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。     

Strong influence of long-distance edge effect on herb-layer vegetation in forest fragments in an agricultural landscape

In agricultural landscapes in central Europe, species richness of the herbaceous plant community may be compromised by processes associated with forest fragmentation, habitat loss, and management practices. We examined variability in species richness and composition of the herbaceous layer in 229 plots located in 23 forest fragments (0.1 to 255 ha), in a representative upland agricultural landscape in central Bohemia, in relation to the most important site environmental factors, edge effects, and site history. The influence of environmental factors on the composition of vegetation in the herb layer was evaluated using generalized additive models, which enabled us to analyze highly non-linear and non-monotonic relationships. Total species richness and number of red-listed and ancient forest species were significantly influenced by type of forest vegetation, light quality, soil pH, slope aspect, and distance from the forest edge. Implications of the significant explanatory variables corresponded well to previous findings, with the exception of distance from the forest edge, for which we found a positive relationship with species richness for distances up to 200 m toward the forest interior. Plant species with low colonization ability occupied plots with increasing frequency from edge to forest interior, while fast-colonizing species showed the opposite trend. Apart from the edge effect, forest continuity should be considered for its important contribution to the richness of ancient forest and red-listed species, whereas the effect of forest fragment size appeared to be generally weak. These results do not negate the importance of large forest fragments for the maintenance of herb layer species richness, but specifically emphasize the essential contribution of the core habitats of these forests. In summary, we showed that the negative effects of habitat fragmentation on the richness of ancient forest and red-listed species and on herb layer species in total can be largely attributed to either the edge effect itself or to aggregate effects of forest edge and forest continuity.     

Edge effects on epiphytic communities in a Mediterranean Quercus pyrenaica forest

Question: What are the edge effect responses of epiphytic lichen communities in Mediterranean Quercus pyrenaica forest? Location: Central Spain. Methods: We established ten transects perpendicular to a road dissecting a well conserved remnant of Q. pyrenaica forest into two sections. Transects extended from the forest/road edge to 100 m into the forest. Data were collected from seven plots in each transect at different distances from the edge. Variables were grouped into stand scale variables (distance to edge, number of trees per plot, mean diameter per plot, irradiance) and tree scale variables (diameter and height of sampled trees, aspect of the sampled square and relative height of the square). We used General Mixed Linear Models and constrained ordination techniques to test the hypothesis that the spatio‐temporal heterogeneity of light and water controls the occurrence of lichens and bryophytes along the edge‐interior gradient in the Q. pyrenaica forest. Results: Microclimatic parameters vary in a non‐linear way; edge and interior stands showed the most divergent and extreme values. Although the micro‐environment within Mediterranean forests is heterogeneous, interior conditions are apparently suitable for the performance of some specific forest epiphytes. Consequently, species richness does not show significant differences along the gradient. Total epiphytic cover increases towards the forest interior, but distance to the edge together with other predictors at the tree scale (aspect and height of the square) are the most relevant predictors for the composition and structure of these communities. Conclusions: Composition and structure of epiphytic communities in a Mediterranean semi‐deciduous forest are affected by the edge between the forest and the road constructed. Since some extremely rare lichens only occur at interior stands, the conservation of these threatened elements requires urgent conservation measures because well preserved and unmanaged forests in the Mediterranean region are very rare.     

Edge effect in different groups of organisms: vascular plant, bryophyte and fungi species richness across a forest-grassland border

Six transects were established on the edges of two deciduous forests near Krosno (Carpathian Foothills) to compare the species richness pattern of vascular plants, bryophytes and fungi. The transects had the shape of a cross with one arm 10 m along the forest edge and the other across the edge, 50 m into the forest interior and 12 m into the grassland. They consisted of 2×2 quadrats. The strongest edge effects were recorded for bryophyte, shrub and tree species richness, the weakest for herbaceous plant species richness. Overall vascular plant species richness and herbaceous species richness were higher in grassland than in the forest and peaked in grassland, 3 m from the forest edge. The shrub species richness was highest 1 m from the edge (in the forest) and the tree species richness 3 m from edge. Bryophyte species richness had roughly the same level across the grassland and within the first several meters of the forest, except for the 2 m zone on the edge itself where species richnes was as low as in the forest interior. Fungi species richness was low in the grassland and on the forest edge and rose dramaticaly a few meters from the edge, ramaining at the same level within the forest. The species composition across the forest-grassland border was analysed using detrended correspondence analysis. It revealed that in the case of bryophytes the increase in species richness did not correspond to a change in species composition, such as might have been caused by a general increase in bryophyte density.     

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.     

宝天曼地区栓皮栎林恢复过程中高等植物物种多样性变化

对宝天曼地区不同恢复阶段栓皮栎林的高等植物物种多样性特征进行了初步分析。结果表明,各层物种丰富度和多样性指数在不同恢复阶段栓皮栎林表现出草本层＞灌木层＞乔木层的趋势。乔木层物种丰富度和多样性指数基本上随恢复时间的增加而增加;灌木层在未破坏的栓皮栎林内较低,而在其他恢复阶段的栓皮栎林内基本相同;草本层在恢复５年、１５年和２５年的栓皮栎林中较高,而在恢复４５年和未破坏的栓皮栎林内较低。乔木层物种均匀度指数在未破坏的栓皮栎林中较高,在恢复２５年的栓皮栎林中较低;灌木层在恢复４５年的栓皮栎林中较高,在恢复１５年的栓皮栎林较低;草本层在恢复５年的栓皮栎林中较高,在恢复１５年的栓皮栎林中较低。不同恢复阶段栓皮栎林各层次间的物种多样性差异大多不显著,只有乔木层和草本层及灌木层和草本层之间的物种丰富度指数有显著差异。不同恢复阶段栓皮栎林在乔木层物种多样性特征上的差异最大,在灌木层物种多样性特征上有一定差异,在草本层物种多样性特征上没有明显的差异。     

Vegetation and microclimatic edge effects in two mixed-mesophytic forest fragments

Forest edges are known to consist of microenvironments that may provide habitat for a different suite of species than forest interiors. Several abiotic attributes of the microenvironment may contribute to this change across the edge to center gradient (e.g., light, air temperature, soil moisture, humidity). Biotic components, such as seed dispersal, may also give rise to changes in species composition from forest edge to interior. We predicted that abiotic and biotic measures would correlate with distance from forest edge and would differ among aspects. To test these predictions, we measured abiotic and biotic variables on twelve 175 m transects in each of two 24 ha forest fragments in east-central Illinois that have remained in continuous isolation for upwards of 100 years. Both univariate and multivariate techniques were used to best describe the complex relationships among abiotic factors and between abiotic and biotic factors. Results indicate that microclimatic variables differ in the degree to and distance over which they show an edge effect. Relative humidity shows the widest edge, while light and soil moisture have the steepest gradients. Aspect influences are evidenced by the existence of more pronounced edge effects on south and west edges, except when these edges are protected by adjacent habitat. Edges bordered by agricultural fields have more extreme changes in microclimate than those bordered by trees. According to PCA results, species richness correlates well with microclimatic variation, especially light and soil moisture; however, in many cases species richness had a different depth of edge influence than either of these variables. The herbaceous plant community is heavily dominated by three species. Distributions of individual species as well as changes in plant community composition, estimated with a similarity index, indicate that competition may be influencing the response of the vegetation to the edge to interior gradient. This study indicates that edge effects must be considered when the size and potential buffering habitat of forest preserves are planned.     

Edge influence on herbaceous plant species,diversity and soil properties in sparse oak forest fragments in Iran

伊朗稀疏橡木林片段对草本植物物种多样性和土壤特性的边缘影响 温带和热带森林中的森林边缘现象已经得到了很好的研究,但在稀疏的橡木林片段中的相关研究却较为缺乏。本文研究了稀疏橡木林片段对植物物种多样性和土壤特性的边缘影响。本研究沿着伊朗克尔曼沙赫省3个小型(<10 ha)和3个大型(>10 ha)橡木林片段的3个横断面收集了从边缘到内部的相 关数据,测量了0(森林边缘)、25、50、100和150 m处的草本植物(高度<0.5 m)和土壤特性。使用香农指数量化了物种多样性,使用稀疏标准化方法比较了两个大小不同片段中的物种丰富度,并应用了非度量多维测度排序研究了物种组成的变化。通过随机化测试估算了边缘影响的距离,并利用Tukey HSD事后检验法的广义线性混合模型评估了距边缘距离和片段大小对多样性和土壤特性的影响。研究结果表明,大小片段边缘具有较高的物种丰富度、多样性和均匀度,而大片段边缘的土壤氮和有机碳含量则较内部更低(边缘50 m范围内的变化最大)。大小片段的物种组成、土壤有机碳和氮总量都存在显 著差异。本研究关于这些稀疏森林对草本植物和土壤特性产生显著边缘影响的发现,对于边缘研究,尤其是边缘和草本植物的相关研究具有重大贡献。     

The influence of anthropogenic edge effects on primate populations and their habitat in a fragmented rainforest in Costa Rica

When a forest is fragmented, this increases the amount of forest edge relative to the interior. Edge effects can lead to loss of animal and plant species and decreased plant biomass near forest edges. We examined the influence of an anthropogenic forest edge comprising cattle pasture, coconut plantations, and human settlement on the mantled howler (Alouatta palliata), white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus), Central American spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), and plant populations at La Suerte Biological Research Station (LSBRS), Costa Rica. We predicted that there would be lower monkey encounter rate, mean tree species richness, and diameter at breast height (DBH) in forest edge versus interior, and that monkeys would show species-specific responses to edge based on diet, body size, and canopy height preferences. Specifically, we predicted that howler monkeys would show positive or neutral edge effects due to their flexible folivorous diet, large body size, and preference for high canopy, capuchins would show positive edge effects due to their diverse diet, small body size, and preference for low to middle canopy, and spider monkeys would show negative edge effects due their reliance on ripe fruit, large body size, and preference for high upper canopy. We conducted population and vegetation surveys along edge and interior transects at LSBRS. Contrary to predictions, total monkey encounter rate did not vary between the forest edge and forest interior. Furthermore, all three species showed neutral edge effects with no significant differences in encounter rate between forest edge and interior. Interior transects had significantly higher mean tree species richness than edge transects, and interior trees had greater DBH than edge trees, although this difference was not significant. These results suggest that forest edges negatively impact plant populations at La Suerte but that the monkeys are able to withstand these differences in vegetation.     

Response of the ant community to attributes of fragments and vegetation in a northeastern Atlantic Rain Forest area, Brazil

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of forest fragmentation on ant richness in a landscape of Atlantic Forest in Northeast Brazil. More specifically, the ant richness was related to the attributes of fragments (area and distance from the fragment central point to the edge), landscape (forest cover surrounding the fragments), and tree community (plant density, richness, and percentage of shade tolerant species). The surveys were carried out in 19 fragments located in Alagoas State from October 2007 to March 2008. Samples were collected through a 300 m transect established in the center of each fragment, where 30 1-m2 leaf litter samples were collected at 10 m intervals. A total of 146 ant species was collected, which belonged to 42 genera, 24 tribes and nine subfamilies. The attributes of fragments and landscape did not influence ant richness. On the other hand, tree density explained ca. 23% of ant richness. In relation to functional groups, both density and richness of trees explained the richness of general myrmicines (the whole model explained ca. 42% of the variation in this group) and percentage of shade tolerant trees explained the richness of specialist predator ants (30% for the whole model). These results indicate that ant fauna is more influenced by vegetation integrity than by fragment size, distance to edge or forest cover surrounding fragments.     

High density of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) and habitat quality in the Taboga Forest of Costa Rica

Across the globe, primates are threatened by human activities. This is especially true for species found in tropical dry forests, which remain largely unprotected. Our ability to predict primate abundance in the face of human activity depends on different species' sensitivities as well as on the characteristics of the forest itself. We studied plant and primate distribution and abundance in the Taboga Forest, a 516-ha tropical dry forest surrounded by agricultural fields in northwestern Costa Rica. We found that the density of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) at Taboga is 2–6 times higher than reported for other long-term white-faced capuchin sites. Using plant transects, we also found relatively high species richness, diversity, and equitability compared with other tropical dry forests. Edge transects (i.e., within 100 m from the forest boundary) differed from interior transects in two ways: (a) tree species associated with dry forest succession were well-established in the edge and (b) canopy cover in the edge was maintained year-round, while the interior forest was deciduous. Sighting rates for capuchins were higher near water sources but did not vary between the edge and interior forest. For comparison, we also found the same to be true for the only other primate in the Taboga Forest, mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata). Year-round access to water might explain why some primate species can flourish even alongside anthropogenic disturbance. Forest fragments like Taboga may support high densities of some species because they provide a mosaic of habitats and key resources that buffer adverse ecological conditions.     

Selection harvest in temperate deciduous forests: impact on herb layer richness and composition

Herb layer richness and composition of four forest types and three different management treatments were investigated in 16 deciduous forest stands of northern Germany. Specifically, we compared the species richness and composition occurring in mature forest stands that were single-tree and group selection harvested to those in unmanaged reference stands. Mean species richness of all herb layer species increased significantly with increasing harvest severity. When analyzing plant groups separately, it became obvious that this overall pattern was not consistent. While a negative relationship was detected between vernal herb richness and harvest severity, group selection harvest significantly increased species richness of summer herbaceous forest species and generalists. Woody species richness was not related to harvest severity. Community composition of the spring aspect was not significantly affected by selection harvest, whereas herb layer species composition in the summer aspect differed significantly among the three harvest treatments. A dominance of highly competitive shrub and generalist species was confined to some parts of the most intensively harvested stands. Overall, our results indicate that the herb layer community was not severely adversely affected by selection harvest at the intensities used in the studied stands. It is suggested that selection harvest systems may be feasible tools with which to conserve local forest vascular plant diversity and at the same time to meet the demand for timber products. However, information about forest history and the implementation of the selection harvest system are basic requirements when interpreting the results of studies on understorey response to selection harvest.     

The complexity of forest borders determines the understorey vegetation

Questions

What are the most important drivers of plant species richness (gamma‐diversity) and species turnover (beta‐diversity) in the field layer of a forest edge? Does the tree and shrub species richness structure and complexity affect the richness of forest and grassland specialist species?

Location

Southeast Sweden.

Methods

We sampled 50 forest edges with different levels of structural complexity in agricultural landscapes. In each border we recorded trees, shrubs and herb layer species in a 50‐m transect parallel with the forest. We investigated species composition and species turnover in relation to the proportions of gaps in the border and the diversity of trees and shrubs.

Results

Total plant species richness in the field layer was mainly explained by the proportion of gaps to areas with full canopy cover and tree diversity. Increasing number of gaps promoted higher diversity of grassland specialist species within the field layer, resulting in open forest borders with the highest overall species richness. Gaps did however have a negative impact on forest species richness. Conversely, increasing forest species richness was positively related to tree diversity, but the number of grassland specialist species was negatively affected by tree diversity.

Conclusions

Managing forest borders, and therefore increasing the area of semi‐open habitats in fragmented agricultural landscapes, provides future opportunities to create a network of suitable habitats for both grassland and deciduous forest specialist species. Such measures therefore have the potential to increase functional connectivity and support dispersal of species in homogeneous forest/agricultural landscapes.     

Plant–frugivore networks are less specialized and more robust at forest–farmland edges than in the interior of a tropical forest

Forest fragmentation and local disturbance are prevailing threats to tropical forest ecosystems and affect frugivore communities and animal seed dispersal in different ways. However, very little is known about the effects of anthropogenic forest edges and of local disturbance on the structure and robustness of plant–frugivore networks. We carried out focal tree observations to record the frugivore species feeding on eight canopy tree species in the forest interior and at forest–farmland edges in a little and a highly disturbed part of a Kenyan rain forest. For each frugivore species, we recorded its body mass and its forest dependence. We examined how forest edge and local disturbance affected the abundance, the richness and the composition of the frugivore community and tested whether forest edge and local disturbance affected plant frugivore networks. Abundance and species richness of frugivores were higher at edges than in the forest interior. Forest visitors and small‐bodied frugivores increased, while forest specialists decreased in abundance at forest edges. The changes in frugivore community composition resulted in plant–frugivore networks that were more connected, more nested and more robust against species extinctions at forest–farmland edges than in the forest interior. Network specialization was lower at forest edges than in the forest interior because at the edges plant specialization on frugivores was very low in small‐fruited species. In contrast, small‐fruited plants were more specialized than large‐fruited plants in the forest interior. Our findings suggest that forest‐visiting birds may stabilize seed‐dispersal services for small‐fruited plant species at rain forest margins, while seed‐dispersal services for large‐fruited plant species may be disrupted at forest edges due to the decrease of large‐bodied frugviores. To assess the ultimate consequences of bird movements from farmland to forest edges for ecosystem functioning, future studies are required to investigate the seed‐dispersal qualities provided by forest‐visiting bird species in the tropics.     

Vegetation structure and diversity of an ancient temperate deciduous forest in SW Denmark

Bolderslev Skov (113 ha) is the largest contiguous ancient forest remnant in Denmark. The forest has been preserved since 1998 as a strict non-intervention forest reserve. We studied vegetation structure, floristic gradients, and diversity of the forest in 50 plots of 100 m² placed according to a restricted random sampling design. Dominant tree species were Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia cordata and Quercus robur, which in most parts of the forest form a mixed canopy. Most stands appeared to be of moderate age, 55-80 years old, and large old trees were rare. pH in association with light and thickness of the litter layer were the most important factors in explaining floristic gradients in the forest. Soil moisture (dry to mesic) was not strongly correlated with DCA axes for neither tree nor field layer, but had a significant effect on the distribution of a number of herb species. Forest structure was not important in explaining species distributions. Field layer species richness showed a positive relationship with the pH-gradient. At the scale of 1m² plots we also found a highly significant negative relationship between field layer species richness and the plot-wise Ellenberg indicator value for nitrogen availability. Structure of the tree layer had little effect on field layer species richness. The mixed composition, long continuity, and presence of a high proportion of the regional species pool assigns a high conservation value to Bolderslev Skov and makes it an important site for future studies of the dynamic properties, niche preferences, and inter-specific competition of temperate deciduous forest species. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of fragmentation on the community structure of epixylic bryophytes in Atlantic Forest remnants in the Northeast of Brazil

The effects of fragmentation and edge effects on the floristic composition, richness, diversity and abundance of epixylic bryophytes (growing on decaying wood) were investigated in ten fragments of Atlantic Forest remnants in the Northeast of Brazil. In each fragment, four perpendicular 100 m transects were demarcated. Along these transects, samples of bryophytes growing on decaying wood were collected. The forest fragments were grouped in three size classes (small: <100 ha; medium: 100–500 ha; large: >500 ha). Correlation and multivariate analysis were undertaken between bryophyte flora and fragment metrics (size, form, isolation, altitude variation, nuclear area and secondary vegetation percentage and distance from the edge). A total of 99 species of bryophytes, 52 liverworts and 47 mosses were registered. The statistical results confirming fragment size is an important factor in epixylic community structure. Therefore, composition, richness, diversity and abundance can be better explained by a junction of all studied landscape factors. Bryophyte richness, the percentage of samples with the greatest coverage of decaying wood and shade-tolerant species’ distribution, were not correlated to distance from the forest edge. This suggests that edge effects are not linear or can be detected beyond 100 m from the edge, which is very important for inclusion in future studies.     

Distribution and effects of tree leaf litter on vegetation composition and biomass in a forest-grassland ecotone

Aims After abandonment of grasslands, secondary succession leads to the invasion by woody species. This process begins with the accumulation of tree litter in the forest–grassland ecotone. Our objectives were to determine the relationships between litter amounts and vegetation composition and cover along natural forest–grassland ecotones and to experimentally study the initial effects of tree litter accumulation on grassland vegetation and on microsite conditions.Methods We established 11 transects varying from 12 to 15 m in length in different forest–grassland ecotones in the Lahn-Dill highlands, Germany, and measured the mass and cover of tree litter and the cover and composition of vegetation at five sequential positions along each transect by using 1 m 2 plots with five replications. In a field experiment, we established plots subjected to different litter amounts (0, 200 and 600g m ?2) and evaluated changes in grassland vegetation, soil temperature and soil nutrient availability below the litter layer.Important findings Tree litter amounts decrease from 650 to 65g m ?2 across the forest–grassland ecotone. Vegetation changed from shrubs and annual species (adapted to more stressful conditions) in the forests edge to grasses, rosettes and hemirosette species (with higher competitive abilities) in the grassland. These anthropogenic forest–grassland ecotones showed abrupt edges, and the two adjacent ecosystems were characterized by different species pools and functional groups. In the field experiment, the presence of a litter layer reduced vegetation biomass and cover; the species richness was only reduced in the treatment with high litter (600g m ?2). Additionally, adding litter on top of vegetation also reduced thermal amplitude and the number of frost days, while increasing the availability of some nutrients, such as nitrogen and aluminium, the latter being an indicator of soil acidification. Adding a tree litter layer of 600g m ?2 in grassland areas had strong effects on the composition and diversity of grassland vegetation by reducing the cover of several key grassland species. In, or near, forest edges, litter accumulation rapidly changes established vegetation, microsite conditions and soil nutrients.     

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.     

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.