Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Relevance of exotic pine plantations as a surrogate habitat for ground beetles (Carabidae) where native forest is rare

Biodiversity and Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Plantation forests are of increasing importance worldwide for wood and fibre production, and in some areas they are the only forest cover. Here we investigate the potential role of exotic plantations in supporting native forest-dwelling carabid beetles in regions that have experienced extensive deforestation. On the Canterbury Plains of New Zealand, more than 99% of the previous native forest cover has been lost, and today exotic pine (Pinus radiata) plantations are the only forest habitat of substantial area. Carabids were caught with pitfall traps in native kanuka (Kunzea ericoides) forest remnants and in a neighbouring pine plantation, grassland and gorse (Ulex europaeus) shrubland. A total of 2,700 individuals were caught, with significantly greater abundance in traps in young pine, grassland and gorse habitats than in kanuka and older pine. Rarefied species richness was greatest in kanuka, a habitat that supported two forest specialist species not present in other habitat types. A critically endangered species was found only in the exotic plantation forest, which also acts as a surrogate habitat for most carabids associated with kanuka forest. The few remaining native forest patches are of critical importance to conservation on the Canterbury Plains, but in the absence of larger native forest areas plantation forests are more valuable for carabid conservation than the exotic grassland that dominates the region.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  • Allegro G, Sciaky R (2003) Assessing the potential role of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) as bioindicators in poplar stands, with a newly proposed ecological index (FAI). For Ecol Manage 175:275–284. doi:10.1016/S0378-1127(02)00135-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson MJ (2003) CAP: a FORTRAN computer program for canonical analysis of principle coordinates. Department of Statistics, University of Auckland, New Zealand

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson MJ, Willis TJ (2003) Canonical analysis of principal coordinates: a useful method of constrained ordination for ecology. Ecology 84:511–525. doi:10.1890/0012-9658(2003)084[0511:CAOPCA]2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson IAE, Cameron EK (1993) Human influence on the terrestrial biota and biotic communities of New Zealand. Trends Ecol Evol 8:447–451. doi:10.1016/0169-5347(93)90008-D

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barbaro L, Pontcharraud L, Vetillard F, Guyon D, Jactel H (2005) Comparative responses of bird, carabid and spider assemblages to stand and landscape diversity in maritime pine plantation forests. Ecoscience 12:110–121. doi:10.2980/i1195-6860-12-1-110.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brockerhoff EG, Ecroyd CE, Langer ER (2001) Biodiversity in New Zealand plantation forests: policy trends, incentives and the state of our knowledge. N Z J For 46:31–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Brockerhoff EG, Ecroyd CE, Leckie AC, Kimberley MO (2003) Diversity and succession of adventive and indigenous vascular understorey plants in Pinus radiata plantation forests in New Zealand. For Ecol Manage 185:307–326. doi:10.1016/S0378-1127(03)00227-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brockerhoff EG, Berndt LA, Jactel H (2005) Role of exotic pine forests in the conservation of the critically endangered New Zealand ground beetle Holcaspis brevicula (Coleoptera: Carabidae). N Z J Ecol 29:37–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Brockerhoff EG, Jactel H, Parrotta JA, Quine CP, Sayer J (2008) Plantation forests and biodiversity: oxymoron or opportunity? Biodivers Conserv. doi:10.1007/s10531-008-9380-x

  • Butterfield J (1997) Carabid community succession during the forestry cycle in conifer plantations. Ecography 20:614–625. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0587.1997.tb00430.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butterfield J, Luff ML, Baines M, Eyre MD (1995) Carabid beetle communities as indicators of conservation potential in upland forests. For Ecol Manage 79:63–77. doi:10.1016/0378-1127(95)03620-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colwell RK (2004) EstimateS: statistical estimation of species richness and shared species from samples. Version 7. http://viceroy.eeb.uconn.edu/estimates

  • Downie IS, Coulson JC, Butterfield JEL (1996) Distribution and dynamics of surface-dwelling spiders across pasture-plantation ecotone. Ecography 19:29–40. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0587.1996.tb00152.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dufrene M, Legendre P (1997) Species assemblages and indicator species: the need for a flexible asymmetrical approach. Ecol Monogr 67:345–366

    Google Scholar 

  • Ecroyd CE, Brockerhoff EG (2005) Floristic changes over 30 years in a Canterbury Plains kanuka forest remnant, and comparison with adjacent vegetation types. N Z J Ecol 29:279–290

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO (2001) State of the World’s forests. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome. 2001. Forest Plantation Thematic Papers

  • Geldenhuys CJ (1997) Native forest regeneration in pine and eucalypt plantations in Northern Province, South Africa. For Ecol Manage 99:101–115. doi:10.1016/S0378-1127(97)00197-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gotelli NJ, Colwell RK (2001) Quantifying biodiversity: procedures and pitfalls in the measurement and comparison of species richness. Ecol Lett 4:379–391. doi:10.1046/j.1461-0248.2001.00230.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris RJ, Burns BR (2000) Beetle assemblages of kahikatea forest fragments in a pasture-dominated landscape. N Z J Ecol 24:57–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris RJ, Toft RJ, Dugdale JS, Williams PA, Rees JS (2004) Insect assemblages in a native (kanuka––Kunzea ericoides) and an invasive (gorse––Ulex europaeus) shrubland. N Z J Ecol 28:35–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartley MJ (2002) Rationale and methods for conserving biodiversity in plantation forests. For Ecol Manage 155:81–95. doi:10.1016/S0378-1127(01)00549-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hubner C, Baumgarten M (2005) 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). Biodivers Conserv 14:1989–2007. doi:10.1007/s10531-004-2528-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humphrey JW, Newton AC, Pearce AJ, Holden E (2000) The importance of conifer plantations in northern Britain as a habitat for native fungi. Biol Conserv 96:241–252. doi:10.1016/S0006-3207(00)00077-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humphrey JW, Ferris R, Jukes MR, Peace AJ (2002) The potential contribution of conifer plantations to the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Bot J Scotl 54:49–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jukes MR, Peace AJ, Ferris R (2001) Carabid communities associated with coniferous plantations in Britain: the influence of site, ground vegetation and stand structure. For Ecol Manage 148:271–286. doi:10.1016/S0378-1127(00)00530-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larochelle A, Lariviere M-C (2001) Carabidae (Insecta: Coleoptera): catalogue. Fauna N Z 43:285

    Google Scholar 

  • Larochelle A, Lariviere M-C (2005) Harpalini (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae: Harpalinae). Fauna N Z 53:160

    Google Scholar 

  • Leathwick JR (2001) New Zealand’s potential forest pattern as predicted from current species-environment relationships. N Z J Bot 39:447–464

    Google Scholar 

  • Magura T, Elek Z, Tóthmérész B (2002) Impacts of non-native spruce reforestation on ground beetles. Eur J Soil Biol 38:291–295. doi:10.1016/S1164-5563(02)01162-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magura T, Tóthmérész B, Elek Z (2003) Diversity and composition of carabids during a forestry cycle. Biodivers Conserv 12:73–85 doi:10.1023/A:1021289509500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maunder C, Shaw W, Pierce R (2005) Indigenous biodiversity and land use––what do exotic plantation forests contribute? N Z J For 50:20–26

    Google Scholar 

  • McCune B, Mefford MJ (1999) PC-ORD. Multivariate analysis of ecological data. Version 4.01. MjM Software, Gleneden Beach

    Google Scholar 

  • McEwen WM (1987) Ecological regions and districts of New Zealand. Third Revised Edition in Four 1:500 000 Maps, Department of Conservation, Wellington, N.Z., Publication No. 5

  • McGlone MS (1983) Polynesian deforestation of New Zealand: a preliminary synthesis. Archaeol Oceania 18:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • McGlone MS (1989) The Polynesian settlement of New Zealand in relation to environmental and biotic changes. N Z J Ecol 12:115–129

    Google Scholar 

  • McGuiness CA (2007) Carabid beetle conservation in New Zealand. J Insect Conserv 11:31–41. doi:10.1007/s10841-006-9016-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meurk CD, Bellingham P, Macmillan B (1995) The last kanuka landscape on the Canterbury Plains? Canterbury Bot Soc J 29:11–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Molloy BPJ (1970) Bankside––a new scientific reserve on the Canterbury Plains. Proceedings of New Zealand Ecological Society, vol 17. pp 47–51

  • Molloy BPJ, Ives DW (1972) Biological reserves of New Zealand 1. Eyrewell scientific reserve, Canterbury. N Z J Bot 10:673–700

    Google Scholar 

  • Molnar T, Magura T, Tothmeresz B, Elek Z (2001) Ground beetles (Carabidae) and edge effect in oak-hornbeam forest and grassland transects. Eur J Soil Biol 37:297–300. doi:10.1016/S1164-5563(01)01103-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murcia C (1995) Edge effects in fragmented forests: implications for conservation. Trends Ecol Evol 10:58–62. doi:10.1016/S0169-5347(00)88977-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers N, Mittermeier RA, Mittermeier CG, da Fonseca GAB, Kent J (2000) Biodiversity hot spots for conservation priorities. Nature 403:853–858 Medline. doi:10.1038/35002501

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Norton DA (1998) Indigenous biodiversity conservation and plantation forestry: options for the future. N Z For 43:34–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Pawson SM, Emberson RM, Armstrong KF, Paterson AM (2003) Phylogenetic revision of the endemic New Zealand carabid genus Oregus Putzeys 1868 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini). Invertebr Syst 17:625–640. doi:10.1071/IS02042

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pawson SM, Brockerhoff EG, Meenken ED, Didham RK (2008) Non-native plantation forests as alternative habitat for native forest beetles in a heavily modified landscape. Biodivers Conserv. doi:10.1007/s10531-008-9363-y

  • Rosoman G (1994) The plantation effect. Greenpeace, Auckland

    Google Scholar 

  • Saunders DA, Hobbs RJ, Margules CR (1991) Biological consequences of ecosystem fragmentation. Conserv Biol 5:18–32. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.1991.tb00384.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sommerville A (1980) Wind stability: forest layout and siliviculture. N Z J For Sci 10(3):476–501

    Google Scholar 

  • SPSS Inc. (1998) SYSTAT 9. SPSS Incorporated, Chicago, IL, USA

  • Taylor R (1997) State of New Zealand’s environment 1997. The Ministry for the Environment, Wellington

    Google Scholar 

  • Watt JC (1975) The terrestrial insects. In: Kuschel G (eds) Biogeography and ecology in New Zealand. Dr. W. Junk, The Hague, pp 507–535

  • Wilmshurst JM, Higham TFG (2004) Using rat-gnawed seed to independently date the arrival of Pacific rats and humans in New Zealand. Holocene 14(6):801–806. doi:10.1191/0959683604hl760ft

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson EO (1988) Biodiversity. National Academy Press, Washington D.C., USA

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Rowan Emberson, Alison Evans, Peter Johns, André Larochelle, Alan Leckie, Sylvia McLaren, Steve Pawson and Tanja Weis for assistance with trapping or identification of beetles. Helpful comments on an earlier draft were provided by Steve Pawson and two anonymous reviewers. Funding was provided by the New Zealand Foundation for Research Science and Technology under C04806 and C04X0214 and by the Department of Conservation. Thanks also to Carter Holt Harvey Forests, the Department of Conservation, and several farmers for access to field sites.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lisa A. Berndt.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Berndt, L.A., Brockerhoff, E.G. & Jactel, H. Relevance of exotic pine plantations as a surrogate habitat for ground beetles (Carabidae) where native forest is rare. Biodivers Conserv 17, 1171–1185 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-008-9379-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-008-9379-3

Keywords

Navigation