基于景观镶嵌度指数的森林破碎化模式动态——以美国俄勒冈州为例

有效的景观模式特征评价及其变动预测是合理调控和管理森林景观、维持景观安全格局的基本前提.利用3期美国国家土地覆盖数据库(1992、2001和2006年),采用景观镶嵌度指数与马尔科夫模型相结合的方法,分析了美国俄勒冈州的森林破碎化模式及森林与其他土地利用类型空间交互特征的变化.结果表明:景观镶嵌度模型中,开发主导的景观镶嵌类型(D)转变为单一的开发类型(DD)的概率最大,为0.319,说明城市化是推动区域景观格局变化的主要动力;森林安全度模型中,主要为农业和开发景观镶嵌类型(ad)的森林损失率最高,表明在城市与农业占主导的景观上森林被吞噬的可能性最大;稳态分布表明,森林破碎化趋势日益加剧,到稳定状态时森林占总区域的面积比例不到50%,空间分布趋向于混合型的景观格局.景观镶嵌度模型2006年模拟值与实际值Kappa系数达到0.82,模型精度较高;森林安全度模型Kappa系数为0.21,模型精度较差.     

黑龙江省森林景观多样性动态

讨论了1949—1981年黑龙江省森林景观多样性的动态。利用1949年和1981年森林资源分布图,选取7个有代表性的度量景观多样性的定量指标：斑块密度、周长-面积分数维、聚集度、斑块散布与毗连指数、Shannon多样性指数、优势度、均匀度,在ESRI’S ARCGIS 8和FRAGSTATS 3．3软件支持下,系统研究了景观元素空间格局的变化。结果表明在近32年的时间进程中,区域森林景观破碎化现象加剧,其中以红松(Pinus koraiensis)林的破碎化最为严重。从斑块多样性、格局多样性和类型多样性的动态变化分析看出,原生的景观斑块类型在数量上不断减少或被异类景观所代替,即景观类型所占景观表面的百分比发生了变化,从而引起景观内部空间格局的改变。整个森林的景观多样性和景观类型分布的均匀性降低,优势度增加。人类不合理的经济活动,如毁林开荒、乱砍滥伐等,改变了景观异质性,从而造成景观多样性的变化。现在应该把对森林的保护和经营提到日程上来。天然林保护工程的实施对于促进林业部门休养生息、培育与保护森林资源,保护生物多样性和改善生态环境等具有重要意义。保护现有森林资源,实行采育结合,实施天然林保护工程,使森林的经营走可持续发展的道路是切实可行的解决办法．     

基于“空间形态-破碎化-聚集度”的粤港澳大湾区森林景观格局时空演变

森林景观格局的时空演变研究能够帮助理解区域森林变化过程。传统的景观指数方法多以均值为计算结果且空间信息表达不足，基于形态学方法能够从空间上直观辨别景观类型，综合破碎化和聚集度的定量分析有助于进一步认识森林景观格局的演变特征。以1990、2000、2010、2020年粤港澳大湾区土地利用数据为基础，建立基于“空间形态-破碎化-聚集度”的综合研究框架，开展大湾区森林景观格局的时空演变研究。结果表明：(1)近30年大湾区森林形态以核心区为主，森林面积逐渐减少，而2010—2020年减少速率降低，各类型森林斑块均有所恢复；(2)整体破碎化程度较低，中部破碎化地区表现为先上升后下降的变化趋势；(3)聚集度结果表明，距离森林边界500 m内的森林斑块面积最大，约占研究区总面积的30%,而距离大于4.5 km的非森林斑块面积几乎翻倍增加，应重点关注该区域的森林损失。研究有助于全面理解森林景观格局的变化特征，相关结果可为粤港澳大湾区的森林生态修复工程、国土空间规划以及城市可持续发展提供科学依据。     

基于景观镶嵌度指数的森林破碎化模式动态——以美国俄勒冈州为例

有效的景观模式特征评价及其变动预测是合理调控和管理森林景观、维持景观安全格局的基本前提.利用3期美国国家土地覆盖数据库(1992、2001和2006年),采用景观镶嵌度指数与马尔科夫模型相结合的方法,分析了美国俄勒冈州的森林破碎化模式及森林与其他土地利用类型空间交互特征的变化.结果表明: 景观镶嵌度模型中,开发主导的景观镶嵌类型(D)转变为单一的开发类型(DD)的概率最大,为0.319,说明城市化是推动区域景观格局变化的主要动力;森林安全度模型中,主要为农业和开发景观镶嵌类型(ad)的森林损失率最高,表明在城市与农业占主导的景观上森林被吞噬的可能性最大;稳态分布表明,森林破碎化趋势日益加剧,到稳定状态时森林占总区域的面积比例不到50%,空间分布趋向于混合型的景观格局.景观镶嵌度模型2006年模拟值与实际值Kappa系数达到0.82,模型精度较高;森林安全度模型Kappa系数为0.21,模型精度较差.     

中国森林破碎化多尺度评价

基于2010年50 m空间分辨率森林分布图,我们利用森林破碎化模型制作了中国森林6个不同破碎化类型(内部森林、孔洞森林、边缘森林、斑块森林、过渡森林和未确定森林)的空间分布图。然后结合2010年中国行政区划图,对比分析了不同尺度行政区域的森林破碎化情况。结果表明:在国家尺度上,斑块森林的比例最大(49.05%),内部森林的比例最小(3.40%);在区域尺度上,东北地区森林破碎化程度最低,西南地区森林破碎化程度次之,华北平原、华中地区、山东半岛、黄淮海平原的森林破碎化程度最高;在省级尺度上,上海市森林破碎化程度最高,天津市次之,云南省及黑龙江省森林破碎化程度较低;在县级尺度上,陕西省所属的县森林破碎化程度最低。由此可知,总体上我国森林破碎化情况较为严重,但不同森林破碎化类型的空间分布存在较大差异。本研究可为各级林业部门管理森林资源以及优化林业生产和森林空间格局中提供数据支持,提高森林的生态系统服务功能和生物多样性保护功能。     

基于遥感影像的丹霞山国家级自然保护区森林景观格局分析

森林景观格局分析是景观格局优化、森林资源的可持续性经营与保护的重要基础。以无人机遥感影像和DEM为基础数据,利用ArcGIS和Fragstats软件对所选取的不同景观指数进行计算,分析了丹霞山森林景观的类型、格局特征及其地形分异规律。结果表明:1)从类型水平指数来看,丹霞山森林景观类型以天然林为主,占总面积的78.42%,表现出较高的集中连片性;2)从景观水平指数来看,丹霞山景观多样性和均匀度指数均较低,而蔓延度指数和连通度指数则较高,分别为77.85和99.97,表明景观以少数大面积的斑块为主,斑块间连接密切,自然连通度高; 3)从功能分区景观格局和地形分异规律来看,与人类活动密切相关的农田、人工林、裸地、居民地、人工水体和自然水体六类森林景观主要集中分布于海拔较低(60—150 m)、坡度平缓(0—5°)、无坡向的实验区内;灌木、草地、天然林和裸岩四类森林景观则较均衡的分布于海拔60—350m的各级坡度和坡向的核心区和缓冲区内。综上所述,丹霞山森林景观保持完好,破碎化程度较低,人为活动干扰较少,斑块之间物质、能量和物种交换的潜力较大。应建立无人机遥感监测系统,长期、准确的跟踪森林景...     

区域城市扩张对森林景观破碎化的影响——以粤港澳大湾区为例

森林生境丧失与景观破碎化是引起生物多样性下降,生态系统功能降低的重要原因。量化森林景观破碎化的时空特征及其与城市扩张格局的关系是开展区域生态修复与功能提升的重要基础。本文以快速城市化的典型区域——粤港澳大湾区为研究对象,基于遥感解译的1980年、1990年、2000年、2010年和2018年土地覆盖/利用专题图,通过多尺度的景观格局分析和统计分析,定量解析森林景观破碎化的时空演变特征及其与城市扩张格局间的关系。研究结果显示：1）1980-2018年,大湾区林地覆盖面积缩减1,274 km²,林地转变为建设用地的面积占林地丧失总面积的比例从1980-1990年的11%增长至2010-2018年的42%,表明城市扩张已成为林地丧失的主导因素;2）森林景观破碎化程度加剧,表现为林地斑块密度提高,平均斑块面积减小,但破碎类型与程度具有地域差异;3）城市扩张幅度与空间格局显著影响林地破碎化,其中,城市扩张幅度对林地破碎化的影响更为重要。基于森林景观破碎化与城市扩张的现状,落实城市增长边界划定、关键斑块-廊道识别与生态网络构建等措施,有助于保护与连通重要生态空间,保障和提升生态功能。     

庐山森林景观空间分布格局及多尺度特征

森林景观是区域整体景观的重要组成部分,研究其空间分布格局对于优化区域景观整体结构和发挥生态经济效益具有重要意义。基于庐山2010年植被斑块数据,将森林景观划分为常绿阔叶林、落叶阔叶林、松类、杉类和竹类等5类景观,从森林景观的不同发育阶段和林分类型角度出发,运用点格局分析法分析5类森林景观空间分布格局特征。最邻近距离分析表明:5类森林景观空间分布类型均服从集聚分布但聚集强弱有变化;不同发育阶段的森林景观空间分布类型以集聚分布为主,随机分布为辅,尤其幼龄林比较显著,中龄林和老龄林次之;5类森林景观的天然林均服从集聚分布,人工林大多趋于随机分布,只有松类和杉类呈显著集聚分布。Ripley's K函数揭示了不同发育阶段和林分类型的森林景观的多尺度集聚特征,即在小尺度范围内服从随机分布,随着空间距离的增大,以空间特征尺度为分界线,空间聚集强度先逐渐增强,随后不断减弱。总体来看,庐山森林景观的发育阶段主要处于幼年时期,原始植被遭到人类大肆破坏,幼龄林大片分布,属于典型的恢复性植被,未来要重点保护好天然林,减少人为干扰,实现森林景观适度集聚。研究庐山森林景观的空间分布和多尺度特征可以为生态环境保护和实现森林可持续经营提供理论指导。     

呼中林区森林景观的历史变域模拟及评价

在大兴安岭地区呼中区,将物种的年龄和分布信息进行随机化处理后,应用空间直观景观模型LANDIS对森林景观进行长时间(2500a)模拟,取物种演替稳定时间段作为模拟历史变域的数据来源.分别在景观水平和年龄类型水平上利用景观指数空间分析、主成分分析和核密度估计方法分析景观格局历史变域的模拟结果,并在二维空间坐标内,将研究区1990年、2000年森林景观特征与之比较.结果表明,各树种面积比例在模拟900a后都达到稳定状态,可作为无干扰条件下森林景观特征的历史变域;由于长期采伐,研究区1990年景观的斑块面积和破碎化程度都偏离了该历史变域,其中,过熟林偏离最明显,其斑块面积远小于历史变域,破碎化程度非常严重;虽然1990年后的采伐管理方案比之前的更为合理,但2000年的森林景观仍旧继续偏离历史变域.     

北京东灵山地区景观格局及破碎化评价

 人类活动已将北京东灵山地区地带性原生暖温带落叶阔叶林破坏殆尽。本项研究基于植被图,在地理信息系统(GIS)支持下,选择多种景观格局指数,从斑块面积、斑块数、斑块周长、分形维数和多样性的角度进行了格局分析和破碎化评价。结果表明,该区景观类型以次生林和灌丛为主,面积分布极不均衡,且多呈小面积零散分布。各森林类型的分布面积、周长和斑块数一般小于灌丛、草地和农田,且边界密度和斑块密度较高,显示出较高程度的破碎化。各景观类型的平均斑块面积和周长遵从分形规律,分形维数1.30,景观整体的斑块边界的褶皱程度较低。景观多样性的Shannon指数,景观组分的类型面积(2.262)<类型周长(2.435)<类型斑块数(2.675),均小于等概率情形(2.940)。上述结果均显示,该区森林景观破碎化程度较高。     

Introducing a new method for assessing spatially explicit processes of landscape fragmentation

Landscape fragmentation is commonly defined as having five distinct phases (perforation, dissection, subdivision, shrinkage, and attrition). Previous studies focus on using landscape pattern metrics to interpret the phase of the landscape. A critical but underinvestigated aspect is that these five phases are also spatially explicit processes. This study proposes a new method to map and measure the different spatially explicit processes of landscape fragmentation. Unlike previous studies that are based on landscape pattern metrics, this current study measures landscape change directly. The new method is applied to Bao’an District in Shenzhen, China, to investigate forest land fragmentation under rapid urbanization. Landsat data were used to map the land use distributions from 1978 to 2009. Results show that different spatial processes occur simultaneously throughout the study area as well as in different study periods of forest fragmentation. Shrinkage was the dominant spatial process in the early period. In the later period, subdivision played a more important role, followed by attrition. Interestingly, urban land was not the leading land use that directly encroached on forest land, as many other studies have shown. Instead, forest land was first converted to orchard land, and orchard land was converted to urban land. The study contributes to Forman's general model of spatially explicit processes of landscape fragmentation and holds implications for urban planning policy and practice. The study concludes that the new method is effective in understanding and assessing forest land fragmentation, especially in the context of rapid urbanization.     

内蒙古大兴安岭林草交错区耕地景观演变及空间过程

探究退耕还林(草)和耕地保护双重背景下耕地的动态变化对林草交错区的国土空间规划、生态安全等具有重要意义。研究基于1990、2000、2010年和2018年30 m空间分辨率土地利用数据，通过土地利用动态度指标及转移矩阵，定量分析了交错区耕地的时空变化特征。进而，建立景观变化空间过程模型，将耕地扩张的空间过程分为填充式、廊道式、蔓延式、飞地式四种类型，将耕地萎缩的空间过程分为穿孔、破碎化、收缩、消失四种类型。结果表明：(1)1990—2000、2000—2010、2010—2018年耕地动态度分别为8.65%、-0.33%和-0.07%,耕地面积净增加2974.28 km²。(2)1990—2018年草地向耕地转入2589.23 km²,是耕地增加的主要来源；1990—2000、2000—2010年耕地转出的主要途径均为草地，2010—2018年人工表面成为耕地转出的主要去向。(3)1990—2018年，耕地扩张过程呈现出“飞地式-廊道式/蔓延式-蔓延式”的演变趋势，主要表现为由无序扩张的飞地式转变为依靠原有耕地增长的蔓延式，整个过程符合星点式...     

Dung beetle community (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in a tropical landscape at the Lachua Region,Guatemala

Biological diversity conservation within natural reserves has been prioritized, but conservation efforts outside protected areas (where most human activities take place) have been very little considered. In this scenario, an alternative agricultural practice that may reduce the impacts of fragmentation in outer landscapes is a perforation process, which involves conservation in agricultural fields surrounded by continuous forests. Such practices enhance the positive impact of ecological services on fields. In this study we analyzed the biological diversity state in perforation fields and their surrounding forests. The analysis was done using dung beetles as biological indicators. A nested pattern in dung beetles distribution was found, which ordered the surrounding continuous forest sites as the ones with the highest species richness, followed by the perforation fields, and placed the fragmentation practice fields (continuous agricultural fields surrounding forest patches) with the lowest one. Indicator species for perforation fields and surrounding continuous forests were chosen. In general, perforation practice fields differed in composition, based upon functional groups richness and identity; it also contained a higher species richness than the fragmentation practice. Agricultural practices that enhance biological diversity conservation such as perforation, should be recommended and considered in natural resource management by local communities in order to take advantage of ecological services that otherwise may be gradually lost.     

Biodiversity and ecological forest-cover domains in boreal landscapes

Studies of spatial forest patterns have traditionally focused on habitat remnants within a landscape, but few have explicitly accounted for natural habitat patterns inherent to those landscapes. At broader scales, all cover types are to some degree subdivided. In boreal forest landscapes, forests, peat lands and water bodies form a variety of different spatial structures depending on their proportions and arrangement. To assess the spatial arrangement of forest patches relevant to organisms and ecological processes, we systematically sampled and analysed 57 boreal forest landscapes (10,000 ha in size) in central Finland. Our results show that even though forest is spatially very subdivided into discrete patches in boreal landscapes it becomes generally well-connected if narrow non-forested gaps are ignored. The proportion of forest cover varied from 17.8 to 75.3% and the number of discrete forest patches from 37 to 213. The average percolation threshold for forest cover was 46.8%. If ≤100 m wide non-forested gaps were ignored and forest patches were joined, the percolation threshold dropped to 33.3%. There were on average 13 discrete clusters of forest patches if forest patches within 200 m distance were combined. These results suggest that if a boreal forest species is able to cross even relatively narrow non-forested gaps, it is likely to perceive these boreal forest landscapes as continuous. Even though our present analysis was based on static forest cover patterns, it is important to consider landscape pattern domains when assessing habitat fragmentation and its consequences to populations of organisms.     

Forest expansion or fragmentation? Discriminating forest fragments from natural forest patches through patch structure and spatial context metrics

In forest–grassland mosaics, patches can result from two processes: forest expansion over grassy ecosystems and forest fragmentation. We tested the hypothesis that patches produced by these processes differed in structure and spatial context in a forest–grassland mosaic in the southern Brazilian highlands. We compared a present‐day land cover map with a past vegetation map to identify natural forest patches and forest fragments. Patches were described according to structure (size, core area and shape metrics) and spatial context (distance from roads and urban areas, edge contrast). Principal component analyses were used to examine gradients of patch types, and differences were tested by analysis of variance with randomization test. We found 878 natural patches and 214 fragments. Natural forest patches, riparian forest patches and forest fragments differed in structure and spatial context. In comparison to natural forest patches, fragments tend to be larger, with larger core areas, and more irregular and complex in shape. Fragments are situated in a different spatial context, tending to be closer to roads and urban areas and to present higher edge contrast. Riparian natural forest patches are similar to natural forest patches, except for shape. The smaller area and regular shape of natural patches probably result from the mechanisms involved in nucleus formation in the grassland matrix and from current grassland management. Natural patches are less exposed to some anthropogenic stresses, since most of them remain in a native grassland matrix context. Our results show that inferring process from pattern is not trivial, because different processes – forest expansion and forest fragmentation – may lead to either distinct or similar patterns of patch shape and spatial context. Studying patch structure and spatial context may then provide further insight into understanding changes in vegetation pattern at landscape scale, and in disentangling the effects of concurrent processes.     

Generation of Spatial Patterns in Boreal Forest Landscapes

Boreal forests are composed of a few plant species with contrasting traits with respect to ecosystem functioning and spatial patterning. Early successional deciduous species, such as birch and aspen, disperse seeds widely, do not tolerate low light and nitrogen availabilities, have rapidly decaying litter, and are highly preferred by herbivores. These later succeed to conifers, such as spruce and fir, which disperse seeds locally, tolerate low light levels and low nitrogen availability, have litter that decays slowly, and are unpalatable to most mammalian herbivores. Although there are also early successional conifers, such as jack pine and Scots pine, the aspen-birch-spruce-fir successional sequence is the most common over much of North America, and (without fir) in Fennoscandia and Siberia. The course of succession in these forests is controlled partly by seed dispersal and selective foraging by mammalian herbivores. Both of these processes are spatially dynamic, but little is known about how their spatial dynamics may affect ecosystem processes, such as nitrogen cycling or productivity. We present spatially explicit models that demonstrate the following: (a) Spatially explicit seed dispersal results in more clumped distribution of tree species and persistence of greater paper birch biomass than uniform seed rain across the landscape. Such results are consistent with current spatially explicit population models of dispersal and coexistence. (b) With localized seed dispersal, the concentrations of available soil nitrogen are distributed in larger patches with sharp transitions from low to high nitrogen availability near patch edges. In contrast, with a uniform seed rain, the distribution of soil nitrogen availability was more uniform and “hotspots” were more localized. Thus, the spatial pattern of an ecosystem process (nitrogen cycling) is determined by seed dispersal and competition for light among competing populations. (c) A dispersing herbivore, such as moose, that selectively forages on early successional deciduous species with high quality litter, such as aspen or birch, and discriminates against late successional conifers, such as spruce or fir, imposes higher-order repeated patterns of plant species and biomass distribution on the landscape. Thus, seed dispersal and herbivore foraging correlate properties in adjacent patches but in different ways, and different spatial patterns emerge. Other processes, such as insect outbreaks, fire, and water flow, also may correlate properties between adjacent patches and result in additional patterns. Received 8 February 1999; accepted 28 May 1999.     

Characterizing a tropical deforestation wave: a dynamic spatial analysis of a deforestation hotspot in the Colombian Amazon

Tropical deforestation is the major contemporary threat to global biodiversity, because a diminishing extent of tropical forests supports the majority of the Earth's biodiversity. Forest clearing is often spatially concentrated in regions where human land use pressures, either planned or unplanned, increase the likelihood of deforestation. However, it is not a random process, but often moves in waves originating from settled areas. We investigate the spatial dynamics of land cover change in a tropical deforestation hotspot in the Colombian Amazon. We apply a forest cover zoning approach which permitted: calculation of colonization speed; comparative spatial analysis of patterns of deforestation and regeneration; analysis of spatial patterns of mature and recently regenerated forests; and the identification of local‐level hotspots experiencing the fastest deforestation or regeneration. The colonization frontline moved at an average of 0.84 km yr^?1 from 1989 to 2002, resulting in the clearing of 3400 ha yr^?1 of forests beyond the 90% forest cover line. The dynamics of forest clearing varied across the colonization front according to the amount of forest in the landscape, but was spatially concentrated in well‐defined ‘local hotspots’ of deforestation and forest regeneration. Behind the deforestation front, the transformed landscape mosaic is composed of cropping and grazing lands interspersed with mature forest fragments and patches of recently regenerated forests. We discuss the implications of the patterns of forest loss and fragmentation for biodiversity conservation within a framework of dynamic conservation planning.     

Multitemporal analysis of forest fragmentation in the upstream region of the Nenjiang River Basin,Northeast China

The present study investigated the forest transition and fragmentation process using historical topographic maps and multi-temporal satellite images in the upstream region of Nenjiang River Basin, Northeast China from 1954 to 2010. Area-weighted centroid method, associated with the area-weighted mean patch fractal dimension (AWMPFD) and core area percentage of landscape (CPL), were used to estimate the spatial movement of forest as well as its spatial fragmentation process. The forest was further classified into high dense forest, low dense forest, and shrub forest to analyze the forest transition process, among these forest types or between forests and other landscape types. An obvious deforestation was observed during 1954–2000, with two different fragmentation processes in two periods: the first fragmentation process from 1954 to 1976 was mainly observed along the ecotone between forest and other landscape classes while the second fragmentation process from 1976 to 2000 was observed both in the ectone and interior area of forest patches. The afforestation process was observed during 2000–2010 due to the issue of a series of policies by the national and local government. GIS-based landscape index, coupled with socio-economic and political driving forces analysis, proved its unique value and effective in assessing landscape pattern and dynamics.     

Fragmentation alters beta‐diversity patterns of habitat specialists within forest metacommunities

The relative importance of local, regional and historical factors in controlling the spatial patterns of plant species distribution is still poorly known and challenging for conservation ecology. We conducted an empirical study to link the spatial variation of species and environments among forest patches embedded in contrasted agricultural matrices. We compared how forest herb communities responded to spatial environmental gradients and past forest cover. We found low values of β‐diversity in both unfragmented and highly fragmented systems, independently from local and regional diversities. As fragmentation increased, the spatial structure of local plant communities was more complex and spatial effects explained an increasing proportion of β‐diversity, suggesting that the importance of dispersal limitations increased and played out at broad spatial scales. However, where spatio‐temporal isolation of forest patches was the highest, local species assemblages could not be explained, suggesting that the metacommunity functioning was disrupted. Where the historical continuity was high, local environmental characteristics explained a significant amount of species assemblages within metacommunities, suggesting habitat‐selection processes. Beta‐diversity and variations in presence–absence of species were also influenced by the intensity of landscape management, via the permeability of both forest edges and the matrix. This spatially‐explicit analysis of metacommunities revealed that forest fragmentation impacts beta‐diversity by altering not only the relative importance of deterministic and stochastic processes, but also the spatial scales at which they act. These results provide empirical support for the conservation of ancient forests and the maintenance of a high connectedness between fragments within agricultural landscapes.     

Local and Regional Variation in Local Frequency of Multiple Coffee Pests Across a Mosaic Landscape in Coffea arabica's Native Range

Shaded coffee has been highlighted for its potential to conserve biodiversity, and thus perhaps also a diversity of natural enemies that could control pest organisms. In southwestern Ethiopia, coffee is grown in shade both in contiguous forests and in forest patches with native trees surrounded by open fields. We hypothesized that coffee grown in contiguous forests, which is the natural habitat for coffee (Coffea arabica) and its interacting organisms, would have less pest damage due to high protection by natural enemies. We surveyed pests on coffee plants in plots within contiguous forests (10 sites) and in forest patches (21 sites). In general, the variation in number of damaged or attacked leaves by individual insect or fungal pests was larger between plants than between plots, which suggests that very local conditions or processes are important. The spatial signals were generally weak. Coffee rust and coffee blotch miner tended to have lower infestation rates in accordance with our hypothesis, while fruit flies in ripe berries were more abundant in forest patches closer to contiguous forest. Based on interviews, olive baboons showed a clear dependency on contiguous forest habitat and were regarded as a problem only in contiguous forests and forest patches close to contiguous forests. In conclusion, we found no support for a generally stronger top‐down control on coffee pests in sites within, or with connectivity to, contiguous moist afromontane forests in the native range of coffee.