Bat phylogenetic responses to regenerating Amazonian forests

Farneda, Fábio Z.; Rocha, Ricardo; Aninta, Sabhrina G.; López‐Baucells, Adrià; Sampaio, Erica M.; Palmeirim, Jorge M.; Bobrowiec, Paulo E. D.; Dambros, Cristian S.; Meyer, Christoph F. J.

Abstract

Throughout the tropics, regenerating secondary forests occupy vast areas previously cleared for agriculture and cattle ranching. However, despite the importance of regenerating forests in mitigating the pervasive negative consequences of forest loss and fragmentation on forest‐associated biodiversity, longitudinal studies on species' phylogenetic responses to matrix regeneration are rare. We surveyed bats in continuous primary forest, primary forest fragments and in the regenerating secondary forest matrix of a whole‐ecosystem Amazonian fragmentation experiment, ~15 and ~30 years after forest clearance, to investigate how changes in matrix quality through forest recovery affect phylogenetic α‐ and β‐diversity. We found that temporal changes in phylogenetic α‐richness were more marked in the secondary forest matrix than in forest fragments and continuous forest, evidencing a significant increase in total evolutionary history over time. However, when the effects of species richness were accounted for, the phylogenetic structure of each assemblage was reduced close to zero, evincing a random pattern of lineages in all habitat types. Temporal differences in phylogenetic β‐diversity were driven mainly by βreplacement in secondary forest and continuous forest ~30 years after forest clearance. Both habitats also clustered together in terms of βrichness, indicating similar levels of evolutionary heritage. Consequently, regenerating secondary forest showed a reduction in the extinction probability of lineages over time. Synthesis and applications. Approximately 30 years of secondary forest regeneration were sufficient for phylogenetic richness to recover to levels similar to those observed in continuous forest. Promoting forest succession on degraded land through a combination of natural and active restoration, while ensuring the long‐term protection of secondary forests regardless of their age, is of key importance for conserving tropical bat diversity and their associated ecosystem services. Such restoration measures would stimulate the recolonization of fragments and matrix habitats by evolutionarily distinct bat species, safeguarding phylogenetically diverse assemblages and ecological functions. Our study suggests that forest restoration in tropical degraded areas should be encouraged and secondary forests be protected by law, especially in countryside ecosystems with high primary forest cover, and in the surroundings of protected areas.

Citation

Farneda, F. Z., Rocha, R., Aninta, S. G., López‐Baucells, A., Sampaio, E. M., Palmeirim, J. M., …Meyer, C. F. J. (2021). Bat phylogenetic responses to regenerating Amazonian forests. Journal of Applied Ecology, 59(8), 1986-1996. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14041

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 14, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Oct 10, 2021
• Publication Date: Sep 28, 2021
• Deposit Date: Oct 12, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 28, 2022
• Journal: Journal of Applied Ecology
• Print ISSN: 0021-8901
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2664
• Publisher: Wiley
• Volume: 59
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 1986-1996
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14041
• Keywords: Ecology
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14041
• Related Public URLs: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2664/
• Additional Information: Additional Information : ** Article version: VoR ** From Crossref journal articles via Jisc Publications Router **Journal IDs: pissn 0021-8901; eissn 1365-2664 **History: issued 28-09-2021; published_online 28-09-2021 **License for this article: starting on 28-09-2021, , http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor; Access Information : This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Farneda, F. Z., Rocha, R., Aninta, S. G., López-Baucells, A., Sampaio, E. M., Palmeirim, J. M., Bobrowiec, P. E. D., Dambros, C. S., & Meyer, C. F. J. (2021). Bat phylogenetic responses to regenerating Amazonian forests. Journal of Applied Ecology, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14041. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.; Funders : Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior;ARDITI - Madeira's Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation;Foundation for Science and Technology; Grant Number: Finance Code 001; Grant Number: M1420-09-5369-FSE-000002; Grant Number: PTDC/BIA-BIC/111184/2009, SFRH/BD/80488/2011, PD/BD/52597/2014