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Nine actions to successfully restore tropical agroecosystems. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:963-975. [PMID: 35961912 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Well-designed approaches to ecological restoration can benefit nature and society. This is particularly the case in tropical agroecosystems, where restoration can provide substantial socioecological benefits at relatively low costs. To successfully restore tropical agroecosystems and maximise benefits, initiatives must begin by considering 'who' should be involved in and benefit from restoration, and 'what', 'where', and 'how' restoration should occur. Based on collective experience of restoring tropical agroecosystems worldwide, we present nine actions to guide future restoration of these systems, supported by case studies that demonstrate our actions being used successfully in practice and highlighting cases where poorly designed restoration has been damaging. We call for increased restoration activity in tropical agroecosystems during the current UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
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Ravindran S, Noor HM, Salim H. Anticoagulant rodenticide use in oil palm plantations in Southeast Asia and hazard assessment to non-target animals. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 31:976-997. [PMID: 35699849 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-022-02559-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are used worldwide for the control of rodent pests and are the main method of control of rat pest populations in agricultural areas. The main aim of this review is to discuss the risk of ARs to non-target wildlife in oil palm areas in Southeast Asia, mainly Indonesia and Malaysia. We discussed AR use in oil palm areas and toxicities of ARs on target and non-target animals. We also reviewed published literature on wildlife species reported in oil palm areas in Southeast Asia and utilizing this information, we assessed the hazard risk of ARs to non-target wildlife in oil palm plantations. ARs are a secondary exposure hazard to rodent-consuming mammalian carnivores, such as leopard cats and civets, and rodent-consuming raptors, such as barn owls. Consumption of dead poisoned prey puts scavengers, such as water monitors, at high risk for AR exposure. Domestic livestock and granivorous birds are at high risk for AR exposure via primary exposure to toxic bait, while omnivores such as macaques and wild pigs are at moderate risk for both primary and secondary exposure to ARs. The effects of ARs on barn owls have been well studied in the field and in laboratory secondary toxicity studies. Thus, the nest-box occupancy and reproductive parameters of local barn owl populations can be monitored as an indicator of the AR exposure level in the area. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: No clinical trials were involved in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakinah Ravindran
- Barn Owl and Rodent Research Group (BORG), School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Hafidzi Mohd Noor
- Plant Protection Department, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Hasber Salim
- Barn Owl and Rodent Research Group (BORG), School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
- Vector Control and Research Unit, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
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3
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Pashkevich MD, Spear DM, Advento AD, Caliman JP, Foster WA, Luke SH, Naim M, Ps S, Snaddon JL, Turner EC. Spiders in canopy and ground microhabitats are robust to changes in understory vegetation management practices in mature oil palm plantations (Riau, Indonesia). Basic Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2022.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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4
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Chapman EA, Thomsen HC, Tulloch S, Correia PMP, Luo G, Najafi J, DeHaan LR, Crews TE, Olsson L, Lundquist PO, Westerbergh A, Pedas PR, Knudsen S, Palmgren M. Perennials as Future Grain Crops: Opportunities and Challenges. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:898769. [PMID: 35968139 PMCID: PMC9372509 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.898769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Perennial grain crops could make a valuable addition to sustainable agriculture, potentially even as an alternative to their annual counterparts. The ability of perennials to grow year after year significantly reduces the number of agricultural inputs required, in terms of both planting and weed control, while reduced tillage improves soil health and on-farm biodiversity. Presently, perennial grain crops are not grown at large scale, mainly due to their early stages of domestication and current low yields. Narrowing the yield gap between perennial and annual grain crops will depend on characterizing differences in their life cycles, resource allocation, and reproductive strategies and understanding the trade-offs between annualism, perennialism, and yield. The genetic and biochemical pathways controlling plant growth, physiology, and senescence should be analyzed in perennial crop plants. This information could then be used to facilitate tailored genetic improvement of selected perennial grain crops to improve agronomic traits and enhance yield, while maintaining the benefits associated with perennialism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sophia Tulloch
- Department of Raw Materials, Carlsberg Research Laboratory, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pedro M. P. Correia
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Guangbin Luo
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Javad Najafi
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | | | | | - Lennart Olsson
- Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, Lund, Sweden
| | - Per-Olof Lundquist
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Linnean Centre for Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Westerbergh
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Linnean Centre for Plant Biology in Uppsala, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pai Rosager Pedas
- Department of Raw Materials, Carlsberg Research Laboratory, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Søren Knudsen
- Department of Raw Materials, Carlsberg Research Laboratory, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Palmgren
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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Effects of Monocropping on Land Cover Transitions in the Wet Evergreen Agro-Ecological Zone of Ghana. LAND 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/land11071063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The wet evergreen forest ecological zone of Ghana is undergoing notable structural changes, although most maps erroneously depict the area to be an intact forest. Several hectares of plantation agriculture such as rubber, oil palm, and cocoa are replacing the natural vegetation and habitats, thereby threatening indigenous biodiversity. This study aimed to assess the effects of tree monocrop proliferation on landscape transitions between 1986 and 2020 in the Wassa East District of Ghana. The ISODATA clustering technique was used to produce land cover category maps from Landsat images of 1986, 2002, and 2020. A post-classification change detection technique resulted in transition matrices which were used for the computation of land cover transition intensities over 34 years. The results showed that the landscape was dominated by forests in 1986. Still, the forest continuously declined by 34% (1% annually) in 2020 while all other land cover types increased in both periods with cocoa covering 23% oil palm covering 14%, and rubber covering 2% of the land area. These conversions in the land area are important, especially since the closed forests usually transition to monocrops through the intermediate process: food crop farming. This information is essential for decision making on land development and biodiversity conservation.
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Iglesias-Carrasco M, Wong BBM, Jennions MD. In the shadows: wildlife behaviour in tree plantations. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:838-850. [PMID: 35710479 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Destruction of natural habitats for tree plantations is a major threat to wildlife. These novel environments elicit behavioural changes that can either be detrimental or beneficial to survival and reproduction, with population - and community - level consequences. However, compared with well-documented changes following other forms of habitat modification, we know little about wildlife behavioural responses to tree plantations, and even less about their associated fitness costs. Here, we highlight critical knowledge gaps in understanding the ecological and evolutionary consequences of behavioural shifts caused by tree plantations and discuss how wildlife responses to plantations could be critical in determining which species persist in these highly modified environments.
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Pashkevich MD, Luke SH, Aryawan AAK, Waters HS, Caliman J, Dupérré N, Naim M, Potapov AM, Turner EC. Riparian buffers made of mature oil palms have inconsistent impacts on oil palm ecosystems. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2552. [PMID: 35112418 PMCID: PMC9286838 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Expansion of oil palm has caused widespread declines in biodiversity and changes in ecosystem functioning across the tropics. A major driver of these changes is loss of habitat heterogeneity as forests are converted into oil palm plantations. Therefore, one strategy to help support biodiversity and functioning in oil palm is to increase habitat heterogeneity, for instance, by retaining forested buffers around rivers when new plantations are established, or maintaining buffers made of mature oil palms ("mature palm buffers") when old plantations are replanted. While forested buffers are known to benefit oil palm systems, the impacts of mature palm buffers are less certain. In this study, we assessed the benefits of mature palm buffers, which were being passively restored (in this case, meaning that buffers were treated with no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers) by sampling environmental conditions and arthropods within buffers and in surrounding non-buffer areas (i.e., areas that were 25 and 125 m from buffers, and receiving normal business-as-usual management) across an 8-year chronosequence in industrial oil palm plantations (Sumatra, Indonesia). We ask (1) Do environmental conditions and biodiversity differ between buffer and non-buffer areas? (2) Do buffers affect environmental conditions and biodiversity in adjacent non-buffer areas (i.e., areas that were 25 m from buffers)? (3) Do buffers become more environmentally complex and biodiverse over time? We found that buffers can have environmental conditions (canopy openness, variation in openness, vegetation height, ground cover, and soil temperature) and levels of arthropod biodiversity (total arthropod abundance and spider abundance in the understory and spider species-level community composition in all microhabitats) that are different from those in non-buffer areas, but that these differences are inconsistent across the oil palm commercial life cycle. We also found that buffers might contribute to small increases in vegetation height and changes in ground cover in adjacent non-buffer areas, but do not increase levels of arthropod biodiversity in these areas. Finally, we found that canopy openness, variation in openness, and ground cover, but no aspects of arthropod biodiversity, change within buffers over time. Collectively, our findings indicate that mature palm buffers that are being passively restored can have greater environmental complexity and higher levels of arthropod biodiversity than non-buffer areas, particularly in comparison to recently replanted oil palm, but these benefits are not consistent across the crop commercial life cycle. If the goal of maintaining riparian buffers is to consistently increase habitat heterogeneity and improve biodiversity, an alternative to mature palm buffers or a move toward more active restoration of these areas is, therefore, probably required.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah H. Luke
- Insect Ecology Group, Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | | | - Helen S. Waters
- Insect Ecology Group, Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- School of GeosciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Jean‐Pierre Caliman
- Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Research Institute (SMARTRI)PekanbaruIndonesia
| | | | - Mohammad Naim
- Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Research Institute (SMARTRI)PekanbaruIndonesia
| | - Anton M. Potapov
- J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and AnthropologyUniversity of GoettingenGoettingenGermany
| | - Edgar C. Turner
- Insect Ecology Group, Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
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Goossens E, Boonyarittichaikij R, Dekeukeleire D, Hertzog L, Van Praet S, Pasmans F, Bonte D, Verheyen K, Lens L, Martel A, Verbrugghe E. Tree Species Diversity and Forest Edge Density Jointly Shape the Gut Microbiota Composition in Juvenile Great Tits (Parus major). Front Microbiol 2022; 13:790189. [PMID: 35356520 PMCID: PMC8959704 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.790189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the microbiome’s key role in health and fitness, little is known about the environmental factors shaping the gut microbiome of wild birds. With habitat fragmentation being recognised as a major threat to biological diversity, we here determined how forest structure influences the bacterial species richness and diversity of wild great tit nestlings (Parus major). Using an Illumina metabarcoding approach which amplifies the 16S bacterial ribosomal RNA gene, we measured gut microbiota diversity and composition from 49 great tit nestlings, originating from 23 different nests that were located in 22 different study plots across a gradient of forest fragmentation and tree species diversity. Per nest, an average microbiome was determined on which the influence of tree species (composition and richness) and forest fragmentation (fragment area and edge density) was examined and whether this was linked to host characteristics (body condition and fledging success). We found an interaction effect of edge density with tree species richness or composition on both the microbial richness (alpha diversity: Chao1 and Shannon) and community structure (beta diversity: weighted and unweighted UniFrac). No significant short-term impact was observed of the overall faecal microbiome on host characteristics, but rather an adverse effect of specific bacterial genera on fledging success. These results highlight the influence of environmental factors on the microbial richness as well as the phylogenetic diversity during a life stage where the birds’ microbiota is shaped, which could lead to long-term consequences for host fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evy Goossens
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Roschong Boonyarittichaikij
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Daan Dekeukeleire
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lionel Hertzog
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sarah Van Praet
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Frank Pasmans
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Dries Bonte
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kris Verheyen
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - An Martel
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Elin Verbrugghe
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Elin Verbrugghe,
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Osuri AM, Mudappa D, Kasinathan S, Raman TRS. Canopy cover and ecological restoration increase natural regeneration of rainforest trees in the Western Ghats, India. Restor Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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10
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Power CC, Nielsen A, Sheil D. Even small forest patches increase bee visits to flowers in an oil palm plantation landscape. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Candice C. Power
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) Ås Norway
- Department of Biology Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE) Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
| | - Anders Nielsen
- Department of Landscape and Biodiversity Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) Ås Norway
- Department of Biosciences Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES) University of Oslo Oslo Norway
| | - Douglas Sheil
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) Ås Norway
- Wageningen University and Research Wageningen The Netherlands
- Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Bogor Indonesia
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11
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Simamora T, Purbowo S, Laumonier Y. Looking for indicator bird species in the context of forest fragmentation and isolation in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
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12
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Mohd Jamil NN, Ibrahim H, Mohd Zain HH, Che Musa NH. Species diversity and feeding guilds of birds in Malaysian agarwood plantations. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2020. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.5213.12.14.16954-16961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
In Malaysia, the current status of birds inhabiting agarwood Aquilaria malaccensis plantations has not been specifically studied, and little research has been conducted to investigate birds in other agricultural areas (e.g., rubber, acacia, and oil palm plantations) and disturbed areas. This study was conducted to assess bird species richness and relative abundance, as well as feeding guilds, in two agarwood plantation sites: Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris in Tanjong Malim (UPSI), and Slim River (SR). The presence of birds was recorded using a combination of techniques (mist-nets and point count), while various sources were used to compile feeding information. This study recorded 364 birds from 36 species in 24 families. Shannon diversity index (H’) values for the UPSI and SR sites were 2.896 and 2.492 respectively, indicating high bird diversity. The Bray-Curtis index was 0.29, indicating these sites share few species. Insectivorous and omnivorous birds were dominant in UPSI (31%), and omnivores at SR (32%). The commonest insect order at both sites was Orthoptera (UPSI 48%, SR 25%). While agarwood plantations are relatively homogeneous, they provide a variety of food sources and shelter for a wide range of birds.
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May-Uc Y, Nell CS, Parra-Tabla V, Navarro J, Abdala-Roberts L. Tree diversity effects through a temporal lens: Implications for the abundance, diversity and stability of foraging birds. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:1775-1787. [PMID: 32358787 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Tree diversity exerts a strong influence on consumer communities, but most work has involved single time point measurements over short time periods. Describing temporal variation associated with diversity effects over longer time periods is necessary to fully understand the effects of tree diversity on ecological function. We conducted a year-long study in an experimental system in southern Mexico assessing the effects of tree diversity on the abundance and diversity of foraging birds. To this end, we recorded bird visitation patterns in 32 tree plots (21 × 21 m; 12 tree species monocultures, 20 four-species polycultures) every 45 days (n = 8 surveys) and for each plot estimated bird abundance, richness, functional diversity (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD). In each case, we reported temporal (intra-annual) variation in the magnitude of tree diversity effects, and calculated the temporal stability of these bird responses. Across surveys, tree diversity noticeably affected bird responses, demonstrated by significantly higher abundance (43%), richness (32%), PD (25%) and FD (25%) of birds visiting polyculture plots compared to monoculture plots, as well as a distinct species composition between plot types. We also found intra-annual variation in tree diversity effects on these response variables, ranging from surveys for which the diversity effect was not significant to surveys where a significant 80% increase (e.g. for bird FD and PD) was observed in polyculture relative to monoculture plots. Notably, tree diversity increased the stability of all bird responses, with polycultures having a greater stability abundance (18%), richness (38%), PD (32%), and FD (35%) of birds visiting tree species polycultures compared to monocultures. These results show that tree diversity not only increases bird visitation to plots, but also stabilizes bird habitat usage over time in ways that could implicate insurance-related mechanisms. Such findings are highly relevant for understanding the long-term effects of plant diversity on vertebrates and the persistence of bird-related ecosystem functions. More work is needed to unveil the ecological mechanisms behind temporal variation in vertebrate responses to tree diversity and their consequences for community structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanely May-Uc
- Depto de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Colleen S Nell
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Víctor Parra-Tabla
- Depto de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Jorge Navarro
- Depto de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Luis Abdala-Roberts
- Depto de Ecología Tropical, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
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Davidson G, Chua TH, Cook A, Speldewinde P, Weinstein P. The Role of Ecological Linkage Mechanisms in Plasmodium knowlesi Transmission and Spread. ECOHEALTH 2019; 16:594-610. [PMID: 30675676 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-019-01395-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 11/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Defining the linkages between landscape change, disease ecology and human health is essential to explain and predict the emergence of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria, a zoonotic parasite residing in Southeast Asian macaques, and transmitted by species of Anopheles mosquitos. Changing patterns of land use throughout Southeast Asia, particularly deforestation, are suggested to be the primary drivers behind the recent spread of this zoonotic parasite in humans. Local ecological changes at the landscape scale appear to be increasing the risk of disease in humans by altering the dynamics of transmission between the parasite and its primary hosts. This paper will focus on the emergence of P. knowlesi in humans in Malaysian Borneo and the ecological linkage mechanisms suggested to be playing an important role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gael Davidson
- CENRM and School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Tock H Chua
- Department of Pathobiology and Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
| | - Angus Cook
- School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | | | - Philip Weinstein
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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15
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Anamulai S, Sanusi R, Zubaid A, Lechner AM, Ashton-Butt A, Azhar B. Land use conversion from peat swamp forest to oil palm agriculture greatly modifies microclimate and soil conditions. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7656. [PMID: 31632845 PMCID: PMC6796957 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) agriculture is rapidly expanding and requires large areas of land in the tropics to meet the global demand for palm oil products. Land cover conversion of peat swamp forest to oil palm (large- and small-scale oil palm production) is likely to have negative impacts on microhabitat conditions. This study assessed the impact of peat swamp forest conversion to oil palm plantation on microclimate conditions and soil characteristics. The measurement of microclimate (air temperature, wind speed, light intensity and relative humidity) and soil characteristics (soil surface temperature, soil pH, soil moisture, and ground cover vegetation temperature) were compared at a peat swamp forest, smallholdings and a large-scale plantation. Results showed that the peat swamp forest was 1.5–2.3 °C cooler with significantly greater relative humidity, lower light intensities and wind speed compared to the smallholdings and large-scale plantations. Soil characteristics were also significantly different between the peat swamp forest and both types of oil palm plantations with lower soil pH, soil and ground cover vegetation surface temperatures and greater soil moisture in the peat swamp forest. These results suggest that peat swamp forests have greater ecosystem benefits compared to oil palm plantations with smallholdings agricultural approach as a promising management practice to improve microhabitat conditions. Our findings also justify the conservation of remaining peat swamp forest as it provides a refuge from harsh microclimatic conditions that characterize large plantations and smallholdings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subasini Anamulai
- Department of Forest Management, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ruzana Sanusi
- Department of Forest Management, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.,Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Product, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Akbar Zubaid
- Faculty of Science and Technology, National University of Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Alex M Lechner
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Adham Ashton-Butt
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, United Kingdom
| | - Badrul Azhar
- Department of Forest Management, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.,Biodiversity Unit, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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16
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Azhar B, Saadun N, Prideaux M, Lindenmayer DB. The global palm oil sector must change to save biodiversity and improve food security in the tropics. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2017; 203:457-466. [PMID: 28837912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Most palm oil currently available in global markets is sourced from certified large-scale plantations. Comparatively little is sourced from (typically uncertified) smallholders. We argue that sourcing sustainable palm oil should not be determined by commercial certification alone and that the certification process should be revisited. There are so-far unrecognized benefits of sourcing palm oil from smallholders that should be considered if genuine biodiversity conservation is to be a foundation of 'environmentally sustainable' palm oil production. Despite a lack of certification, smallholder production is often more biodiversity-friendly than certified production from large-scale plantations. Sourcing palm oil from smallholders also alleviates poverty among rural farmers, promoting better conservation outcomes. Yet, certification schemes - the current measure of 'sustainability' - are financially accessible only for large-scale plantations that operate as profit-driven monocultures. Industrial palm oil is expanding rapidly in regions with weak environmental laws and enforcement. This warrants the development of an alternative certification scheme for smallholders. Greater attention should be directed to deforestation-free palm oil production in smallholdings, where production is less likely to cause large scale biodiversity loss. These small-scale farmlands in which palm oil is mixed with other crops should be considered by retailers and consumers who are interested in promoting sustainable palm oil production. Simultaneously, plantation companies should be required to make their existing production landscapes more compatible with enhanced biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Badrul Azhar
- Biodiversity Unit, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Norzanalia Saadun
- Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Margi Prideaux
- Indo Pacific Governance Research Centre, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - David B Lindenmayer
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, Australian National University, Canberra ACT, 2601, Australia
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Yahya MS, Syafiq M, Ashton-Butt A, Ghazali A, Asmah S, Azhar B. Switching from monoculture to polyculture farming benefits birds in oil palm production landscapes: Evidence from mist netting data. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:6314-6325. [PMID: 28861235 PMCID: PMC5574735 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoculture farming is pervasive in industrial oil palm agriculture, including those RSPO plantations certified as sustainably managed. This farming practice does not promote the maintenance of farmland biodiversity. However, little scientific attention has been given to polyculture farming in oil palm production landscapes. Polyculture farming is likely to increase the floristic diversity and stand structural complexity that underpins biodiversity. Mist nets were used to sample birds at 120 smallholdings in Peninsular Malaysia. At each site, 12 vegetation structure characteristics were measured. We compared bird species richness, abundance, and composition between monoculture and polyculture smallholdings and used predictive models to examine the effects of habitat quality on avian biodiversity. Bird species richness was significantly greater in polyculture than that of monoculture smallholdings. The number of fallen and standing, dead oil palms were also important positive predictors of species richness. Bird abundance was also strongly increased by standing and dead oil palms and decreased with oil palm stand height. Our results indicate that polyculture farming can improve bird species richness in oil palm production landscapes. In addition, key habitat variables that are closely associated with farming practices, such as the removal of dead trees, should and can be managed by oil palm growers in order to promote biodiversity. To increase the sustainability of oil palm agriculture, it is imperative that stakeholders modify the way oil palms are currently planted and managed. Our findings can guide policy makers and certification bodies to promote oil palm production landscapes that will function more sustainably and increase existing biodiversity of oil palm landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad S Yahya
- Department of Forest Management Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
| | - Muhamad Syafiq
- Department of Forest Management Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
| | - Adham Ashton-Butt
- Institute for Life Sciences University of Southampton Southampton UK
| | - Amal Ghazali
- Department of Forest Management Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
| | - Siti Asmah
- Department of Forest Management Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
| | - Badrul Azhar
- Department of Forest Management Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia.,Biodiversity Unit Institute of Bioscience Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
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