Global trends in biodiversity with tree plantation age

• DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02751
• Publication Date: 2023-11-29T04:13:00Z
• Authors: Sophie Jane Tudge; Zoe M. Harris; Richard J. Murphy; Andy Purvis; Adriana De Palma
• Keywords: Biome

Tree plantations are expanding globally to satisfy demands for wood, food, energy, oil and other ecosystem services, often replacing primary vegetation. Plantations generally less biodiverse than vegetation, yet the effects of plantation age on biodiversity not well understood. More accurate estimations within over time could improve predictions ecological tree planting, guiding more sustainable land use management decisions. Here, we assess abundance number species invertebrates, birds, plants, mammals, amphibians, reptiles lichens, compositional similarity minimally-used We find that usually support fewer both vegetation mature secondary individuals, some novel (i.e. also found in vegetation). that, a global scale, has positive richness, However, geographic realm, biome, intensity type influence trends. include case study palm, showing richness increases with palm age. Nevertheless, typically remain natural even thirty years after especially tropics, where between remains approximately 20% lower non-tropics. Our results highlight negative consequences establishing new place or restoring while revealing spatial temporal differences.