber harvest (shelterwood cuts), and field (both crop yielding and fallow) in and around a 3200‐ha forest in northeastern Connecticut. We examined coyote (Canis latrans), bobcat (Lynx rufus), fisher (Pekania pennanti), and raccoon (Procyon lotor) occupancy using paired camera traps across juxtaposed reserve, shelterwood, and field units from April 2018 to March 2019. We created a priori habitat variable models for each species and season, as well as analyzed the impact of habitat types on each species. Throughout the year bobcats were positively associated with foliage height diversity and had the highest use in shelterwoods and lowest use in fields. Land use utilization varied seasonally for coyotes and raccoons, with higher use of fields than reserves and shelterwoods for half the year and no difference between land uses and the other half. Both species were not strongly associated with any particular habitat variables. Reserve forest was moderate to highly used by all species for at least half the year, and highly use year‐round by fishers. Our findings reveal that a mosaic of intact forest and working lands, timber harvest, and agriculture can support mesopredator diversity.

Butterflies' biodiversity of Souk Ahras Forest (Mechroha and Ouled Driss North east of Algeria)

AbstractThis study investigated for the first time species richness, abundance of butterflies and disturbed habitats in Souk Ahras Forest. The assessment of butterflies' diversity and relative abundance was conducted from July 2019 to July 2021. We recorded 60,696 individuals of 49 butterfly species belonging to six families (Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Hesperiidae and Sphingidae). Nymphalidae was dominant by 19 species, followed by Lycaenidae 13 species, Pieridae 10 species, Hesperiidae 4 species, Papilionidae 2 species and diurnal moths ‘Sphingidae’ with only one species. The highest number of species was recorded in oaks groves (medium high altitude) with 35 species; in terms of abundance, grassland (low altitude) dominates in number (n = 20,094). The lowest species diversity (S = 7) and number of individuals (n = 1227) were recorded in the Dense tree stratum scrub station which records significant water pollution. We notice that the abundance of butterflies was important during the spring and summer periods but less important during the winter. Landscape composition and habitat influence butterfly diversity and their dynamics. Many species used more than one distinct habitat type, or just one special habitat; we suggest that vegetation cover is an important mechanism for butterfly diversity persistence in forest ecosystems mosaics.

Holocene history of the landscape at the biogeographical and cultural crossroads between Central and Eastern Europe (Western Podillia, Ukraine)

Continentality is a globally significant gradient influencing broad-scale biogeographical patterns. An excellent example is the transition from the European temperate forest biome to the continental steppe and forest-steppe of Eurasia. One of the biogeographic crossroads where the two biomes meet is the Western Podillia in the western part of Ukraine. It is known for its rich biodiversity with a mixture of steppe, forest and montane species, despite a relatively humid climate suitable for closed-canopy forests. Biologists have postulated the refugial character of the local steppes, but a modern paleoecological reconstruction of the environmental history of the region has been lacking. We fill this gap here with a multi-proxy study (pollen, plant and mollusc macrofossils, microcharcoal, geochemistry) of two profiles sampled in calcareous fens adjacent to species-rich steppe grasslands. To link the reconstructed environmental history with the history of human settlement, we compiled available archaeological records from the studied region. Together, the analyzed profiles cover the entire Holocene and the end of the Last Glacial period, as shown by high-quality age-depth models. All studied proxies support the hypothesis that an open or semi-open landscape existed in Western Podillia during the Holocene. The complete absence of wood remains in Holocene sediments, and the persistence of fen specialists showed the exceptional long-term stability of open wetlands. The continuous presence of pollen of light-demanding plants, low abundance of closed-canopy trees compared to open-canopy trees, and stable concentrations of geochemical indicators of erosion suggest a semi-open landscape with a mosaic of forests, steppe grasslands, and other open habitats. Multivariate analysis revealed the similarity of pollen assemblages with sites in the forest-steppe zone at the interface between the Pannonian Basin and the Western Carpathians. The continuous presence of non-woody microcharcoal in high abundance suggests a role of fire in maintaining open habitats, and the archaeological record provides evidence of human activity throughout the Holocene near the study sites. Comparison with modern pollen spectra suggests that the landscape was probably somewhat more forested in the past than today, but rather by open-canopy trees. Our results indicate that Western Podillia has become a biogeographic crossroads not only because of its location on the border between Central and Eastern Europe, but also because of the unusual combination of relatively humid climate and continuity of open or semi-open landscapes since the Last Glacial.