Open-habitat Species Research Articles

Microhabitats shape ant community structure in a spatially heterogeneous grassy woodland

AbstractHabitat structure is a key determinant of local animal diversity, with attributes of vegetation such as cover or complexity generating key resources for different species. However, habitat–diversity relationships can vary across spatial scales, and among different taxa and ecosystem types. Here we report on a study of habitat structure and its effects on ant communities at two spatial scales in a temperate grassy woodland characterized by heterogenous tree and grassland cover. We examined species richness and the occurrence of ground‐dwelling ant species at (1) microhabitat scales defined by a triplet of sites comprising open ground, adjacent to a log, and under a tree, each separated by a few meters, and (2) at macrohabitat scales defined by sites grouped into broader vegetation types defined by low or high levels of shrub and tree cover and separated by 100s of meters. We identified 117 species of ant from 41 genera, from a total of 155,004 individuals collected. Ant community composition differed significantly among microhabitats and macrohabitats, but mean species richness only differed at the microhabitat scale where it was the highest under trees and lower adjacent to logs and in open ground. Notably, ant species within the genera Iridomyrmex, Monomorium, and Pheidole displayed a spectrum of microhabitat preferences, highlighting the ecological flexibility within these groups. By contrast, all species of Melophorus preferred open habitat and all species of Camponotus preferred habitat under trees. Our study shows that ant communities in grassy woodlands are structured by vegetation cover and habitat “openness” most strongly at “microhabitat” scales, which is likely due to a distinct combination of thermal and foraging attributes that vary across relatively small distances. Our results also suggest that broad classifications of ants into functional types based on vegetation preference may not be applicable at small scales where species within the same genus can display contrasting preferences. Land management that promotes habitat heterogeneity at small spatial scales may promote species coexistence and benefit ant diversity more than management activities focusing on larger spatial scales within the same ecosystem.

Ecological traits predict population trends of urban birds in Europe

The population dynamics of urban animals has been so far remarkably understudied. At the same time, urban species’ population trends can provide important information on the consequences of environmental changes in cities. We modelled long-term population trends of 93 bird species breeding in urban areas in 16 European countries as a function of species’ traits, characterising variability in their urbanization and ecology. We found that: (i) earlier colonisers have more negative population trends than recent colonisers; (ii) more urbanized open habitat species had more positive population trends than less urbanized open habitat species; (iii) highly urbanized birds breeding above the ground had more negative trends than highly urbanized ground breeders. These patterns can be explained by several processes occurring in cities as well as outside city borders. Namely, (i) pre-industrial colonisers might struggle to persist in rapidly changing urban areas, limiting their foraging and breeding opportunities of the birds. (ii) Open habitats are under pressure of intensive agricultural exploitation in rural areas, which may negatively affect populations of less urbanized birds. In contrast, urban areas do not experience such pressure keeping the trends of urbanized open habitat species more positive. (iii) Differences in population trends between highly urbanized ground and above-ground breeders suggest that the latter may lose their breeding opportunities in modern buildings that do not provide suitable breeding sites. Our results indicate that even once successful, city dwellers may not keep pace with changes in urban areas, but these areas may also provide suitable habitats for biodiversity.

Bark‐beetle disturbance severity only moderately alters forest affinity of arthropod communities

Abstract Forest ecosystems are facing increasing challenges like natural disturbances. Despite positive disturbance impacts on the diversity of several taxonomic groups, there are still concerns, whether the drastic canopy opening can lead to a turnover from forest to open habitat species. We sampled arthropods along a disturbance gradient in Norway spruce (Picea abies)‐dominated protected areas across Central Europe using Malaise traps and metabarcoding. To analyse changes in arthropod communities in terms of forest affinities along the disturbance gradient, we explored the potential of a list of forest affinities (LFA) that provides information about species affinities from closed forest to open habitats. Our results show that the mean forest affinity decreased with increasing disturbance severity. This trend was accompanied by a decrease in forest‐associated species as well as community shifts for open and mixed habitat species. Responses varied between taxa and were most apparent in Coleoptera. Overall, the changes did not come with a complete replacement of forest specialists by species with higher affinities for mixed and open landscapes nor a drastic loss of forest species. Furthermore, we observed severely disturbed plots with a high mean forest affinity and vice versa, which calls for further studies using these kinds of species classifications. The LFA can provide additional information how species associated with forests habitats can react to environmental changes beyond increasing amounts of deadwood resources. Using additional trapping methods and determination techniques might increase the explanatory power of such analyses along ecological gradients.

Changes in the Number of Vascular Plant Species during Reforestation of Clearcut Forests

The article aims to describe the patterns of changes in the number of vascular plant species in communities at different stages of forest regeneration after clearcutting using the space-for-time substitution method. Large-scale logging in boreal forests leads to a simplification of the territory’s forest cover (the formation of even-aged stands), which in turn leads to a decrease in the diversity of forest communities and species diversity. These tendencies have been confirmed for many groups of organisms, especially those associated with old trees and dead wood; however, this is not so clear for vascular plants. We investigated plant communities at different stages of regeneration. We used the so-called space-for-time substitution (chronosequence) method of building dynamic series for four forest ecotopes, where industrial clearcuts are most actively carried out. We showed that the fertility of forest ecotopes determines the species pool—the richer the conditions, the more species that can potentially inhabit the community. At the same time, the structure of the tree stand significantly affects the composition and number of species in the community. The lowest species richness was in old-growth forests characterized by the dominance of one species in the tree stand and one or two vascular plant species in the ground cover. With insignificant fluctuations in the average number of species between stages of forest regeneration after logging, some communities at clearcuts in bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and spruce (Picea abies (L.) H.Karst.) forests have high species diversity due to the occupation of the site by species of open habitats. These clearcuts are located not far from settlements and close to roads.

Effects of habitat heterogeneity on bird communities in the forests of northeastern Germany

Habitat heterogeneity is a key factor for regulating biodiversity in temperate lowland forests. Specifically, stands associated with late forest development phases provide important habitat structures for many rare and threatened forest bird species. However, how forest stands that differ in their structural complexity, canopy conditions and tree species composition affect forest bird assemblages both at the local and landscape scale remains largely unclear. In a young moraine lake landscape of northeastern Germany, we assessed correlations of bird diversity and bird composition with stand properties. We used data from 48 transects (400 m) established in (1) unmanaged, closed-canopy, mature stands that were dominated by Fagus sylvatica (UDS), and (2) diverse managed, mixed coniferous stands with a mosaic of open and closed canopy patches (MCS). We found that bird communities of the UDS strongly differed from those in the MCS, with open habitat species being more frequent in the MCS. By contrast, differences in diversity measures were less distinct. Moreover, we identified nine indicator species for the UDS (Columba oenas, Cyanistes caeruleus, Muscicapa striata, Leiopicus medius, Certhia brachydactyla, Ficedula parva, Dryobates minor, Sturnus vulgaris, Ficedula hypoleuca) and seven indicator species for the MCS (Periparus ater, Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Regulus regulus, Prunella modularis, Lophophanus cristatus, Emberiza citronella, Anthus trivialis). Several famous ancient beech forest patches in Müritz National Park and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve “Schorfheide-Chorin” were found to harbour the set of the UDS indicator species. The UDS support of bird coenosis is typical for old mature broadleaved forests and can be considered as an effective tool for bird conservation. Our results further indicate that the combination of unmanaged and managed stands associated with different habitat complexities would benefit forest bird assemblages at the landscape scale. Key words: forest specialist birds, bird conservation, non-managed forests, old-growth patches, Ficedula parva, Leiopicus medius, coniferous forest

Population trend and breeding productivity of some migrant passerines in Hungary

Abstract This study aimed to monitor the demographic changes of some closely related species based on bird ringing data from the CES (Constant Effort Sites) program in Hungary between 2007 and 2018, and to explore the reasons for these demographic changes. The CES program tracks breeding bird populations with standard methods. The studied species breeding in Hungary were from genera Sylvia, Curruca, and Phylloscopus. Among these species, the trends of some forest birds, like Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca curruca), Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) and Willow Warbler (Ph. trochilus) showed no substantial changes, and one of the open-habitat species, the Barred Warbler (Curruca nisoria) – a long distant migrant – showed decreasing trends. The Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin) – a trans-Saharan migrant but forest dweller – also experienced population declines. Short-distance migrants maintained stable populations. Common Whitethroat productivity displayed an increasing trend to compensate for population decline. Upon examining the Eurasian Blackcap, this study detected a strong relationship between the number of adult birds, productivity, and the number of adults captured the following year.

Among the trees: shade promotes the growth and higher survival of juvenile toads

getation, including trees, significantly shapes microhabitats for amphibians due to the leaf litter input, providing stable shelter, creating a microclimate or indirectly through trophic interactions. It is known that some species can survive in a highly modified urban environment. Species associated with open space can find stable habitats in urban and human-transformed areas, but is the impact of shading (presence of canopy cover) significant in their case? We focus on the effect of solar exposure on the growth rate of juvenile green toads Bufotes viridis in fruit and canopy manipulation treatments. The main aim of the study was to examine the selected habitat traits promoting post-metamorphic growth of the green toad in semi-open enclosures. We investigated differences between exposure/land cover variants, i.e., sunny site (open area with direct solar exposure) and shadow site (shady site with a tree canopy cover). Using imitation fruits and real cherry plum Prunus cerasifera fruits (non-native tree species), we checked wheth­er amphibian growth is related to the additional structure that fruit lying on the ground created (a more heterogeneous surface structure) or to a trophic character (additional food source due to attracting inver­tebrates). We conducted a 40-day rearing experiment in three variants with two replications in semi-open enclosures with 20 juvenile toads each. We found differences in snout-vent length and body mass index in­vestigated due to site exposure during post-metamorphic growth. The survival rate of juvenile toads in the shaded site was higher than in sunny sites. We demonstrated a positive effect of the tree’s shade, regardless of the fleshy fruit’s presence on the ground. Toads benefit from developing at sites with reduced solar ex­posure (i.e., with a tree canopy), resulting in intensive growth and higher survival rate. Thus, there is an opportunity for planners and urban authorities to manage habitats for amphibian conservation purposes by creating a shaded zone, even for open habitat species, especially in transformed areas such as cities. Our results indicate that the beneficial effect of the lying fruit on the growth of juveniles is limited to specific conditions, and understanding this requires further research.

Observations of birds of prey in Eastern Nimba Nature Reserve, Liberia between 2015 and 2017

Abstract Distribution and biology of birds of prey species have been well-documented in most parts of the globe. Knowledge gaps are continuously shrinking due to more research, new technologies and increasing possibilities to reach remote areas. However, there are still some regions where data on birds of prey are scarce due to various reasons. Some parts of West Africa are such places, mostly because civil wars and the outbreak of Ebola prevented any kind of research. In the period 2015–2017, a butterfly research project in Nimba Mountains, Liberia offered opportunity to collect data also on birds of prey species. This article aims to provide a comprehensive list of birds of prey species in the area and compare it to other available historic and recent lists. In the frame of the project, 20 species were recorded. The results of comparing historic and recent records show that species of dry open habitats appeared and even settled in Nimba Mountains’ predominantly rainforest habitat. That suggests a habitat shift likely due to both climate change and human land transformation activities.

Population trends of ground-nesting birds indicate increasing environmental impacts from Eastern to Western Europe: different patterns for open-habitat and woodland species

Introduction: Bird populations reflect the influence of major environmental changes, and the analysis of their long-term population trends concerning species-specific ecological traits can provide insight into biologically relevant impacts of such changes. In this respect, nest site is a particularly informative trait because ground-nesting bird species are more prone, in contrast to species nesting above the ground, to the impacts of nest predation which can be linked to various environmental drivers including the intensification of agriculture or woodland management. Here we hypothesize that a) ground-nesting species present negative trends due to environmental pressures mentioned above, b) such declining trends should be more pronounced in Western than in Eastern Europe because, in Western countries, the environmental threats are likely greater, and c) the interaction between nest site and habitat association will point at the habitat types where the presumed drivers most likely operate.Methods: We used population trends from 1980 to 2016 of 332 bird species in 16 European countries to test this hypothesis.Results: We found that the long-term population trends of ground-nesting birds are more negative than the trends of species nesting above the ground indicating the effect of nest predation, and this difference increased from Eastern to Western European countries, probably due to steeply increasing populations of nest predators in the West. However, the effect of longitude interacted with the habitat association being strong in woodland species and weak in open-habitat species.Discussion: This pattern suggests that the increased nest predation pressure in the West is linked to woodlands, probably due to higher abundances of mammalian herbivores that destroy forest ground and shrub layer, and thus leave the nests exposed to predators. In contrast, only a weak longitudinal pattern in open-habitat species indicates that the negative impacts of agricultural intensification are no longer confined to the Western part of the continent. Although nature conservation activities are generally successful in Europe, as indicated by benefits provided by the Natura 2000 network, our results uncovered substantial gaps in delivering such benefits.

Forest conversion into pasture selects dung beetle traits at different biological scales depending on species pool composition.

The conversion of forests into open areas has large effects on the diversity and structure of native communities. The intensity of these effects may vary between regions, depending on the existence of native species adapted to open habitats in the regional pool or the time since habitat change.We assess the differences in species richness and functional diversity of dung beetle communities (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) between native forests and novel pasturelands of the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado, two biomes with contrasting histories of human occupation in Brazil. We conducted standardized surveys in seven forest fragments and adjacent pastures in each region and measured 14 traits in individuals collected in each type of habitat at each particular site. We calculated functional richness, functional evenness, functional divergence, and community-weighted mean of traits for each area, and analyzed individual variation through nested variance decomposition and Trait Statistics.Communities were richer and more numerous at the Cerrado. We did not find any consistent relationship between functional diversity and forest conversion beyond the changes in species diversity. Although landscape changes were more recent at the Cerrado, the colonization of the new habitat by native species already adapted to open habitats lessens the functional loss in this biome. This indicates that habitat change's effects on trait diversity depend on the regional species pool rather than on time since land conversion.Forest conversion effects were primarily due to internal filtering. The effects of external filtering only appear at the intraspecific variance level, with contrasting differences between the Cerrado, where traits related to relocation behavior and size are selected, and the Atlantic Forest, where selection operates for traits related to relocation behavior and flight. These results evidence the importance of considering individual variance to address the responses of dung beetle communities to forest conversion.

Temporal differences in snail diversity responses to wildfires and salvage logging

SummarySpecies tend to peak in abundance at different times after fires. Over time, species richness (α) and landscape heterogeneity are prone to increase and lead to greater between-site diversity (β). However, post-fire salvage logging can reduce β-diversity, both directly and through its influence on succession. The as-yet understudied response of land snails to long-term habitat modification after wildfires and forest management is important for decision-making in forest restoration and conservation. We expected to detect differences in land snails and diversity in both the short and long term and between treatments in a natural park in the Mediterranean Basin. However, our results showed that post-fire management was a non-significant variable for snail community diversity, the exception being open-habitat endemic species. Plant succession and leaf litter cover were the main variables that shaped snail diversity and abundance over time after fires. Eighteen years after a fire, the land snail diversity had improved and the community composition had diversified, irrespective of the post-fire treatment, but threatened species disappeared and the total snail numbers had notably declined. To preserve threatened open-habitat species, prescribed fires and livestock grazing are recommended in combination with mature areas that can act as shelters where forest snails can recover from future disturbances.

Successional Pathways of Avifauna in a Shifting Mosaic Landscape: Interplay between Land Abandonment and Wildfires

In Mediterranean hinterlands, land abandonment has led to the encroachment of woody vegetation prone to fire. The resulting alternation between vegetation closure and sudden opening modifies the composition of avifauna. We first conducted a stratified sampling of the avifauna in a grassland-to-forest gradient representing the closure of vegetation after abandonment (space-for-time substitution). We then conducted postfire diachronic sampling (up to 42 years) on stations belonging to this gradient. Mid-successional shrubland avifauna was the most radically modified after fire—ground-nesting species replacing shrub-nesting species—without significant change in species numbers. In the medium term, shrub-nesting birds widened their distribution in the landscape. While avifauna postfire successions in shrubland paralleled the spontaneous colonization of grasslands by woody vegetation, postfire forest successions were distinguished by the persistence of certain forest birds, resulting in assemblages of high diversity in which open-habitat birds coexisted with forest species. This temporary vegetation–avifauna mismatch results from both the reluctance of open-habitat birds to enter burned areas because of numerous snags, and the site fidelity of breeding birds. This inertia mitigates the short-term impact of fire. In the long term, spontaneous or postfire successions converge towards a homogeneous forest avifauna, to the detriment of open-habitat species of high conservation value.

Effects of landscape composition on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in mass-flowering crop fields within forest-dominated landscapes

Agricultural intensification has led to structurally simplified landscapes with reduced and fragmented resources for farmland insects. However, studies on the effects of landscape composition on farmland insects have mainly been performed in areas dominated by open arable land and semi-natural grasslands, while studies from forest-dominated landscapes are scarce. This research examined the effects of landscape composition on hoverfly species richness and abundance in arable land in boreal forest-dominated landscapes. Hoverflies were sampled in 22 mass-flowering caraway (Carum carvi) fields in Central Finland using pan traps. The effects of landscape composition on species richness and abundance were examined for all hoverflies, and for species groups with different adult habitat preferences. Landscape composition was measured as proportions of land cover classes within two different radii. Species richness and abundances of all hoverflies, forest species and open-habitat species increased with decreasing arable land cover and/or increasing forest cover within a 500 m radius (the two land cover classes strongly negatively correlated). Wetland species were most abundant in landscapes with an intermediate cover of arable land and forest, and most species-rich in landscapes with intermediate (10%) water cover. The species richness and abundance of mixed-habitat species increased with increasing cover of transitional woodland.Implications for insect conservationOur results show that most hoverfies in arable land benefit from increasing surrounding forest cover even in relatively heterogeneous, forest-dominated landscapes. Preserving or increasing the area of forests and other non-arable habitats is needed to safeguard a diversity of resources for hoverflies, and associated ecosystem services in farmland.

Long-term response of open-habitats species to wildfire salvage logging: the endangered European wild rabbit as example

Salvage logging treatments, a type of logging to economic returns after natural disturbance, are often applied in the aftermath of wildfires. Specialist or dependent species of open-habitat usually increase their populations in the short-term after wildfires and post-fire salvage logging. However, the long-term effects on threatened open-habitat species such as the European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) are still poorly known. Thus, plant productivity, habitat heterogeneity and rabbit abundance were studied in the north-east Iberian Peninsula in four type of post-fire treatment plots: (1) unburnt, (2) salvage logging with branches left on the ground, (3) salvage logging and manual removal of branches, and (4) recurrent fires. Both the time since the fire and the treatment affected plant productivity and habitat heterogeneity. Plant productivity was quicker in treatments when branches were left on the ground or when branches were removed than in recurrent fire plots. Rabbit relative abundance increased in the short term but dramatically declined over time after fires, especially in the plots where branches were left on the ground and with recurrent fires, in which rabbit abundances fell dramatically. In the long-term, the lack of food availability and adequate habitat structure are the main factors affecting the maintenance of the rabbit population. An appropriate moment for managing burnt areas to favour the persistence of rabbit is between the fifth and sixth year after the fire. These actions also benefit the reduction of environmental biomass and so help prevent future severe wildfires.

Insectivorous Bats in Eastern Mediterranean Planted Pine Forests—Effects of Forest Structure on Foraging Activity, Diversity, and Implications for Management Practices

Bats are primarily forest mammals and forest structure may affect their communities through the level of vegetation clutter. Pine plantations are typically even-aged managed forests that lack structural complexity. However, an understory layer can enhance the heterogeneity of these forests, making them suitable for several animal taxa. We hypothesized that species composition, richness, and foraging activity of insectivorous bats in pine plantations vary according to forest structure, specifically with the density of the understory. We measured pine density, Diameter at Breast Height (DBH), canopy closure, and vegetation cover of 29 pine (Pinus halepensis) plantations of the Judean Lowlands, Israel, and collected acoustic data on resident bats. We found that bat species richness and total activity increased in forests with large tree DBH and dense shrubs. Cluttered-habitat species foraged preferentially in forests with large tree DBH and high pine density, while open-habitat species preferred forests with well-developed canopies and dense shrubs. Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Eptesicus serotinus foraged in mature forests with well-developed bushes and these species are endangered in Israel. We conclude that mature planted pine forests with a well-developed under-canopy are suitable foraging grounds for insectivorous bats. Management plans for planted pine forests should consider our findings to support bat populations, including rare and endangered species.

Aridity, fire severity and proximity of populations affect the temporal responses of open-habitat birds to wildfires

The loss of open habitats in Europe has led to severe declines in birds associated with these habitats. However, certain ecological disturbances reverse the trend towards afforestation and create appropriate conditions for open-habitat species. Yet, open-habitat bird occupancy dynamics after disturbance depend on a complex combination of as-yet poorly studied factors. We analysed the colonization patterns and post-fire time-window of occurrence of open-habitat species along 687 transects in 68 burnt areas over a period of 11 years. During the study, 8345 individuals belonging to 22 open-habitat birds were detected. Species richness was related to an increased time elapsed since the fire, fire severity and proximity of potential population sources. Many species changed across the 11 years post-fire. Some species like the tawny pipit and the ortolan bunting, showed time lags affecting the timing of local extinction. Water deficit played a significant role in bird occurrence and six species benefited from drier conditions. Open-habitat species were more frequently detected in burnt areas near previously occupied areas and in severely burnt areas. Our results support the hypothesis that fire plays a critical role in the distribution dynamics of open-habitat species. Peak number of species was reached rapidly, between two and 6 years after fire, although a few species showed their peak abundance later on. An appropriate strategy for favouring open-habitat specialists in these landscapes, while reducing the risk of large wildfires, should prioritize integrated fire management to generate patches of different fire ages.

Using the area of habitat to assess the extent of protection of India's birds

AbstractIndia hosts multiple global biodiversity hotspots while being one of the most populous countries in the world. Here, we examine how well India has protected its avifauna, based on the fraction of their ranges falling within “protected areas.” India has protected 5% of its land this way. The issue is whether India has done better than expected in protecting its threatened species. To this end, we assessed 99 Near Threatened, Threatened, and small‐ranged species by estimating their Area of Habitat (AOH). We refined published species ranges using secondary information on elevation limits and habitat preferences. More than half (52) of the species assessed have their AOH <30% of their published ranges, while 31 have <10%. India has protected 87 threatened species' AOH more than expected (>5%), and for 33 species, the proportion protected exceeds the Aichi target (>17%). When we consider the top 10% richest regions as hotspots, only 9.2% of their total area falls under India's protected area network, inadequately covering areas with most threatened birds. We also discuss the conservation concerns for grassland and open habitat species across India, since we find that substantial proportions of their AOHs fall outside protected areas. This result highlights the significance of alternative conservation models, including other effective area‐based conservation measures. We show that species' AOH provides a more realistic well‐informed range that can aid in assessing their protection status.

Evolutionary history limits species' ability to match colour sensitivity to available habitat light.

The spectrum of light that an animal sees-from ultraviolet to far red light-is governed by the number and wavelength sensitivity of a family of retinal proteins called opsins. It has been hypothesized that the spectrum of light available in an environment influences the range of colours that a species has evolved to see. However, invertebrates and vertebrates use phylogenetically distinct opsins in their retinae, and it remains unclear whether these distinct opsins influence what animals see, or how they adapt to their light environments. Systematically using published visual sensitivity data from across animal phyla, we found that terrestrial animals are more sensitive to shorter and longer wavelengths of light than aquatic animals and that invertebrates are more sensitive to shorter wavelengths of light than vertebrates. Using phylogenetically controlled analyses, we found that closed and open canopy habitat species have different spectral sensitivities when comparing across the Metazoa and excluding habitat generalists, while deepwater animals are no more sensitive to shorter wavelengths of light than shallow-water animals. Our results suggest that animals do adapt to their light environment; however, the invertebrate-vertebrate evolutionary divergence may limit the degree to which animals can perform visual tuning.

Climate regulation ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation are enhanced differently by climate- and fire-smart landscape management

Abstract The implementation of climate-smart policies to enhance carbon sequestration and reduce emissions is being encouraged worldwide to fight climate change. Afforestation practices and rewilding initiatives are climate-smart examples suggested to tackle these issues. In contrast, fire-smart approaches, by stimulating traditional farmland activities or agroforestry practices, could also assist climate regulation while protecting biodiversity. However, there is scarce information concerning the potential impacts of these alternative land management strategies on climate regulation ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation. As such, this work simulates future effects of different land management strategies in the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve of Meseta Ibérica (Portugal-Spain). Climate-smart (‘Afforestation’, ‘Rewilding’) and fire-smart (‘Farmland recovery’, ‘Agroforestry recovery’) scenarios were modelled over a period of 60 years (1990–2050), and their impacts on climate regulation services were evaluated. Species distribution models for 207 vertebrates were built and future gains/losses in climate-habitat suitability were quantified. Results suggest climate-smart policies as the best for climate regulation (0.98 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 of mean carbon sequestration increase and 6801.5 M€ of avoided economic losses in 2020–2050 under Afforestation scenarios), while providing the largest habitat gains for threatened species (around 50% for endangered and critically endangered species under Rewilding scenarios). Fire-smart scenarios also benefit carbon regulation services (0.82 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 of mean carbon sequestration increase and 3476.3 M€ of avoided economic losses in 2020–2050 under Agroforestry scenarios), benefiting the majority of open-habitat species. This study highlights the main challenges concerning management policies in European rural mountains, while informing decision-makers regarding landscape planning under global change.

The Importance of Forest Elephants for Vegetation Structure Modification and Its Influence on the Bird Community of a Mid-Elevation Forest on Mount Cameroon, West-Central Africa

Most of the tropical rainforests are subject to both anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) cause forest clearings within the tropics. This study was conducted at mid-elevations (1100–1700 m a.s.l.) in Mount Cameroon National Park. We assessed the difference in the structure of bird communities in the forest and areas located nearby affected by elephant activities. We used the point-count method; 22 points were established within each habitat. The vegetation was visually estimated within a 50 m radius surrounding each counting point. In total, 1603 birds from 85 species were recorded. The vegetation cover from 3 to 5 m at points with elephant activity was significantly lower compared to points without elephant activity. Bird species richness was significantly higher around points in pasture compared to points in intact forest. Habitat type and the percentage of vegetation layer from 3 to 5 m significantly impacted the bird community structure. The points in the pasture were especially characterized by the increased abundance of some open habitat species (e.g., Chubb’s Cisticola chubbi). Few studies have documented the effects of elephant activity on other species, although the effects are widely stated as important drivers of habitat diversity in tropical forests. In conclusion, disturbance caused by elephants leads to increased bird community diversity due to the increased heterogeneity of the environment, which documents the high importance of elephants as ecosystem engineers.