Distribution of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) across a forest-grassland ecotone in southwestern China

This paper studied the occurrence of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the forest edge, the adjacent forest interior, and the surrounding grassland in southwestern China. Beetles were collected with pitfall traps along five replicated transects. Forest species rarely penetrated into the grassland from the forest interior, and the grassland specialists were not found in the forest interior. The forest edge hosted additional species from the adjacent grassland that increased its overall species richness. Nearly all forest species (23 of 24 species) and grassland species (13 of 15 species) can be found in the forest edge. Carabids of the forest edge were more similar to those of the forest interior than to those of the grassland by ordination and cluster analysis. Based on the specificity and fidelity, carabids can be distinguished into five species groups: habitat generalists, grassland-associated species, forest generalists, forest specialists, and edge-associated species. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that canopy cover and/or shrub cover were the most important factors in determining the richness, abundance, and diversity of carabids. The forest edge may serve as a transition zone for dispersal and re-colonization of carabid beetles from adjacent habitats and therefore is important for natural conservation.     

Landscape and area effects on beetle assemblages in Ontario

We compared beetles collected from eight forest fragments in a suburban-agricultural setting and one contiguous forest in south-central Ontario. Samples were collected by pan traps from the interior of continuous forest and upland deciduous forest fragments ranging in size from 43 to 2350 ha. The pooled sample was composed of 4561 individuals from 117 species. Differences in beetle assemblages was primarily due to variation in patch isolation, although actual fragment size had a significant effect on the abundance of native and forest specializing carabid species, and the amount of forest interior habitat had a significant effect on the total number of beetle species and ground beetle species richness (family Carabidae). Fragments which were less isolated on a local scale (within a 2 km radius) had a species composition most similar to that found in continuous forest, regardless of whether the actual forest area was small or large. Marked differences in abundance and biomass were also attributed to variation in the amount of local forest cover. We suggest that a reduction in patch isolation may be an appropriate conservation strategy to improve beetle diversity and abundance in fragmented landscapes.     

Arthropods on plants in a fragmented Neotropical dry forest: A functional analysis of area loss and edge effects

Loss and fragmentation of natural ecosystems are widely recognized as the most important threats to biodiversity conservation, with Neotropical dry forests among the most endangered ecosystems. Area and edge effects are major factors in fragmented landscapes. Here, we examine area and edge effects and their interaction, on ensembles of arthropods associated to native vegetation in a fragmented Chaco Serrano forest. We analyzed family richness and community composition of herbivores, predators, and parasitoids on three native plant species in 12 fragments of varying size and at edge/interior positions. We also looked for indicator families by using Indicator Species Analysis. Loss of family richness with the reduction of forest fragment area was observed for the three functional groups, with similar magnitude. Herbivores were richer at the edges without interaction between edge and area effects, whereas predators were not affected by edge/interior position and parasitoid richness showed an interaction between area and position, with a steeper area slope at the edges. Family composition of herbivore, predator, and parasitoid assemblages was also affected by forest area and/or edge/interior situation. We found three indicator families for large remnants and five for edges. Our results support the key role of forest area for conservation of arthropods taxonomic and functional diversity in a highly threatened region, and emphasize the need to understand the interactions between area and edge effects on such diversity.     

哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林木质藤本对边缘效应的响应

全球范围内森林片断化现象日益严重。与其他木本植物(乔木和灌木)相比, 木质藤本更趋向于分布在片断化森林的边缘, 因而了解木质藤本对边缘效应的响应对于进一步了解其对森林动态的影响极其必要。本文对哀牢山中山湿性常绿阔叶林林缘到林内环境梯度上木质藤本的变化进行了调查。在形成年龄分别为13年、35年和53年的3种类型的林缘, 设置从林缘向林内连续延伸的长方形样地(20 m × 50 m)各10个(总面积3 ha), 每个样地再划分为5个20 m × 10 m的样方。在每个样方内对胸径≥ 0.2 cm且长度≥ 2.0 m的木质藤本进行了每木调查。在3 ha的林缘样地中共记录到木质藤本植物2,426株, 隶属于14科19属31种。木质藤本的物种丰富度和多度均随距林缘距离的增加而降低, 边缘效应深度在35年林缘的边缘为30 m, 13和53年林缘的边缘则为20 m; 它们的胸高断面积在53年林缘的边缘效应深度为20 m, 但在13和35年林缘的不同距离上差异不显著。木质藤本对边缘效应的响应在物种水平上存在显著差异, 主要呈现正向和中性的响应格局, 包括只分布于林缘的物种, 和从林缘到林内环境梯度上密度逐渐降低的物种; 也有对边缘效应不敏感的物种。典范对应分析(CCA)表明, 林冠开度、边缘形成年龄和土壤水分是决定木质藤本在片断化森林边缘分布的重要影响因子。     

How forest edge-center transitions in the herb layer interact with beech dominance versus tree diversity

Aims Forest fragmentation and the associated augmentation of forest edge zones are increasing worldwide. Forest edges are characterized by altered plant species richness and community composition. As the tree layer and its species composition has been shown to influence herb layer composition, changes in tree species composition or richness may weaken or strengthen edge effects in forest ecosystems. We studied effects of the edge–center transition, tree species composition and their potential interaction on the understory vegetation in the Hainich National Park, Germany's largest connected deciduous forest, allowing to cover large edge–center transects.Methods We established 12 transects in an area of 75 km 2 of continuous forest, 6 beech-dominated and 6 in multispecies forest stands. Each transect reached from the forest edge up to 500 m into the forest interior. Vegetation relevés were conducted in regular, logarithmic distances along each transect.Important findings Herb species richness was influenced by an interaction of edge effects and tree diversity level. With increasing distance from the forest edge, herb species richness remained constant in multispecies forest stands but rapidly decreased in beech-dominated forest stands. Further, herb richness was higher in the interior of multispecies forest stands. Percent forest specialists increased and percent generalists decreased with distance from the edge and this contrasting pattern was much more pronounced in beech-dominated transects. By using structural equation modeling, we identified litter depth mediated by tree species composition as the most important driver of herb layer plant species richness.     

川西周公山柳杉人工林群落的边缘效应

为研究人工林群落的边缘效应特征, 本文以川西周公山森林公园的柳杉(Cryptomeria fortunei)人工林破碎化大斑块为对象, 以植株平均胸径、平均高度、平均密度、丰富度指数(D)和Shannon-Wiener指数(H)来综合衡量边缘效应深度。在实地踏查的基础上, 从林缘向林内(梯度1至梯度5)设置5条样带(宽度为10 m), 在每条样带中设置4个10 m × 10 m的小样方进行调查。结果表明: (1)从物种组成上看, 在总面积为2,000 m²的20个小样方中共记录到111个物种, 隶属于54科96属, 物种数从林缘至林内递减。(2)从群落结构上看, 乔木层的平均胸径从林缘至林内呈减小趋势, 平均密度则相反, 平均高度无显著变化; 灌木层的平均密度从林缘向林内减小, 平均高度无显著变化; 草本层的平均密度和平均高度均呈减小趋势。(3)从物种多样性上看, 总体上各层次的丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener指数均从林缘向林内呈减小趋势, 其中灌木层和草本层的变化趋势最明显; 同时, 林内各梯度与梯度1 (林缘)的共有种和相似性系数从林缘向林内递减。(4)分析各项群落特征发现, 平均高度、平均密度和相似性系数的数值在梯度2向梯度3过渡时的起伏变化最明显, 推断本研究中柳杉人工林斑块的边缘深度可达林内20 m。     

How good are carabid beetles (Coleoptera,Carabidae) as indicators of invertebrate abundance and order richness?

Ground invertebrates were sampled by pitfall trapping on Brentmoor Heath, Surrey, UK during the summers of 2009 and 2010 to determine whether the abundance and species richness of carabids on bare ground patches are representative of invertebrate abundance and order richness on the same patches. Four patch sizes were investigated as well as the adjacent mown and unmown areas, and a range of environmental parameters were measured at each patch. Results show that increasing abundance and richness of carabids can give a broad indication of whether invertebrate abundance and order richness are increasing. Invertebrates in general are sensitive to a greater number of environmental variables and complex interactions than carabids are, due to the vast array of biological requirements of the large range of invertebrate species. All else being equal, smaller patches appear to benefit both carabid abundance and invertebrate abundance. Converse to the results of carabid species richness, larger patches appear to benefit invertebrate order richness. This study highlights the importance of testing the effect of habitat management strategies on a range of taxa rather than assuming the results for a bioindicator will suffice for management decisions. Whilst bioindicators may give a broad indication of effects on similar taxa, the precise nature of those effects will be determined by a number of species- and site-specific variables.     

Howling on the edge: Mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) howling behaviour and anthropogenic edge effects in a fragmented tropical rainforest in Costa Rica

The function of long calling is a subject of interest across animal behaviour study, particularly within primatology. Many primate species have male‐specific long‐distance calls, including platyrrhines like the folivorous howler monkey (Alouatta spp.). Howler monkeys may howl to defend resources such as feeding trees or areas of rich vegetation from other monkey groups. This study tests the ecological resource defence hypothesis for howling behaviour in the mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) and investigates how anthropogenic forest fragmentation may influence howling behaviour. More specifically, this study examines how howling bout rate, duration, precursors and tree species richness, DBH, and canopy cover vary in 100 m anthropogenic edge and interior forest zones at La Suerte Biological Research Station (LSBRS), a fragmented tropical rainforest in Costa Rica. Results show that tree species richness and canopy cover are higher in forest interior at this site, suggesting that monkeys should howl at greater rates in the interior to defend access to these higher‐quality vegetation resources. Overall, our results supported the ecological resource defence hypothesis. The main howl precursor was howling from neighbouring groups. Although howling rate did not differ between forest zones, howling bouts from forest interior were longer, had a greater number of howls per bout and were preceded by different precursors than howls from anthropogenic edge zones, including more howls from neighbouring groups. Our findings provide some of the first evidence for behavioural edge effects in primate vocal communication behaviour.     

Forest–farm edge effects on communities of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) under different landscape structures

In fragmented landscapes, ecological processes may be significantly influenced by edge effects, but few data are available for edge effects across forest–farmland edges. We investigated patterns of species richness, abundance, and species composition in ground beetles across forest–farm edges in two different agro-forest landscapes in Korea. Nine and five sites were selected from Hwaseong, a fragmented landscape, in 2011 and 2012, respectively, while eight sites were selected from Hoengseong, a relatively well-protected landscape, in 2012. Ground beetles were collected by pitfall trapping. Species richness was higher in the surrounding habitat than in the forest interior or edge in both Hwaseong and Hoengseong. However, in Hwaseong, species richness of the forest edge was similar to that of the forest interior, while in Hoengseong forest edge species richness was intermediate between that of the forest interior and surrounding areas. In addition, non-metric multidimensional scaling based on the combined data of both locations showed that the species composition of ground beetles in the forest edge was more similar to that of the forest interior than the surrounding areas, although some open-habitat species occurred at the forest edges. Three characteristic groups (forest specialists, edge-associated species, and open-habitat species) of ground beetle species were detected by indicator value analysis. In our study, ground beetle assemblages differed in the forest edges of two agro-forest landscapes, suggesting that the edge effect on biota can be influenced by landscape structure.     

Carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) at forest-farmland edges in southern Finland

We studied carabid beetle abundance at eight forest-farmland edges using pitfall traps across 60-m gradients (30 m into the forest, 30 m into the adjacent farmland) in southern Finland in May–August 2001. Carabid assemblages changed gradually across the studied gradients, the most drastic changes occurring right at the edge (5 m). Forest-associated carabids were often caught in farmland habitat within 20–30 m from the edges, and open-habitat carabids were also caught in the forest patches. However, these two groups responded to the edge in slightly different ways. Forest carabids were abundant all across the gradient from forest interior to the edge ( 80 m 9), while open-habitat carabids showed a drastic abundance decrease toward the forest, 5–10 m before the edge the abundance-change slope across the edge: gradient was steeper for open-habitat than for forest carabids. Wing-dimorphic and long-winged carabids increased more steeply from forest to farmland, compared to short-winged carabids. Moreover, carabids associated with dry and moist habitat showed indications of stronger response to the edge than did eurytopic species. The pair-wise comparisons between predatory/mixed-diet carabids and seed-eaters, spring and autumn breeders, and day- and night-active species did not indicate edge-response differences.     

Early effects of forest regeneration with selective and small scale clear-cutting on ground beetles (Coleoptera,Carabidae) in a Norway spruce stand in Southern Bavaria (Höglwald)

This study investigates the early effects of forest regeneration with selective, and small scale clear-cutting, on ground beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) community composition in a homogenous, mature spruce forest in Southern Bavaria (Höglwald), Germany. Carabid beetles were sampled with pitfall-, emergence-, and window-traps, from 1999 to 2001 during a pre-treatment year, the year of cutting, and the year after cutting. In the spruce stand we found a relatively low species richness with few dominating species. Selective cutting preserved this carabid assemblage. At the clear-cuts carabid species richness increased in the year of cutting, because of the invasion of small open field species, and the persistence of most forest species. Also, number of individuals increased due to higher numbers caught in the window-traps. The first open habitat species appeared just a few months after felling. However, in the next year the numbers of individuals, especially of forest species,were drastically reduced. Also, the number of species decreased, and was just slightly higher than on the control plot (mature stand). According to the DCA (detrended correspondence analysis) forest interior species had the same habitat preferences as net building spiders (Amaurobiidae, Linyphiidae) and other families of beetles (Staphylinidae, Curculionidae). Several groups of open habitat species responded positively on different patches found in the clear-cut: (1) diversity ofground vegetation, respectively coverage of shrubs, (2) favour for moist patterns, and water filled ruts (together with Gastropoda), or (3) low coverage of ground vegetation (together with free hunting spiders, Lycosidae). Different structures side by side (mature forest, selective cutting, open areas) may improve diversity on a forest scale. Small openings can serve as an important retreat for open habitat species. However, if clear-cuts become the dominant element, forest species maybe threatened. With selective cutting species richness of carabids is not improved; however, the remaining forest carabid species may be preserved during the early phase of the regeneration process.     

山西庞泉沟自然保护区步甲物种组成及多样性格局

利用巴氏罐诱法,对山西庞泉沟国家自然保护区的不同功能区——核心区（绿色长廊）、缓冲区（八道沟）、远离农田实验区（神尾沟）及靠近农田实验区（八水沟）——林地地表甲虫步甲物种多样性进行了调查和比较,目的在于探明该保护区有代表性林地步甲物种的组成及受不同程度人为干扰下的多样性格局。结果表明：（1）本研究共捕获步甲物种42种,38种是该保护区的新记录种类,其中粗皱步甲Carabus crassesculptus和沟步甲C. canaliculatus 为优势种,与尖角通缘步甲Pterostichus eschscholtzii,强足通缘步甲P. fortipes,罕丽步甲C. manifestus和长叶步甲C. vladimirskyi一起构成研究地的常见种。（2）不同功能区物种组成和数量分布各不相同,多样性各项指标均是靠近农田的实验区最高,核心区最低。（3）各功能区具有特有的指示性种类,其中黄条春步甲Notiophilus reitteri为核心区指示种; 凹唇春步甲N. impressifrons 为缓冲区指示种; 粒步甲C．granulatus,刻翅步甲C．sculptipennis 和中华通缘步甲P．chinensis为实验区指示种。（4）群落相似性分析表明缓冲区与核心区及远离农田实验区之间具有较高的相似性,靠近农田实验区与其他3个地点相似性较低。结果提示适度干扰可提高物种丰富度,但降低人为干扰（如旅游和交通压力）有利于步甲多样性的保护。     

Edge effects as the principal cause of area effects on birds in fragmented secondary forest

Bird communities in tropical forests are strongly affected by both patch area and habitat edges. The fact that both effects are intrinsically confounded in space raises questions about how these two widely reported ecological patterns interact, and whether they are independent or simply different spatial manifestations of the same phenomenon. Moreover, do small patches of secondary forest, in landscapes where the most sensitive species have gone locally extinct, exhibit similar patterns to those previously observed in fragmented and continuous primary forests? We addressed these questions by testing edge‐related differences in vegetation structure and bird community composition at 31 sites in fragmented and continuous landscapes in the imperilled Atlantic forest of Brazil. Over a two‐year period, birds were captured with mist nets to a standardized effort of 680 net‐hours at each site (～22 000 net‐hours resulting in 3381 captures from 114 species). We found that the bird community in patches of secondary forest was degraded in species composition compared to primary continuous forest, but still exhibited a strong response to edge effects. In fragmented secondary forests, edge and area effects also interacted, such that the magnitude of edge to interior differences on bird community composition declined markedly with patch size. The change in bird species composition between forest interiors and edges was similar to the change in community composition between large and small patches (because species had congruent responses to edge and area), but after controlling for edge effects community composition was no longer affected by patch area. Our results show that although secondary forests hold an impoverished bird community, ecological patterns such as area and edge effects are similar to those reported for primary forests. Our data provide further evidence that edge effects are the main drivers of area effects in fragmented landscapes.     

Carabid Beetle and Spider Assemblages along a Forested Urban–Rural Gradient in Southern Finland

To investigate the effects of urbanization on carabid beetles (Carabidae) and ground dwelling spiders (Araneae) a study was completed along a 20km urban–rural forest gradient in the Helsinki–Espoo area of southern Finland. To study changes in assemblage structure, abundance and species richness, these taxa were collected in the year 2000 using pitfall traps, which had been placed in four forest sites within each of the urban, suburban and rural zones. We expected to find changes in the abundances and species richnesses in the two taxa across the urban–rural gradient, but did not find any. Our second and third hypotheses, stating that generalist species and small-bodied species should gain dominance along the gradient from rural to urban sites, were partly supported as carabid specialists were more characteristic of suburban and rural environments whereas generalists were more likely to be collected from rural areas compared to suburban or urban sites. Furthermore, medium to large-sized carabid individuals were more likely to be collected in the rural sites compared to urban forests. We found no evidence for significant changes in spider abundance or species richness across the urban–rural gradient in relation to body size or habitat specialization. We suggest that urbanization does not have significant effects on the total abundances and species richnesses in these two taxa. However, individual species responded differently to urbanization, and there were significant differences in the specialization and body sizes of carabids across the gradient.     

The effects of development on forest-patch characteristics and bird diversity in Suji,South Korea

In a forested area located in the Suji District of Yongin City, Gyunggi Province, South Korea, the relationship between development and forest-patch characteristics and that between development and bird biodiversity were observed and analyzed. As four development projects progressed over a 13-year period (1990–2003), Landsat images showed how a continuous forest was reduced and fragmented and how isolated forests either shrank or disappeared. The ratio of the edge area to the forested area changed also and reflected the stages of the four development projects. A single continuous forest patch was studied, and it showed fragmentation and a reduction in size over time associated with the development projects. The effect of the later developments on adjacent forested areas was much greater than the effect of the initial development. As expected, the initial development affected the forested area near the initial development, but the later developments also significantly affected the same area near the initial development. Bird population characteristics—numbers of individuals and species (biodiversity)—were analyzed using field observations at nine sites in both continuous and isolated forest areas. A gradient of decreasing bird species and the number of individuals was established by an analysis of observations made in the interior, intermediate, and edge areas of the continuous forest. Whereas both the isolated forest and the interior areas of the continuous forest studied had similar numbers of individual birds, the isolated forest areas and the edge areas of the continuous forest showed significantly lower biodiversity than the interior areas studied. The results show that developments cause not only the forest loss, fragmentation, and expansion of the edge area but also a lowering of bird diversity; especially, the later developments have been under more pressure to develop the surrounding area. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the edge area, which is vulnerable to development, to minimize the effects of development.     

Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) diversity and community composition along sharp urban forest edges

The effects of forest edge on ant species richness and community composition were examined within an urbanized area of northeast Ohio. The ground-dwelling ant fauna was inventoried in three deciduous forest fragments that have resulted from human disturbance. We surveyed ants via leaf-litter extraction along 150 m transects positioned perpendicular to the forest edge. We collected 4,670 individuals from 14 genera and 29 species. Samples closest to the forest edge contained more species and accumulated species at a higher rate than did samples located in the forest interior. Our rarefied and expected richness estimates revealed a decline of species richness from edge to forest interior. The higher ant richness at the forest edge was due mostly to the presence of species characteristic of the neighboring open habitats. Although most of the typical forest ant species were represented equally at the edge and at the forest interior, a few responded to the presence of edges with changes in their relative abundance and frequency of occurrence. Forest edges had a higher proportion of opportunistic species and a lower proportion of cryptic ants, whereas interior locations exhibited a more even distribution among ant functional groups. In addition, we documented a community composition shift between the edge and the forest interior. Consistent with previous findings, we suggest that the edge effects are most pronounced within 25 m of the forest edge, which may have implications for the overall conservation of forest-dwelling fauna.     

Conserving a variety of ancient forest patches maintains historic arthropod diversity

Forests are naturally extensive tracts. However, in South Africa natural fires over many millennia have reduced forested areas into small remnants spread throughout a grassland matrix. Small patches, especially distant patches, are generally considered to be adverse for forest specialists, owing to decreased forest interior and increased edge. Here we test this assumption by determining the impact of forest interpatch distance and patch size on epigaeic arthropod diversity in this globally rare vegetation type. Forty patches were selected: ten large (100–435 m diameter) that are distant (500–645 m) from other patches, ten large that are close to other patches (38–97 m), ten small (30–42 m) that are distant, and ten small-close patches. Each patch had two plots: edge and interior. Arthropods were sampled using pitfall traps, Berlese-Tullgren funnels and active searches. Interiors and edges had similar species richness and composition, excluding spiders, which were richer in interiors. Patch size significantly influenced species richness of predatory beetles and arthropod assemblages, excluding spiders. Effect of the interaction between patch size and interpatch distance on species richness and composition varied among taxa. Furthermore, large patches supported similar assemblages regardless of interpatch distance. Arthropod response, particularly ants to patch size and interpatch distance, was partly shaped by the matrix type. The percentage of surrounding grassland had little effect on arthropod diversity. We can conclude that large and close patches are important for arthropod conservation. Nevertheless, it is also important to conserve a variety of patch sizes at various distances to maximize overall arthropod composition.     

Interactive effects of local and landscape factors on farmland carabids

相似文献   

Environmental filtering is the main assembly rule of ground beetles in the forest and its edge but not in the adjacent grassland

In a fragmented landscape,transitional zones between neighboring habitats are common,and our understanding of community organizational forces across such habitats is important.Edge studies are numerous,but the majority of them utilize information on species richness and abundance.Abundance and taxonomic diversity,however,provide little information on the functioning and phylogeny of the co-existing species.Combining the evaluation of their functional and phylogenetic relationships,we aimed to assess whether ground beetle assemblages are deterministically or stochastically structured along grassland-forest gradients.Our results showed different community assembly rules on opposite sides of the forest edge.In the grassland,co-occurring species were functionally and phylogenetically not different from the random null model,indicating a random assembly process.Contrary to this,at the forest edge and the interior,co-occurring species showed functional and phylogenetic clustering,thus environmental filtering was the likely process structuring carabid assemblages.Community assembly in the grassland was considerably affected by asymmetrical species flows (spillover)across the forest edge:more forest species penetrated into the grassland than open-habitat and generalist species entered into the forest.This asymmetrical species flow underlines the importance of the filter function of forest edges.As unfavorable,human-induced changes to the structure,composition and characteristics of forest edges may alter their filter function,edges have to be specifically considered during conservation management.     

Down by the riverside: Riparian edge effects on three monkey species in a fragmented Costa Rican forest

Rivers represent natural edges in forests, serving as transition zones between landscapes. Natural edge effects are important to study to understand how intrinsic habitat variations affect wildlife as well as the impact of human-induced forest fragmentation. We examined the influence of riparian and anthropogenic edge on mantled howler, white-faced capuchin, Central American spider monkeys, and vegetation structure at La Suerte Biological Research Station (abbreviated as LSBRS), Costa Rica. We predicted lower monkey encounter rate, tree species richness, and median dbh at both edge types compared to interior and that monkeys would show species-specific responses to edge based on size and diet. We expected large, folivorous–frugivorous howler monkeys and small, generalist capuchins would be found at increased density in forest edge, while large, frugivorous spider monkeys would be found at decreased density in forest edge. We conducted population and vegetation surveys along interior, riparian, and anthropogenic edge transects at LSBRS and used GLMM to compare vegetation and monkey encounter rate. Tree species richness and median dbh were higher in forest interior than anthropogenic edge zones. Although spider monkey encounter rate did not vary between forest edges and interior, howler monkeys were encountered at highest density in riparian edge, while capuchins were encountered at highest density in anthropogenic edge. Our results indicate that diverse forest edges have varying effects on biota. Vegetation was negatively affected by forest edges, while monkey species showed species-specific edge preferences. Our findings suggest that riparian zones should be prioritized for conservation in Neotropical forests.