Lisa V Carrier MSc Conservation Science 2011 Contents List of Figures Lisa of Tables List of Acronyms Abstract Acknowledgements 1. Introduction 1.1 Rationale for research 1.2 Forests in China 1.3 Future prospects 1.4 Aims and Objectives 1.5 Hypotheses 1.6 Thesis structure 2. Background 2.1. Literature review 2.1.1. Moderately disturbed habitats 2.1.2. HiGhly disturbed habitats 2.2. Options for minimizinG impact of forest disturbance 2.3. China’s history and rapid development 2.3.1. Economic Pressures 2.3.2. Protected Areas 2.4 Hainan Province 2.4.1. GeoGraphy 2.4.2. Economic development 2.4.3. Conservation and climate 2.4.4. Positive chanGes 2.5. Study site 2.5.1 Diaoluoshan National Forest Park 3. Methods 3.1. Habitats explored 3.1.1. Primary forest 3.1.2. Secondary forest 3.1.3. Plantations 3.2. Pilot Study 3.3. Population estimate methods 3.3.1. Camera traps 3.3.2. Live traps 3.4 Plot set up 3.5 Collection of veGetation data 3.6 Statistical Analysis ii 4. Results 4.1 Total abundance comparisons across three habitat types 4.1.1 Camera traps 4.1.1.1. Variation in abundance within habitat types 4.1.2. Live traps 4.2. Richness comparisons between the different habitat types 4.2.1. Camera traps 4.2.2. Live traps 4.3. Comparison of diversity and evenness of species between habitats 4.3.1 Species abundance across habitat type 4.3.1.1 Camera traps 4.3.1.2 Live traps 4.4. EstablishinG which veGetation and land cover characteristics affect species abundance 4.4.1. VeGetation comparisons across habitat types 4.5. Comparisons between two plantation plots 5. Discussion 5.1. Small mammal abundance, richness, diversity and evenness 5.2 Correlations between veGetation characteristic and relative abundance 5.3. Comparison of survey method effectiveness 5.4. Biodiversity in modified landscapes 5.4.1 Wildlife friendly farminG ‘v’ land sparinG 5.5 Protected areas and huntinG 5.6 Future research 5.7 Adaptations to methodoloGies 5.8 Conclusions 6. References 7. Appendices iii List of Figures Figure 2.1. Nature Reserve area Growth in China over past 50 years. Figure 2.2. Land use classification chanGes in Hainan Figure 2.3. (A) Map of location of Hainan Island (B) Map of Hainan indicatinG location of Diaoluoshan Nature Reserve (C) Map of Diaoluoshan Nature Reserve outlininG habitat types Figure 3.1. (A) Camera trap set up in Primary forest and Secondary forest (B) Camera trap set up in Plantations (C) Example camera trap image Figure 3.2. Illustration of live trap mechanism Figure 4.1. Graph illustratinG difference in total mean relative abundance in each habitat type Figure 4.2. Graph illustratinG mean relative abundance of each species measured by camera traps Figure 4.3. Graph illustratinG mean relative abundance in each habitat type measured by live traps Figure 4.4. Graph illustratinG mean relative abundance of each species in each habitat type, measured by live traps. Figure 4.5. Illustrates mean value of veGetation characteristics in each habitat type iv List of Tables Table 4.1. Statistical information resultinG from comparison of relative abundance across habitat type measured by Camera traps. Table 4.2. Statistical information resultinG from comparison of relative abundance across habitat type measured by live traps. Table 4.3. List of species found in different habitat types usinG camera traps Table 4.4. List of species found in different habitat types usinG live traps Table 4.5. Values for species diversity and evenness for each habitat usinG both methods. Table 4.6. Statistical values calculated for differences in veGetation characteristics between habitat types. v List of Acronyms PF – Primary forest SF – Secondary forest PL – Plantation GPS - Global PositioninG System HB – Head and body lenGth U- Statistical value for Mann-Whitney U test t – Statistical value for t-test (m)- Meters vi Abstract This paper is based on a study in Hainan Province, an island off of the South coast of China. The research conducted looks the responses of small mammal communities to different levels of disturbance and compares them with the composition and structure of Primary forest. The study investiGates previously logGed secondary forest and two plantation types. Camera traps and live traps were used toGether to measure relative abundance, diversity, richness and evenness within these habitats and statistical comparison tests were conducted on this data to establish differences between them. Seven veGetation and land cover characteristics were also measured to investiGate correlations between these and small mammal communities across the habitat types. Both methods showed siGnificant differences between small mammal relative abundance in primary forest and plantation. Camera trap data indicated a siGnificant difference between primary forest and secondary forest but live trap data showed no siGnificant difference between these two habitat types. Richness of species reduced when habitats were disturbed and diversity became more unevenly distributed as in disturbed habitats, indicatinG that some species adapt better to disturbed environments than others. Results also showed siGnificant differences in veGetation characteristics across habitat types differinG in their level of disturbance. Results Gained can contribute to future methods used to improve forest plantation management. Word Count: 13,427 vii Acknowledgements I would firstly like to thank my two supervisors throuGhout this project. Firstly to Dr. Marcus Rowcliffe (ZSL), for his help and Guidance throuGh the field work and write up of the project. Secondly, to Dr. Wei LianG of Hainan Normal University, not only for his financial investment but also for his dedication and determination to ensure the success of the project. I would also like to thank Jia jia WanG for her hard work and commitment and Sam Turvey (ZSL) for his advice and support. I would also like to express my heart felt thanks to my family, who have supported both financially and emotionally throuGh every challenGe that I have faced throuGhout my postgraduate study. viii 1. Introduction 1.1. Rationale for research Anthropogenic pressures such as land conversion to agriculture, logging and urbanization have been occurring in temperate and tropical regions throughout history, primarily as a result of agricultural expansion and utilization of forest resources. Development and intensification of agriculture is the greatest current threat to biodiversity (Fitzherbert et al., 2008), causing fragmentation of habitats and therefore loss of species leading to a reduction in the ability of ecosystems to function as a whole (Chaplin et al., 2000). Although forests are the most productive ecosystems for both human welfare and biodiversity, providing invaluable eco-system services and habitat for some of the most endangered and vulnerable species, they are disappearing faster than any other biome globally (Myers, 1991). There have been many studies relating to the effects of deforestation and habitat fragmentation (e.g. Archard et al., 2002, Geist et al., 2002, Echeverria et al., 2006) but few studies have investigated the impacts of these types of disturbance on small mammal communities (e.g. Ramanamanjato & Ganzhorn 2001, Laurance, 1997), particularly in China (e.g. Chung & Corlett, 2006, Raoul et al., 2008 & Giraudoux et al., 1998). This understudied area is however crucial in evaluating the ability of small mammal communities to tolerate or exploit modified habitats, and therefore to adeQuately address biodiversity conservation issues when planning forest management schemes (Raoul et al., 2008). Small mammals play an important role in the ecology of almost all tropical habitats, as seed predators and scatter-hoarding seed dispersal agents, as consumers of invertebrates, small vertebrates and their eggs and as prey for snakes, mammals and birds (Chung et al., 2006). It is imperative that we conserve these species and ensure their continued existence within forest ecosystems and converted habitats. 1.2 Forests in china China’s fast growing economy has resulted in forest habitat consisting of a mere 13.9% of the total remaining land coverage in the country (Fu et al., 2004, cited in Raoul 2008). A high demand from the international wood-chip markets in the late 1970’s gave rise to 1 logging of native forest and conseQuently the further destruction of these environments to make way for plantations of fast growing Eucalyptus and fir trees (Zhang et al., 2000). Rubber production in the country has increased dramatically over the last decade, mainly due to the high demand for car tyres. Although there has been an expansion of rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations and increase in production within China, the country still only produces less than half of what it consumes leading to the promotion and further demand for rubber tree plantations (Li et al., 2007). These pressures are causing major detrimental effects on the environment with problems such as soil erosion, desertification and loss of biodiversity, but the ecological effects of these man made forests is largely unexplored (Gao, 2006). In China, Plantations cover 53 million hectares and account for 30% of the total forested area, with the highest proportion existing in South China (Wang 2009). Although fast growing, high yielding plantations are taking the pressure off of intact forest by reducing the need to log native forest, they are further isolating forest fragments by degrading the patches of land and reducing the biodiversity that exists here. 1.3. Future prospects China’s economic growth is set to increase rapidly in the near future (Klein et al., 2003), therefore an increase in land conversion to monoculture plantations and other cash crops is highly likely. It is vital that we investigate the effects of plantations on species diversity and research which species are most sensitive to different levels and types of disturbance and therefore which populations are at most risk of extinction.