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Melo RS, Alexandrino ER, de Paula FR, Boscolo D, de Barros Ferraz SF. Promoting Bird Functional Diversity on Landscapes with a Matrix of Planted Eucalyptus spp. in the Atlantic Forest. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 73:395-407. [PMID: 37796334 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01888-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Promoting the diversity of biological communities in areas of agricultural production is a very current debate since protected areas may not be sufficient to ensure biodiversity conservation. Among the biological communities affected by the production areas are birds, which show rapid responses to changes in the landscape. Here we seek to understand how landscape planning, concerning its composition and configuration, in areas with a matrix of planted Eucalyptus spp. forests influences the functional diversity of bird assemblages in the Atlantic Forest. Our results show that the spatial distribution design of planted forests in terms of age, land cover and clone types have effects on bird diversity with regard to functional divergence, functional evenness and species richness. These results reinforce the importance of good management for the maintenance of bird diversity. We found that bird functional diversity in planted forest matrices increased with the proximity index, proportion of native vegetation and age importance value, and is negatively influenced by edge density and proportion of forest plantation. For bird conservation, it is thus better to associate Eucalyptus spp. with other cover types in the landscape. These results corroborate that, to increase bird functional diversity, it is possible to associate conservation and production in the same landscape. Mosaic landscapes have great potential to contribute to the conservation of bird biodiversity outside protected areas. However, decisions regarding the management of planted forests and planning of improved areas intended for conservation seem to be decisive to ensure the maintenance of bird biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Siqueira Melo
- Laboratório de Hidrologia Florestal, Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz"-ESALQ, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, CEP 13.418-900, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
| | - Eduardo Roberto Alexandrino
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Manejo e Conservação da Fauna Silvestre, Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz"-ESALQ, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, CEP 13.418-900, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Felipe Rossetti de Paula
- Laboratório de Hidrologia Florestal, Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz"-ESALQ, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, CEP 13.418-900, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
| | - Danilo Boscolo
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto-FFCLRP, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, CEP 14.040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- Institute of Science and Technology in Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies in Ecology and Evolution (IN-TREE), Salvador, Brazil
| | - Silvio Frosini de Barros Ferraz
- Laboratório de Hidrologia Florestal, Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz"-ESALQ, Universidade de São Paulo-USP, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, CEP 13.418-900, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil
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Brandl SJ, Lefcheck JS, Bates AE, Rasher DB, Norin T. Can metabolic traits explain animal community assembly and functioning? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1-18. [PMID: 36054431 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
All animals on Earth compete for free energy, which is acquired, assimilated, and ultimately allocated to growth and reproduction. Competition is strongest within communities of sympatric, ecologically similar animals of roughly equal size (i.e. horizontal communities), which are often the focus of traditional community ecology. The replacement of taxonomic identities with functional traits has improved our ability to decipher the ecological dynamics that govern the assembly and functioning of animal communities. Yet, the use of low-resolution and taxonomically idiosyncratic traits in animals may have hampered progress to date. An animal's metabolic rate (MR) determines the costs of basic organismal processes and activities, thus linking major aspects of the multifaceted constructs of ecological niches (where, when, and how energy is obtained) and ecological fitness (how much energy is accumulated and passed on to future generations). We review evidence from organismal physiology to large-scale analyses across the tree of life to propose that MR gives rise to a group of meaningful functional traits - resting metabolic rate (RMR), maximum metabolic rate (MMR), and aerobic scope (AS) - that may permit an improved quantification of the energetic basis of species coexistence and, ultimately, the assembly and functioning of animal communities. Specifically, metabolic traits integrate across a variety of typical trait proxies for energy acquisition and allocation in animals (e.g. body size, diet, mobility, life history, habitat use), to yield a smaller suite of continuous quantities that: (1) can be precisely measured for individuals in a standardized fashion; and (2) apply to all animals regardless of their body plan, habitat, or taxonomic affiliation. While integrating metabolic traits into animal community ecology is neither a panacea to disentangling the nuanced effects of biological differences on animal community structure and functioning, nor without challenges, a small number of studies across different taxa suggest that MR may serve as a useful proxy for the energetic basis of competition in animals. Thus, the application of MR traits for animal communities can lead to a more general understanding of community assembly and functioning, enhance our ability to trace eco-evolutionary dynamics from genotypes to phenotypes (and vice versa), and help predict the responses of animal communities to environmental change. While trait-based ecology has improved our knowledge of animal communities to date, a more explicit energetic lens via the integration of metabolic traits may further strengthen the existing framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J Brandl
- Department of Marine Science, The University of Texas at Austin, Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas, TX, 78373, USA
| | - Jonathan S Lefcheck
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network and MarineGEO Program, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, 21037, USA
| | - Amanda E Bates
- Biology Department, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Douglas B Rasher
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME, 04544, USA
| | - Tommy Norin
- DTU Aqua: National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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Heim W, Thomas A, Berner I, Korschefsky T, Hölzel N, Kamp J. Anthropogenic fire patterns affect niche breadth and niche overlap in sympatric songbird species. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155160. [PMID: 35417726 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The severity of wildfires increases globally, and return intervals decrease. Fires can benefit biodiversity, as post-burn early successional stages provide diverse habitats and niches for many species. How fire disturbance affects niche use and niche overlap of species is poorly understood so far. We studied the effect of anthropogenic fire on breeding habitat use, niche breadth and niche overlap of five sympatric bunting species breeding in wetlands of the Amur River floodplain (Russian Far East). Fire frequency, measured as the time an area burnt in the period 2000 to 2017, was mapped from Landsat imagery and related to the presence or absence of the species. Niche breadth and niche overlap were calculated separately for occurrences in burned (within the study year) and unburned patches. Fire frequency characterized differences in niche use among the species, but the probability of presence was not affected by recent fire in four of five species. Niche breadth was significantly lower in recently burned patches, but we found no increase in niche overlap between species after fire. Instead, the studied species seemed to occupy similar patches before and after fire, possibly because of a high site fidelity. Our results clearly show that fire frequency is a major determinant for the niche separation in the five studied species, while recent fire does not affect niche overlap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wieland Heim
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149 Münster, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, 20500 Turku, Finland.
| | - Alexander Thomas
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Xueyuan Road No.1088, 518055 Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Isabelle Berner
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Tim Korschefsky
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Norbert Hölzel
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Johannes Kamp
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149 Münster, Germany; Department of Conservation Biology, University of Göttingen, Bürgerstr. 50, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
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R Grinde A, B Youngquist M, A Slesak R, R Kolbe S, D Bednar J, J Palik B, W D'Amato A. Potential impacts of emerald ash borer and adaptation strategies on wildlife communities in black ash wetlands. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2567. [PMID: 35138662 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Black ash wetlands cover approximately 1.2 million ha of wetland forest in the western Great Lakes region, providing critical habitat for wildlife. The future of these wetlands is critically threatened by a variety of factors, including emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis; emerald ash borer [EAB]), which has been eliminating native populations of otherwise healthy ash throughout the Great Lakes region since it was discovered in 2002. To quantify the potential impacts of tree mortality from EAB on wildlife communities, we measured seasonal bird, mammal, and amphibian diversity in black ash wetlands using a dual approach: (1) documenting bird and amphibian species across 27 mature reference black ash wetlands in northern Minnesota, USA and (2) assessing how bird, mammal, and amphibian communities respond to experimental manipulations of black ash forests that emulate mortality and management strategies related to the potential impact of EAB. In total, 85 wildlife species were recorded for the entire study including 57 bird species, 5 amphibian species, and 23 mammal species. Results from the reference sites show that hydrologic regime, percentage of ash canopy cover, and understory cover were important habitat characteristics for bird and amphibian communities. Results from the experimental sites show there may be short-term increases in species richness for mammal and bird communities associated with changes in forest structure due to ash mortality; however, anticipated changes resulting from EAB-caused mortality, particularly the conversion of these sites to non-forested wetlands, will lead to significant shifts in bird and mammal community composition. Loss of ash may cause declines in forest-dependent species and increases in open-canopy and wetland-associated species. Additionally, whereas increased ponding extent and longer hydroperiods may be beneficial for some amphibian species, the loss of the forest canopy will result in an overall decrease in bird diversity and reduce forest connectivity for all species. Our results indicate the potential for significant large-scale impacts of black ash mortality on forest-associated wildlife. Management strategies that focus on establishing alternative trees species to maintain long-term forest cover and structural complexity in these wetlands will help to maintain and conserve wildlife diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis R Grinde
- Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - Melissa B Youngquist
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Robert A Slesak
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Olympia, Washington, USA
| | - Stephen R Kolbe
- Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - Josh D Bednar
- Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - Brian J Palik
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USA
| | - Anthony W D'Amato
- University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Burlington, Vermont, USA
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Bowd E, Blanchard W, McBurney L, Lindenmayer D. Direct and indirect disturbance impacts on forest biodiversity. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elle Bowd
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
| | - Wade Blanchard
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
| | - Lachlan McBurney
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
| | - David Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 Australia
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Duchac LS, Lesmeister DB, Dugger KM, Davis RJ. Differential landscape use by forest owls two years after a mixed‐severity wildfire. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Leila S. Duchac
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
- Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Damon B. Lesmeister
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Katie M. Dugger
- U.S. Geological Survey Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Raymond J. Davis
- USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
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He X, Brown C, Lin L. Relative importance of deterministic and stochastic processes for beta diversity of bird assemblages in Yunnan, China. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xuelian He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming650223China
- National Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna Menglun Mengla Yunnan666303China
| | - Calum Brown
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK‐IFU) Garmisch‐Partenkirchen Germany
| | - Luxiang Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Kunming650223China
- National Forest Ecosystem Research Station at Xishuangbanna Menglun Mengla Yunnan666303China
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute Chinese Academy of Sciences Menglun Mengla Yunnan666303China
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Rainsford FW, Kelly LT, Leonard SWJ, Bennett AF. Fire and functional traits: Using functional groups of birds and plants to guide management in a fire‐prone, heathy woodland ecosystem. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Frederick W. Rainsford
- Department of Ecology Environment and Evolution La Trobe University Bundoora Vic. Australia
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes La Trobe University Bundoora Vic. Australia
| | - Luke T. Kelly
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Steve W. J. Leonard
- Department of Ecology Environment and Evolution La Trobe University Bundoora Vic. Australia
- Department of Primary Industries Hobart Tas. Australia
| | - Andrew F. Bennett
- Department of Ecology Environment and Evolution La Trobe University Bundoora Vic. Australia
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes La Trobe University Bundoora Vic. Australia
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9
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Nelson M, Hosler SC, Boetzl FA, Jones HP, Barber NA. Reintroduced grazers and prescribed fire effects on beetle assemblage structure and function in restored grasslands. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02217. [PMID: 32810923 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Ecological restoration seeks to reestablish functioning ecosystems, but planning and evaluation often focus on taxonomic community structure and neglect consumers and their functional roles. The functional trait composition of insect assemblages, which make up the majority of animal diversity in many systems, can reveal how they are affected by restoration management and the consequences for ecosystem function. We sampled ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages in restored tallgrass prairies varying in management with prescribed fire and reintroduced American bison (Bison bison) to describe their taxonomic and functional trait structure. We also measured seed and arthropod predation to relate management, beetle assemblage characteristics, and function, and to test if function is maximized by trait diversity, dominant trait values, or beetle abundance. Beetle assemblages primarily varied with restoration age, declining over time in richness and both taxonomic and functional diversity, but bison presence also influenced taxonomic composition. Prescribed fire reduced seed predation in summer and arthropod predation in fall. Although seed predation was unrelated to beetle assemblages, arthropod predation was greater in sites with higher abundances of carnivorous ground beetles. The relatively weak impacts of fire and bison on functional assemblage structure is a promising sign that these management disturbances, aimed at supporting a diverse native plant community, are not detrimental to beetle assemblages. The significance of reduced predator function following prescribed fire will depend on the restoration context and whether seed or arthropod predation relates to management goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Nelson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, 155 Castle Dr. DeKalb, Chicago, Illinois, 60115, USA
| | - Sheryl C Hosler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, 155 Castle Dr. DeKalb, Chicago, Illinois, 60115, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60607, USA
| | - Fabian A Boetzl
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Holly P Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, 155 Castle Dr. DeKalb, Chicago, Illinois, 60115, USA
- Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability, and Energy, Northern Illinois University, 155 Castle Dr. DeKalb, Chicago, Illinois, 60115, USA
| | - Nicholas A Barber
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, 155 Castle Dr. DeKalb, Chicago, Illinois, 60115, USA
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California, 92182, USA
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Docherty TDS, Hethcoat MG, MacTavish LM, MacTavish D, Dell S, Stephens PA, Willis SG. Burning savanna for avian species richness and functional diversity. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02091. [PMID: 32043665 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Prescribed fire is used throughout fire-prone landscapes to conserve biodiversity. Current best practice in managing savanna systems advocates methods based on the assumption that increased fire-mediated landscape heterogeneity (pyrodiversity) will promote biodiversity. However, considerable knowledge gaps remain in our understanding of how savanna wildlife responds to the composition and configuration of pyrodiverse landscapes. The effects of pyrodiversity on functional diversity have rarely been quantified and assessing this relationship at a landscape scale that is commensurate with fire management is important for understanding mechanisms underlying ecosystem resilience. Here, we assess the impact of spatiotemporal variation in a long-term fire regime on avian diversity in North West Province, South Africa. We examined the relationship between (1) species richness, (2) three indices of functional diversity (i.e., functional richness, functional evenness, and functional dispersion) and four measures of pyrodiversity, the spatial extents of fire age classes, and habitat type at the landscape scale. We then used null models to assess differences between observed and expected functional diversity. We found that the proportion of newly burned (<1-yr post-fire), old, unburned (≥10 yr post-fire), and woodland habitat on the landscape predicted species and functional richness. Species richness also increased with the degree of edge contrast between patches of varying fire age, while functional dispersion increased with the degree of patch shape complexity. Lower than expected levels of functional richness suggest that habitat filtering is occurring, resulting in functional redundancy across our study sites. We demonstrate that evaluating functional diversity and redundancy is an important component of conservation planning as they may contribute to previously reported fire resilience. Our findings suggest that it is the type and configuration, rather than the diversity, of fire patches on the landscape that promote avian diversity and conserve ecological functions. A management approach is needed that includes significant coverage of adjacent newly burned and older, unburned savanna habitat; the latter, in particular, is inadequately represented under current burning practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teegan D S Docherty
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew G Hethcoat
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Rd, Sheffield, S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Lynne M MacTavish
- Mankwe Wildlife Reserve, P.O. Box 20784 Protea Park 0305, Mogwase, Northwest Province, South Africa
| | - Dougal MacTavish
- Mankwe Wildlife Reserve, P.O. Box 20784 Protea Park 0305, Mogwase, Northwest Province, South Africa
| | - Stephen Dell
- Pilanesberg National Park, North West Parks Board, Mogwase, South Africa
| | - Philip A Stephens
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen G Willis
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
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Ikin K, Barton PS, Blanchard W, Crane M, Stein J, Lindenmayer DB. Avian functional responses to landscape recovery. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 286:20190114. [PMID: 30991926 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Restoring native vegetation in agricultural landscapes can reverse biodiversity declines via species gains. Depending on whether the traits of colonizers are complementary or redundant to the assemblage, species gains can increase the efficiency or stability of ecological functions, yet detecting these processes is not straightforward. We propose a new conceptual model to identify potential changes to complementarity and redundancy in response to landscape change via relative changes in taxonomic and functional richness. We applied our model to a 14-year study of birds across an extensive agricultural region. We found compelling evidence that high levels of landscape-scale tree cover and patch-scale restoration were significant determinants of functional change in the overall bird assemblage. This was true for every one of the six traits investigated individually, indicating increased trait-specific functional complementarity and redundancy in the assemblage. Applying our conceptual model to species diversity data provided new insights into how the return of vertebrates to restored landscapes may affect ecological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Ikin
- 1 Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia.,2 ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia
| | - Philip S Barton
- 1 Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia
| | - Wade Blanchard
- 1 Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia
| | - Mason Crane
- 1 Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia.,3 Sustainable Farms, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia
| | - John Stein
- 1 Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia
| | - David B Lindenmayer
- 1 Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia.,2 ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia.,3 Sustainable Farms, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia.,4 National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Hub, The Australian National University , Frank Fenner Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 , Australia
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12
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Lindenmayer DB, Blanchard W, Blair D, Westgate MJ, Scheele BC. Spatiotemporal effects of logging and fire on tall, wet temperate eucalypt forest birds. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 29:e01999. [PMID: 31519053 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Forests globally are subject to disturbances such as logging and fire that create complex temporal variation in spatial patterns of forest cover and stand age. However, investigations that quantify temporal changes in biodiversity in response to multiple forms of disturbance in space and time are relatively uncommon. Over a 10-yr period, we investigated the response of bird species to spatiotemporal changes in forest cover associated with logging and wildfire in the mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forests of southeastern Australia. Specifically, we examined how bird occurrence changed with shifts in the proportion of area burned or logged in a 4.5 km radius surrounding our 88 long-term field survey sites, each measuring 1 ha in size. Overall species richness was greatest in older forest patches, but declined as the amount of fire around each site increased. At the individual species level, 31 of the 37 bird species we modeled exhibited a negative response to the amount of fire in the surrounding landscape, while one species responded positively to fire. Only nine species exhibited signs of recovery in the 6 yr of surveys following the fire. Five species were more likely to be detected as the proportion of logged forest surrounding a site increased, suggesting a possible "concentration effect" with displaced birds moving into unlogged areas following harvesting of adjacent areas. We also identified relationships between the coefficients of life history attributes and spatiotemporal changes in forest cover and stand age. Large-bodied birds and migratory species were associated with landscapes subject to large amounts of fire in 2009. There were associations between old growth stands and small-bodied bird species and species that were not insectivores. Our study shows that birds in mountain ash forests are strongly associated with old growth stands and exhibit complex, time-dependent, and species-specific responses to landscape disturbance. Despite logging and fire both being high-severity perturbations, no bird species exhibited similar responses to fire and logging in the landscape surrounding our sites. Thus, species responses to one kind of landscape-scale disturbance are not readily predictable based on an understanding of the responses to another kind of (albeit superficially similar) disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
- Threatened Species Recovery Hub, National Environmental Science Program, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Wade Blanchard
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - David Blair
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
- Threatened Species Recovery Hub, National Environmental Science Program, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Martin J Westgate
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Ben C Scheele
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
- Threatened Species Recovery Hub, National Environmental Science Program, Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
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Laméris DW, Tagg N, Kuenbou JK, Sterck EHM, Willie J. Drivers affecting mammal community structure and functional diversity under varied conservation efforts in a tropical rainforest in Cameroon. Anim Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. W. Laméris
- Animal Ecology Research Group Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
- Centre for Research & Conservation (CRC) Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA) Antwerp Belgium
| | - N. Tagg
- Centre for Research & Conservation (CRC) Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA) Antwerp Belgium
- Association de la Protection de Grands Singes (APGS) Yaoundé Cameroon
| | - J. K. Kuenbou
- Department of Forestry Dschang University Dschang Cameroon
| | - E. H. M. Sterck
- Animal Ecology Research Group Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
- Ethology Research Biomedical Primate Research Centre Rijswijk The Netherlands
| | - J. Willie
- Centre for Research & Conservation (CRC) Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA) Antwerp Belgium
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit Ghent University Ghent Belgium
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14
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He T, Lamont BB, Pausas JG. Fire as a key driver of Earth's biodiversity. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1983-2010. [PMID: 31298472 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Many terrestrial ecosystems are fire prone, such that their composition and structure are largely due to their fire regime. Regions subject to regular fire have exceptionally high levels of species richness and endemism, and fire has been proposed as a major driver of their diversity, within the context of climate, resource availability and environmental heterogeneity. However, current fire-management practices rarely take into account the ecological and evolutionary roles of fire in maintaining biodiversity. Here, we focus on the mechanisms that enable fire to act as a major ecological and evolutionary force that promotes and maintains biodiversity over numerous spatiotemporal scales. From an ecological perspective, the vegetation, topography and local weather conditions during a fire generate a landscape with spatial and temporal variation in fire-related patches (pyrodiversity), and these produce the biotic and environmental heterogeneity that drives biodiversity across local and regional scales. There have been few empirical tests of the proposition that 'pyrodiversity begets biodiversity' but we show that biodiversity should peak at moderately high levels of pyrodiversity. Overall species richness is greatest immediately after fire and declines monotonically over time, with postfire successional pathways dictated by animal habitat preferences and varying lifespans among resident plants. Theory and data support the 'intermediate disturbance hypothesis' when mean patch species diversity is correlated with mean fire intervals. Postfire persistence, recruitment and immigration allow species with different life histories to coexist. From an evolutionary perspective, fire drives population turnover and diversification by promoting a wide range of adaptive responses to particular fire regimes. Among 39 comparisons, the number of species in 26 fire-prone lineages is much higher than that in their non-fire-prone sister lineages. Fire and its byproducts may have direct mutagenic effects, producing novel genotypes that can lead to trait innovation and even speciation. A paradigm shift aimed at restoring biodiversity-maintaining fire regimes across broad landscapes is required among the fire research and management communities. This will require ecologists and other professionals to spread the burgeoning fire-science knowledge beyond scientific publications to the broader public, politicians and media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhua He
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.,College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Byron B Lamont
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
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15
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Law B, Kathuria A, Chidel M, Brassil T. Long-term effects of repeated fuel-reduction burning and logging on bats in south-eastern Australia. AUSTRAL ECOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Law
- NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
| | - Amrit Kathuria
- NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
| | - Mark Chidel
- NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
| | - Traecey Brassil
- NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
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16
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Grooms BP, Urbanek RE. Exploring the effects of non-consumptive recreation, trail use, and environmental factors on state park avian biodiversity. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 227:55-61. [PMID: 30172159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.08.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
State parks serve an important dual role in conservation by balancing wildlife management and recreation activities by park visitors. However, research in recreation ecology on the collective impacts of non-consumptive recreation, environmental factors, and trail design has been sparse. We modeled the influences of non-consumptive trail use, vegetation communities, habitat structure, climate, and trail design on avian communities in four Arkansas State parks. Our results suggested that non-consumptive trail use, environmental factors, and trail design may have collective influences on avian communities. Trailside vegetation structure and aspects of trail design had stronger effects on park avian communities than non-consumptive trail use. Our findings suggest that trail design and environmental factors may play a larger role in shaping avian communities in areas where non-consumptive trail use rates are low. In order to manage the coexistence of flora and fauna with human recreation effectively, park managers should employ decision frameworks that collectively consider the effects from anthropogenic and environmental variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bennett P Grooms
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas Tech University, 1701 North Boulder Avenue, McEver Hall, Russellville, AR, 72801, USA.
| | - Rachael E Urbanek
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 South College Road, Wilmington, NC, 28403, USA.
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17
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Santillán V, Quitián M, Tinoco BA, Zárate E, Schleuning M, Böhning-Gaese K, Neuschulz EL. Different responses of taxonomic and functional bird diversity to forest fragmentation across an elevational gradient. Oecologia 2018; 189:863-873. [PMID: 30506305 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4309-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have investigated how habitat fragmentation affects the taxonomic and functional diversity of species assemblages. However, the joint effects of habitat fragmentation and environmental conditions on taxonomic and functional diversity, for instance across elevational gradients, have largely been neglected so far. In this study, we compare whether taxonomic and functional indicators show similar or distinct responses to forest fragmentation across an elevational gradient. We based our analysis on a comprehensive data set of species-rich bird assemblages from tropical montane forest in the Southern Andes of Ecuador. We monitored birds over 2 years in two habitat types (continuous and fragmented forest) at three elevations (i.e., 1000, 2000, and 3000 m a.s.l) and measured nine morphological traits for each bird species on museum specimens. Bird species richness and abundance were significantly higher in fragmented compared to continuous forests and decreased towards high elevations. In contrast, functional diversity was significantly reduced in fragmented compared to continuous forests at low elevations, but fragmentation effects on functional diversity tended to be reversed at high elevations. Our results demonstrate that taxonomic and functional indicators can show decoupled responses to forest fragmentation and that these effects are highly variable across elevations. Our findings reveal that functional homogenization in bird communities in response to fragmentation can be masked by apparent increases in taxonomic diversity, particularly in diverse communities at low elevations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinicio Santillán
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany. .,Escuela de Biología, Ecología Y Gestión, Universidad Del Azuay, Av. 24 de Mayo 7-77 Y Hernán Malo, 01.01.981, Cuenca, Ecuador.
| | - Marta Quitián
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Boris A Tinoco
- Escuela de Biología, Ecología Y Gestión, Universidad Del Azuay, Av. 24 de Mayo 7-77 Y Hernán Malo, 01.01.981, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Edwin Zárate
- Escuela de Biología, Ecología Y Gestión, Universidad Del Azuay, Av. 24 de Mayo 7-77 Y Hernán Malo, 01.01.981, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Matthias Schleuning
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Katrin Böhning-Gaese
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Eike Lena Neuschulz
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
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18
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Law B, Doty A, Chidel M, Brassil T. Bat activity before and after a severe wildfire in Pilliga forests: Resilience influenced by fire extent and landscape mobility? AUSTRAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Law
- Forest Science Unit; NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
| | - Anna Doty
- Forest Science Unit; NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
| | - Mark Chidel
- Forest Science Unit; NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
| | - Traecey Brassil
- Forest Science Unit; NSW Primary Industries; Locked Bag 5123 Parramatta New South Wales 2124 Australia
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Bowd EJ, Lindenmayer DB, Banks SC, Blair DP. Logging and fire regimes alter plant communities. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:826-841. [PMID: 29411919 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 12/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Disturbances are key drivers of plant community composition, structure, and function. Plant functional traits, including life forms and reproductive strategies are critical to the resilience and resistance of plant communities in the event of disturbance. Climate change and increasing anthropogenic disturbance are altering natural disturbance regimes globally. When these regimes shift beyond the adaptive resilience of plant functional traits, local populations and ecosystem functions can become compromised. We tested the influence of multiple disturbances, of varying intensity and frequency, on the composition and abundance of vascular plant communities and their respective functional traits (life forms and reproductive strategies) in the wet sclerophyll, Mountain Ash Eucalyptus regnans forests of southeastern Australia. Specifically, we quantified the effect of the type and number of disturbances (including fires, clearcut logging, and salvage logging) on plant community composition. We found that clearcut and salvage logging and the number of fires significantly influenced plant community composition and functional traits. Specifically, multiple fires resulted in lower populations of species that depend on on-site seeding for persistence. This includes the common tree species Eucalyptus regnans, Pomaderris aspera, and Acacia dealbata. In contrast, clearcut and salvage logged sites supported abundant on-site seeder species. However, species that depend on resprouting by surviving individuals, such as common and keystone "tree ferns" Dicksonia antarctica and Cyathea australis, declined significantly. Our data have important implications for understanding the relationship between altered disturbance regimes and plant communities and the respective effects on ecosystem function. In a period of rapid global environmental change, with disturbances predicted to increase and intensify, it is critical to address the impact of altered disturbance regimes on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elle J Bowd
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - David B Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Sam C Banks
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - David P Blair
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
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20
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Li D, Waller DM. Fire exclusion and climate change interact to affect long-term changes in the functional composition of plant communities. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daijiang Li
- Department of Botany; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison WI USA
| | - Donald M. Waller
- Department of Botany; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison WI USA
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21
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Lee MB, Martin JA. Avian Species and Functional Diversity in Agricultural Landscapes: Does Landscape Heterogeneity Matter? PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170540. [PMID: 28125653 PMCID: PMC5268393 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While the positive relationship between avian diversity and habitat heterogeneity is widely accepted, it is primarily based on observed species richness without accounting for imperfect detection. Other facets of diversity such as functional diversity are also rarely explored. We investigated the avian diversity-landscape heterogeneity relationship in agricultural landscapes by considering two aspects of diversity: taxonomic diversity (species richness) estimated from a multi-species dynamic occupancy model, and functional diversity (functional evenness [FEve] and divergence [FDiv]) based on traits of occurring species. We also assessed how agricultural lands enrolled in a conservation program managed on behalf of declining early successional bird species (hereafter CP38 fields, an agri-environment scheme) influenced avian diversity. We analyzed breeding bird data collected at CP38 fields in Mississippi, USA, during 2010–2012, and two principal components of environmental variables: a gradient of heterogeneity (Shannon’s landscape diversity index) and of the amount of CP38 fields (percent cover of CP38 fields; CP38). FEve did not show significant responses to environmental variables, whereas FDiv responded positively to heterogeneity and negatively to CP38. However, most FDiv values did not significantly differ from random expectations along an environmental gradient. When there was a significant difference, FDiv was lower than that expected. Unlike functional diversity, species richness showed a clear pattern. Species richness increased with increasing landscape heterogeneity but decreased with increasing amounts of CP38 fields. Only one species responded negatively to heterogeneity and positively to CP38. Our results suggest that the relationships between avian diversity and landscape heterogeneity may vary depending on the aspect of diversity considered: strong positive effects of heterogeneity on taxonomic diversity, but weakly positive or non-significant effects on functional diversity. Our results also indicate that effectiveness of CP38 in conserving avian diversity, particularly, taxonomic diversity, could be limited without the consideration of landscape heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myung-Bok Lee
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi State, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - James A. Martin
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Savannah River Ecology Lab, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
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22
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Opposing Responses of Bird Functional Diversity to Vegetation Structural Diversity in Wet and Dry Forest. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0164917. [PMID: 27741290 PMCID: PMC5065136 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Disturbance regimes are changing worldwide, and the consequences for ecosystem function and resilience are largely unknown. Functional diversity (FD) provides a surrogate measure of ecosystem function by capturing the range, abundance and distribution of trait values in a community. Enhanced understanding of the responses of FD to measures of vegetation structure at landscape scales is needed to guide conservation management. To address this knowledge gap, we used a whole-of-landscape sampling approach to examine relationships between bird FD, vegetation diversity and time since fire. We surveyed birds and measured vegetation at 36 landscape sampling units in dry and wet forest in southeast Australia during 2010 and 2011. Four uncorrelated indices of bird FD (richness, evenness, divergence and dispersion) were derived from six bird traits, and we investigated responses of these indices and species richness to both vertical and horizontal vegetation diversity using linear mixed models. We also considered the extent to which the mean and diversity of time since fire were related to vegetation diversity. Results showed opposing responses of FD to vegetation diversity in dry and wet forest. In dry forest, where fire is frequent, species richness and two FD indices (richness and dispersion) were positively related to vertical vegetation diversity, consistent with theory relating to environmental variation and coexistence. However, in wet forest subject to infrequent fire, the same three response variables were negatively associated with vertical diversity. We suggest that competitive dominance by species results in lower FD as vegetation diversity increases in wet forest. The responses of functional evenness were opposite to those of species richness, functional richness and dispersion in both forest types, highlighting the value of examining multiple FD metrics at management-relevant scales. The mean and diversity of time since fire were uncorrelated with vegetation diversity in wet forest, but positively correlated with vegetation diversity in dry forest. We therefore suggest that protection of older vegetation is important, but controlled application of low-severity fire in dry forest may sustain ecosystem function by enhancing different elements of FD.
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