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Forests
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Biodiversity Conservation in Forest Fragments
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Biodiversity Conservation in Forest Fragments

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Biodiversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2022) | Viewed by 17241

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jordan M. Marshall

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN 46805, USA
Interests: plant biogeography; disturbance ecology; forest regeneration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ecosystem fragmentation can lead to biodiversity changes as a result of habitat disturbance and isolation. Such fragments retain some biological, physical, and chemical legacies from the formally contiguous ecosystem, but can also experience dramatic changes in these characteristics. Additionally, forests that have undergone fragmentation and isolation may be viewed as islands of suitable habitat surrounded by a matrix of unsuitable habitat. Depending on ecotone width and connectivity with the surrounding environment, fragments may be considered less as individual islands and more as important structural features adding to the habitat heterogeneity of the entire landscape. Because of the complexity of legacies, variation, connectivity, and species movement, forest fragments provide a novel study system for biogeography, interactions, and conservation. This Special Issue will focus on research related to biodiversity conservation specific to forest fragments, including relationships with the surrounding landscape, and invites contributions on management, community structure, species movement, ecological interactions, and gains and losses for all taxonomic groups within the context of forest fragmentation.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Connectivity between fragments;
  • Ecotone permeability;
  • Plant, animal, microorganism, or other taxonomic group community structure;
  • Roles of fragment shape and isolation in determining biodiversity.

Dr. Jordan M. Marshall
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biodiversity
  • community
  • conservation
  • disturbance
  • fragmentation
  • island biogeography
  • preservation

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2963 KiB  
Article
Roosting Behavior of Northern Long-Eared Bats (Myotis septentrionalis) in an Urban-Adjacent Forest Fragment
by Galen E. Burrell and Scott M. Bergeson
Forests 2022, 13(12), 1972; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13121972 - 22 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2124
Abstract
Throughout the Midwest United States, agricultural and urban development have fragmented natural areas, with a disproportionate effect on forests and wetlands. The resulting habitat loss, compounded with the spread of white-nose syndrome (WNS), has caused precipitous population declines in several forest-obligate bat species. [...] Read more.
Throughout the Midwest United States, agricultural and urban development have fragmented natural areas, with a disproportionate effect on forests and wetlands. The resulting habitat loss, compounded with the spread of white-nose syndrome (WNS), has caused precipitous population declines in several forest-obligate bat species. In 2019, we discovered a remnant northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis Trouessart) maternity colony in a small forest fragment adjacent to a restored wetland in northeastern Indiana, USA. We investigated roost selection in this colony during the summers between 2019 and 2021 by attaching radio transmitters to northern long-eared bats and tracking them to day roosts. We measured tree, plot, and landscape-level characteristics for each roost and for a randomly selected available tree in the same landscape, then compared characteristics using paired t-tests. Over 70 net nights, we captured and tracked 4 individuals (1 juvenile male, 1 post-lactating female, and 2 lactating females) to 12 different roosts. There were, on average, 3.5 times more standing dead trees (snags) in plots around roosts compared to available trees (t = −4.17, p = 0.02). Bats in this maternity colony selected roosts near a stretch of flooded forest (which contained 83% of roosts) dominated by solar-exposed, flood-killed snags. These roosts likely provide warm microclimates that facilitate energy retention, fetal development, and milk production. By describing roosts within this landscape, we provide insight into the resources that enable an endangered bat species to persist in urbanized forest fragments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Forest Fragments)
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15 pages, 2568 KiB  
Article
Soil, Topography and Forest Structure Shape the Abundance, Richness and Composition of Fern Species in the Fragmented Tropical Landscape of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
by Daniele Cicuzza and Christos Mammides
Forests 2022, 13(9), 1453; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13091453 - 9 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5170
Abstract
Understanding how forest fragment size, topography, forest structure, and soil properties affect plant diversity remains a crucial question in conservation biology, with ferns often being understudied. To address this knowledge gap, we surveyed the abundance, species richness, and composition of ferns in a [...] Read more.
Understanding how forest fragment size, topography, forest structure, and soil properties affect plant diversity remains a crucial question in conservation biology, with ferns often being understudied. To address this knowledge gap, we surveyed the abundance, species richness, and composition of ferns in a tropical landscape in south China using 75 sites in 42 forest fragments. We then used a multi-model inference approach to assess whether fern abundance, richness, and composition were better explained by (a) fragment size, (b) topography (slope, aspect), (c) forest structure (tree basal area, light availability), or (d) soil properties (pH, Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Calcium, Magnesium, water availability, and proportion of clay, silt, and sand). We also conducted a nestedness analysis to examine whether the composition of the fern communities in smaller fragments (0.4–1 km²) differed or represented a subset of the communities found in larger fragments (e.g., >10 km²). We found that (a) fern abundance was mostly influenced by soil properties, slope, and aspect, (b) fern species richness by soil properties and slope, and (c) fern species composition by forest structure, specifically, tree basal area. We also found that fern species composition was not nested in the landscape, suggesting that smaller forest fragments had different communities from larger fragments. Our results suggest also that soil properties play an important role in maintaining fern abundance and diversity and therefore protecting soil can help conserve ferns in fragmented landscapes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Forest Fragments)
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13 pages, 4273 KiB  
Article
Herbivory Rather than Root Competition and Environmental Factors Determines Plant Establishment in Fragmented Forests
by Tianxiang Li, Xue Li, Chuping Wu, Yuping Zhong, Mingjian Yu and Jinliang Liu
Forests 2022, 13(5), 767; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13050767 - 16 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2702
Abstract
In fragmented forests, many factors can affect plant community establishment, including abiotic factors, below-ground root competition, aboveground seed predation, and seedling herbivory. Little is known about the relative effects of biotic and abiotic factors affecting the initial stage of seedling establishment: seed gemmation [...] Read more.
In fragmented forests, many factors can affect plant community establishment, including abiotic factors, below-ground root competition, aboveground seed predation, and seedling herbivory. Little is known about the relative effects of biotic and abiotic factors affecting the initial stage of seedling establishment: seed gemmation and early seedling survival. Here, we carried out a root competition exclusion experiment and a herbivory (including seed predation) exclusion experiment on 11 islands in Thousand Island Lake, China, using four native woody plant species that differed in functional traits (e.g., seed mass and dominance). The dominant species on islands showed the highest seedling survival, and there was no significant linear relationship between the proportion of surviving seedlings and island area under either treatment for any species. Compared to the control and excluding root competition treatments, excluding seed predation and herbivory significantly increased seedling survival after controlling for the environmental factors. However, abiotic factors had no effect on early seedling establishment. Our results suggest that seedling regeneration of rare species in fragmented ecosystems may be limited and that seedlings may be more susceptible to predators and herbivores in fragmented ecosystems. These results have significant implications for the conservation of plant diversity in fragmented forests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Forest Fragments)
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Review

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27 pages, 1558 KiB  
Review
Integrating Social Forestry and Biodiversity Conservation in Indonesia
by Hendra Gunawan, Irma Yeny, Endang Karlina, Sri Suharti, Murniati, Subarudi, Budi Mulyanto, Sulistya Ekawati, Raden Garsetiasih, Pratiwi, Bugi Kabul Sumirat, Reny Sawitri, Nur M. Heriyanto, Mariana Takandjandji, Asmanah Widarti, Surati, Desmiwati, Titi Kalima, Rachman Effendi, Edwin Martin, Nur Arifatul Ulya, Sylviani and Ari Nurliaadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2152; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122152 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4968
Abstract
Social forestry (SF) has long been implemented in production and protected forests in Indonesia. SF is considered to be a win–win solution for occupied and cultivated forest areas. The aim of this paper was to review the implementation of social forestry in Indonesia [...] Read more.
Social forestry (SF) has long been implemented in production and protected forests in Indonesia. SF is considered to be a win–win solution for occupied and cultivated forest areas. The aim of this paper was to review the implementation of social forestry in Indonesia and its strengths and challenges. The secondary purpose was to synthesize the lessons learned and recommendations for the government about designing SF that can integrate the objective of forest biodiversity conservation and the social welfare of the surrounding communities. The study used a systematic literature review (SLR) of international and national peer-reviewed articles. The results of the study indicate that SF is intended to achieve benefits in three main areas: social, economic, and ecological. However, the review found that the ecological aspects of biodiversity conservation often receive less attention compared to the social and economic goals. A strong point of SF implementation is increasing community access to forest land use, while a challenge that must be resolved is that including communities in forest management can result in fragmentation and changes to animal habitats; thus, there is the potential for population decline and extinction. This study advises policymakers to pay more attention to ecological functions to ensure forest sustainability in SF development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Forest Fragments)
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11 pages, 2287 KiB  
Review
Gap Crossing in Flying Squirrels: Mitigating Movement Barriers through Landscape Management and Structural Implementation
by Jeremy M. Howard
Forests 2022, 13(12), 2027; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122027 - 30 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1530
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation affects flying squirrels despite their ability to cross canopy gaps. If unable to cross gaps, flying squirrels may suffer from limited access to appropriate resources, inbreeding depression, and even extirpation. North American flying squirrels (Glaucomys) have been the focus [...] Read more.
Habitat fragmentation affects flying squirrels despite their ability to cross canopy gaps. If unable to cross gaps, flying squirrels may suffer from limited access to appropriate resources, inbreeding depression, and even extirpation. North American flying squirrels (Glaucomys) have been the focus of limited research on this issue when compared to other areas of the world tackling this problem. However, as all gliding mammals share similar conservation challenges, findings of other species on other continents can be applied to the Glaucomys species in North America. The purpose of this review is to take a metapopulation approach to the problem of gap crossing. This review first discusses necessary habitat conservation strategies for Glaucomys within the patches they reside. The review then discusses patch size and configuration, honing in on maintaining connectivity between habitat patches. Different structures (natural and manmade) used to maintain connectivity are reviewed using gliding mammal literature from around the world. This information is pertinent to North American conservation ecologists and landscape managers, who can use this information to improve habitat connectivity and facilitate crossings of Glaucomys flying squirrels within metapopulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation in Forest Fragments)
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