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Anthropogenic disturbances have changed the landscape structure and functioning of many ecosystems worldwide. Ecological restoration at the landscape level is important to recover degraded and destroyed ecosystems, as well as increase habitat amount and spatial connectivity, thus reestablishing biodiversity and essential ecological processes. Different local and landscape factors affect the recovery of animal communities in general, particularly bees. These insects are essential for restoration success through pollination. Considering the importance of ecological restoration at the landscape level for pollinator conservation, we systematically reviewed the influence of landscape structure on the restoration of bee communities. Our review encompassed the analysis of 18 articles based on specific criteria including the number of bee sampling units within restored areas and landscape analyses. These studies showed that habitat amount and proximity influence in different ways the bee richness, abundance, diversity, and species composition in the restored environments. We also observed that attributes linked to habitat complexity such as the availability of floral and nesting resources drive the bee species’ colonization and persistence. Our findings emphasize the necessity of designing restoration strategies considering the spatial and temporal distribution of bee species requirements on a landscape scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in landscape structure have increased the edge amount between different environments, and its implications for biodiversity may vary depending on the level of analysis, ecological groups, and species life history. We investigated the effect of distance from the forest edge on species of solitary wasps and bees and their associated natural enemies, on a gradient from 200 m into the anthropogenic matrix to 200 m into the forest, in Atlantic Forest biome in Brazil. In general, species were positively affected by forest edge proximity, while those forest specialists were more negatively influenced. The natural enemy species were more dependent on the distribution of their hosts than on the edge effect directly. Caterpillar and spider hunters seem to be positively affected by the edge, while pollen collectors progressively decrease their richness and abundance from the matrix towards the interior of forest area, and cockroach hunters present an opposite response. We demonstrate the importance of forest conservation and reforestation programs, not only by some cavity-nesting wasps and bees being entirely dependent on forests to persist, but also because most species sampled here depend on being close to a forest edge (less than 100 m) to carry out their ecological holes. Therefore, understanding how different species respond to environmental and landscape changes and may depend on staying close to forests is essential for effective management and planning strategies for biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Atlantic Forest is diverse and heavily fragmented, little is known about the impact of edges created from fragmentation on forest structure and plant diversity. Our investigation of vegetation at agricultural edges aimed to determine edge width, to compare effects of edge influence and topography and to assess patterns of diversity. We collected data on forest structure, plant groups, plant families, and vertical vegetation structure in 2 × 2 m contiguous plots along 250 m transects across the edges of 24 fragments approx. 70 km west of São Paulo, Brazil. We used randomization tests to estimate the magnitude and distance of edge influence, generalized linear mixed models to assess the effect of topography, and wavelet analysis to evaluate spatial patterns. Although there was evidence of edge degradation (lower diversity and cover of most plant groups compared to interior forest) and edge sealing (abrupt changes at the edge particularly for leafy vertical diversity), edge influence did not extend very far with a distance of edge influence of 20 m or less for most variables. Less extensive edge influence compared to other tropical forests was not explained by topography (slope) but could be due to more extensive fragmentation and land use history. The use of multiple approaches to studying forest edges provided complementary information to improve our understanding of the structure of anthropogenic edges in Atlantic Forest. Signs of edge degradation suggest that edge influence should be considered in conservation planning even though edges are narrow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Declining in biodiversity in the Anthropocene is mostly a result of habitat loss due to changes in the landscape. Objectives: Here, we address how landscape composition and configuration affect anuran diversity in agricultural landscapes in the Brazilian Cerrado ecoregion. Methods: We sampled 29 breeding sites during the rainy season using auditory census and visual encounters to record anuran species richness, and specialist, generalist and dominant species richness. For each sampling site, we estimated eight landscape metrics at five spatial scales. Results: We recorded 36 species from seven anuran families, 17 habitat specialist and 19 habitat generalists. We found that aquatic habitat cover (%) and number of aquatic patches played a positive effect on both total anuran richness and richness of dominant species. However, landscape compositional heterogeneity and aquatic habitat isolation negatively influenced community rarity, and abundance of habitat specialist species. In addition, more diverse anuran communities were found in areas where the amount and number of aquatic habitat patches were greater. Conclusions: Our results emphasize the importance of maintaining high amounts of waterbodies and high aquatic habitat connectivity across the landscapes. Moreover, rare species and habitat specialist species are sensitive to landscape composition and configuration, respectively. Therefore, water body amount and connectivity must be considered in conservation plans to mitigate anuran community loss in agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Animal movement through the landscape is essential to several ecological processes, assuring genetic flow, reproductive success and population dynamics. In fragmented landscapes, species change their movement patterns according to their sensitivity to landscape cover and configuration. Increased landscape habitat loss and fragmentation affects resource distribution and habitat availability, compelling species to move more frequently through anthropized matrices. Objectives: Our aim was to provide a new prospect for what is known about animal movement through the landscape anthropogenic matrix in the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot, by analyzing the potential movement distances of several mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian species. Methods: We used recorded roadkills within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest as a source of information of species' occurrence. We assumed the euclidean distance from the roadkill spot to the nearest forest fragment as the potential movement distance by different species through the anthropogenic matrix. Experts' classification of species' forest dependence degree, and animal movement information from the literature survey was used to analyze the variation in potential animal movement distance in these matrices. Results: We analyzed 90 species, the majority of them being non-forest dependent (n = 64; 71%). The potential movement distances ranged from 0 to > 1500 m, and forest-dependent species presented lower mean distances (between 772 and 978 m) than non-forest dependent species (between 673 and 1015 m). The literature survey resulted in 44 articles regarding animal movement in the matrix, referred only to 22 species. No articles were found for 20 species, mainly reptiles and amphibians. Conclusions: By comparing these values to the average distance between forest remnants in the Atlantic Forest, we expect that the distance to be traveled through the matrix to reach forest fragments may be restrictive, mainly for species with higher degree of forest dependence. Despite being descriptive, our results provide important insights on animal movement through the matrix, especially for less studied species, such as amphibians and reptiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the response of seed rain and seed bank to landscape changes is critical for maintaining the forest remnants integrity and the potential for natural regeneration in abandoned lands. Ecological research typically focuses on direct responses of these seed processes (i.e., seed rain and seed bank), without considering the relationship between them or the indirect impact of landscape changes on these processes via its influence on seed dispersers and seed predation. Here, we employ structuring equation modeling to quantify the direct and indirect effects of landscape structure and biotic interaction on bird-dispersed seed rain and seed banks in the Atlantic Forest. We conducted the study in 20 highly fragmented landscapes. Our study shows that lower seed disperser, seed rain and seed bank abundances, as well as higher seed predation rates will be found in a landscape context with higher percentage of pasture, isolated forest fragments and in matrices far from forest edge. The indirect effect of landscape change was related to the negative influence of seed predation rates on the seed bank abundance. Based on our results, we recommend managing the landscapes trying to increase the connectivity among the forest remnants and reduce the percentage of pasture, in order to improve the seed dispersal and decrease the seed predation rates. In addition, it is essential that management plans evaluate these processes as a whole to accelerate forest recovery due to the complex relationships associated with seed rain and seed bank. Conceptual model highlighting the spatial context effects on biotic interaction (seed dispersers and predation) and seed processes (seed rain and seed bank). A At sampling local level, the seed rain and the seed predators have the opposite response to the distance to the forest edge. In addition, the seed predators vary according to the type of land cover/use. The seed predation inside the forest is lower than the outside. The highest predation was in coffee plantations. B At a landscape level, the percentage of pasture in the surrounding landscape has an inverse effect on seed predation, seed bank, and seed rain, being positive for seed predation, but negative for the seed bank and seed rain. Otherwise, the percentage of coffee plantations in the landscape has a positive effect on seed dispersers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the distribution and abundance of populations is the first step toward assessing biodiversity conservation status. This step is based on field observations that are largely influenced by the sampling method employed. Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs) are tools developed to improve species monitoring that employ acoustic communication. Although largely employed, the efforts required to achieve good diversity estimates with this technique are still unknown. We investigate the use of ARUs in estimating species richness of anuran assemblages in a tropical region, aiming to determine the sampling sufficiency of species richness at local and regional levels, analyze whether the asymptote point is related to forest cover, and investigate the influence of subsampling type over time on species richness estimates. We monitored amphibians in 14 streams embedded in landscapes representing a gradient from 20 to 70% native forest coverage. We detected a total of 14 species, with the regional sampling sufficiency of total species richness reached in 3448 min and influenced mainly by the terrestrial species' presence. Forest coverage had no influence on the minimum audio processing time required to achieve local asymptote. The subsampling schemes (temporally stratified and randomly assigned) had similar efficiency when using 5 min/h or more sample efforts. Our findings indicate that passive acoustic monitoring can adequately represent local anuran richness, focusing especially on the arboreal guild. Sampling effort can be optimized, with a 5 min/h duty cycle being sufficient to recover detection of most species, saving up to 75% of the effort devoted to auditing the acoustic dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of biodiversity comprehends not only the extinction of individual species, but also the loss of the ecological interactions among them. Survival of species, continuation of ecosystem functioning in nature, and ecosystem services to humans depend on the maintenance of well-functioning networks of species interactions (e.g. plant–pollinator networks and food webs). Analyses of ecological networks often rely on biased and incomplete survey data, especially in species-rich areas, such as the tropics. We used a network inference method to reconstruct pollination data compiled from a large tropical rainforest habitat extent. To gain insight into the characteristics of plant–pollinator interactions across the region, we combined the reconstructed pollination network with species distribution modelling to obtain local pollination networks throughout the area. We explored how global network properties relate to natural forest cover and land cover heterogeneity. We found that some network properties (the sum and evenness of link weights, connectance and nestedness) are positively correlated with forest cover, indicating that networks in sites with more natural habitat have greater diversity of interactions. Modularity was not related to forest cover, but seemed to reflect habitat heterogeneity, due to the broad spatial scale of the study. We believe that the methodology suggested here can facilitate the use of incomplete network data in a reliable way and allow us to better understand and protect networks of species interactions in high biodiversity regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orchid bees (Euglossini) are pollinators sensitive to landscape pressures related to agricultural land use, such as coffee farming. Coffee crops occupy a large land area in Brazil, and understanding the effects of coffee farming on bee communities is essential to pollinator conservation in modified landscapes. Here, we evaluated the Euglossini communities in forest patches surrounded by coffee crops in the Atlantic Forest. We hypothesized the negative effects of coffee cover (%) on euglossine richness and abundance. The euglossine males were sampled at a sampling point within forest patches of 15 landscapes in southeastern Brazil. A total of 1890 euglossine males in four genera and 14 species were sampled. Eulaema nigrita Lepeletier, 1841 was the dominant species (55.1%), followed by Euglossa cordata (Linnaeus, 1758) (25.5%). We found a new record for Euglossa liopoda Dressler, 1982, increasing the species’ known range in the Atlantic Forest. The results showed that the euglossine richness and species abundance decreased in forest patches surrounded by a high coffee cover (%). These negative effects of coffee cover on the Euglossini communities are related to forest cover substitution by monocultures with low or no floral attractiveness for these bees. This study highlights that forest patches in agricultural landscapes sustain high levels of euglossine richness. Thus, we indicate the conservation importance of these Atlantic Forest patches for bee species requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landscape changes in tropical environments result in long-lasting and complex changes in biodiversity that involve several biological responses (e.g., loss of species diversity and functional diversity). Both taxonomic and functional diversity might respond differently to land-use change, and this response might also vary depending on several factors, such as the taxonomic group or landscape context. Even though each level of diversity expresses different properties of the community structure, studies characterizing the species community in human-dominated landscapes have often only focused on patterns involving taxonomic diversity. Here, we evaluated different descriptors of taxonomic (i.e., richness, diversity, and dominance) and functional entropy (i.e., richness, diversity, and redundancy) and the taxonomic and functional composition of ants in a forest cover gradient (%) in 16 highly fragmented tropical humid forest landscapes in Mexico. We found that all descriptors of taxonomic diversity decreased along a gradient of forest loss. Furthermore, functional redundancy was the only component of functional diversity that was positively associated with forest cover (%). These findings suggest an ecological backup of functions provided by species in landscapes with higher forest cover, protecting these landscapes against habitat disturbance or species loss. We also observed that landscapes with larger forest cover were inhabited by ant species with larger interocular distances and smaller femurs, which could allow predator ants the exploitation of ground cracks and higher mobility in leaf-litter microhabitats. Our results highlight the importance of the primary forest as a reservoir of the taxonomic and functional diversity of ants in highly fragmented tropical rainforest landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Multiscale approaches are essential for understanding ecological processes and detecting the scale of effect. However, nested multiscale approaches retain the effect of the landscape attributes from the smaller spatial scales into the larger ones. Thus, decoupling the nested scales can reveal detailed ecological responses to landscape context, but this multiscale approach is poorly explored. Objectives: We evaluated the scale of effect of the forest cover (%) and landscape heterogeneity on Euglossini bee communities combining coupled and decoupled multiscale approaches. Methods: The Euglossini males were sampled in forest patches from 15 landscapes within the Atlantic Forest, southeast Brazil. For simplicity, we defined that the coupled approaches represented the local scales and decoupled the regional scales. We decoupled the scales by cutting out the smaller scales inserted into larger ones. We estimated the relationship of the bee community attributes with forest cover (%) and landscape heterogeneity in local and regional scales using Generalized Linear Models. Results: We found a trend of positive effects of landscape heterogeneity on species richness for decoupled regional scales. Forest cover and landscape heterogeneity on coupled local scales positively affected the Euglossini species abundance. The scale of effect for Euglossini species abundance was on coupled local scales. Conclusions: Combining coupled and decoupled multiscale approaches was essential to determine the scale of effect of the landscape composition on bee communities. Therefore, it is crucial to measure the influence of the landscape context on biodiversity. Maintaining landscapes with larger forest cover and spatial heterogeneity is important for bee requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat loss and fragmentation in the human‐modified landscape affect bee assemblages by reducing the available natural resources. The life history features and adaptations of bees to environmental conditions affect how they perceive and interact with landscape structure. Therefore, it is crucial to quantify the magnitude of the effects of the landscape structure on this group at multiscale. We address the relative contribution of landscape structure in explaining the abundance of orchid bees, richness, and diversity in landscapes of Brazilian Cerrado. We mapped the surrounding landscape around 18 focal patches and sampled male orchid bees attracted by chemical baits. We used VIF and generalized linear models (GLM) to evaluate the effects of landscape structure (composition and configuration) at different spatial scales. We sampled 658 euglossine bees from five genera and 12 species. The savanna cover, forest cover, and fragmentation per se (i.e., the number of patches) were the best predictors of the richness of euglossine bees. The abundance of bees was explained by the savanna cover. The increase in natural habitat area and the reduction in landscape fragmentation favoring the assemblages of orchid bees are supported by our results. Savanna cover also modulates the abundance of euglossine bees, confirming that the habitat amount is essential for maintaining the populations of these bees. Our results reinforce the importance of habitat loss and fragmentation effects on the richness, abundance, and composition of euglossine bees, particularly in the naturally heterogeneous landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the necessity of interdisciplinary approaches for planning and managing the expansion of urban landscapes worldwide, this study aimed to (1) assess landscape permeability for birds and people inhabiting a Neotropical city and (2) propose priority streets and areas for the implementation of a green infrastructure project that could benefit both. To reach these goals, we generated resistance surfaces using expert knowledge to simulate multiple least-cost corridors (MLCC) between parks and green spaces within an urban landscape for people and seven bird species. We compared the solutions using a corridors' spatial agreement analysis, which allow us to identify the overlap between modeled corridors for all organisms or functional groups of interest. We also identified the streets most selected by the simulated MLCC and then identified a green space which is a convergence point of corridors modeled for both people and bird species. Finally, we suggested priority streets for planting trees and proposed interventions to turn the green space into a multifunctional park, conciliating social and ecological perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Dispersal is a crucial process for species persistence under natural and disturbed landscapes. The effectiveness of stepping stones as a connectivity strategy for increasing dispersal success depends on landscape structure and animal behaviour, such as the perceptual range. Objectives: We quantify the relative contribution of stepping stones (small fragments and scattered trees) to dispersal success considering interactions with perceptual range, habitat amount and configuration. Methods: We develop an individual-based model (IBM) to simulate the dispersal movement of small mammals. The model is parametrized using empirical estimates of perceptual range and movement properties (turning angles and steps length). Simulations are implemented in landscapes with varying gradients of habitat amount and clumpiness, with and without the presence of stepping stones. Results: Small patches and scattered trees combined, or only scattered trees, have a positive effect on dispersal. Meanwhile, the presence of only small patches has negative effects on dispersal. Habitat amount positively influences dispersal, which decreases abruptly when the habitat amount is less than 20%. This threshold disappears in the presence of stepping stones. In landscapes with intermediate levels of habitat amount, landscape fragmentation (low clumpiness) has a positive effect on dispersal success. Conclusions: Stepping stones, especially scattered trees, are a fundamental connectivity strategy for the conservation of small non-flying vertebrates in human-modified landscapes, particularly landscapes with less than 20% of habitat amount. However, small patches stepping stones may act as ecological traps leading the individuals to dead-ends. Their effectiveness in improving dispersal depends on both landscape structure and perceptual range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: An understanding of species-habitat relationships is required to assess the impacts of habitat fragmentation and degradation. To date, habitat modeling in fragmented landscapes has relied on landscape composition and configuration metrics and the importance of habitat quality in determining species distributions has not been sufficiently explored. Objectives: We evaluated how habitat use by herbivores and frugivorous mammals is shaped by a potential interaction of habitat amount and quality in the Brazilian Pantanal wetland. We also assessed if the contribution of habitat quality to species´ habitat use varies according to the species sensitivity to habitat loss. Methods: We combined mammal detection data obtained from camera traps with thematic maps to estimate the amount of habitat and measured habitat quality using local environment variables and distance to waterbodies. Specifically, we used a single-season occupancy approach to evaluate the relative support of univariate, additive, and interactive relationships between species-specific habitat use and measures of habitat quality and quantity. Results: Habitat quality was more important than habitat amount in determining species habitat use (occupancy) in a naturally fragmented landscape. Habitat quality alone was the best predictor of habitat use for two of the six species (white lipped peccary and collared peccary), but no species' habitat use was explained solely by habitat amount. Habitat amount was influential only when considered in conjunction with habitat quality covariates and only for two sensitive species to habitat loss (agouti and red brocket deer). Habitat quality alone was the best predictor of habitat use for two of the less sensitive species (white lipped peccary and collared peccary). Habitat use for two species was not explained by any covariate (tapir and gray brocket deer). Conclusions: Conservation programs should incorporate both habitat quality and amount when dealing with sensitive species and prioritize habitat quality management when focusing in less sensitive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Planning for multifunctional landscapes is a way to restore ecological processes that benefit human well-being (ecosystem services—ES). By accounting for the effects of the spatial arrangement of restored areas, planners can enhance the positive outcomes of restoration activities. However, while there are many models for individual ES provision, the direct influence of landscape structure on multiple ES has not been integrated into practical tools that planners can use. Objectives: We aimed to develop a modelling framework to support a landscape-scale evaluation of multiple services, by identifying bundles of ES that respond similarly to landscape structure and providing a tool to support the prioritization of restoration efforts. Methods: Based on current literature for examples and scientific support, our framework first considers stakeholders' interests, and then states the main ES features that planners need to identify to understand which landscape structure to pursue with restoration actions. We also developed a tool that uses simple, readily available data to prioritize locations for restoration across landscapes. Results: With our framework, it becomes possible to integrate ES preferences and context-dependent management options that are understandable to a broad audience. We identified ten ES bundles with a unique response to landscape structure. We used eight of them in our tool, simplifying planner's management decisions for multiple benefits. Conclusion: Our framework and tool have a great potential to support landscape planning and management decisions that aim to increase landscape multifunctionality and will encourage actions towards landscape sustainability across both public and private lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities are the main cause of habitat loss and fragmentation, which directly affects biodiversity. Disruption in landscape connectivity among populations may affect complex interactions between species and ecosystem functions, such as pollination and seed dispersal, and ultimately result in secondary extinctions. Urbanization, one of the most intense forms of landscapes changes, has been reported to negatively affect bird and plant diversity. Still, little is known about the effects of urban landscapes on interaction networks. We investigated the relationship between urban landscape structure and plant-frugivore networks at different spatial scales. Coupling interaction data from urban areas and a model selection approach, we evaluated which landscape factors best explained the variation in urban networks properties. Our results indicate that urbanization decreases bird richness, mainly through the loss of habitat specialist species, which results in networks being composed mainly of birds well adapted to urban dwelling. We found that interaction evenness, a measure of homogeneity of interaction distribution between species, increases with urbanization. This is due to the strong dominance that generalist birds had in network composition because they foraged on all available fruits, including exotic plants. The ensuing homogenization of interactions can reduce the resilience of networks and affect the efficiency of ecosystems functions. Thus, urbanization plans should consider the proportion and distribution of green areas within cities, coupling human and ecosystem wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas can mediate negative effects of habitat loss and human-related pressures on key ecological groups. However, different protected area categories can vary substantially in their degree of enforcement, which may ensure different levels of effectiveness for biodiversity protection. Because little attempt has been made to quantify this, we investigated the protection effectiveness of different levels of protection (low, intermediate, and high) in maintaining the ecological functions of mammalian species. We assessed this on a selection of five species with varying ecological functions: nine-banded armadillo (insectivore), paca (seed disperser), tayra (omnivore), ocelot (carnivore), and collared peccary (seed predator). Their occupancy probability and the integrity of their ecological functions were estimated and spatialized across landscapes at all protection levels (low, intermediate, and high). In addition, we estimated how many of these species were maintained in each protection status using a minimum of 35% occupancy threshold for each. Our results indicated that higher protection statuses can hold more ecological functions of these mammalian species than areas with lower protection levels. Ocelot and paca heavily relied on areas with higher protection, which can impact the overall ecosystem functioning and ecological services of less protected areas, since these are species performing unique roles in our landscape (mixed-sized prey carnivory and large-sized seed dispersal, respectively). Our study suggests that the degrees of protection can influence the area effectiveness in maintaining certain mammalian species and their ecological functions and ecosystem services. Therefore, management strategies and degree of enforcement should be carefully planned when assigning areas for conservation to ensure the conservation of more sensitive species and preserve more ecological functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main effects of habitat loss and fragmentation have been addressed through changes in diversity patterns at different spatial levels. Species richness and diversity are the most used descriptors to assess the effect of changes in land use on tropical communities. However, other biological responses such as richness and diversity of trophic guilds may also provide a better understanding about the robustness and resilience of tropical environments to disturbance. In this study, we evaluated how changes in local and landscape characteristics associated to habitat loss and fragmentation affect: (i) species richness and Shannon diversity as well as (ii) trophic guild richness and diversity of leaf litter ants in human-modified tropical rainforest landscapes in Mexico. For this, we sampled ants in 16 sampling sites and recorded a series of descriptors at both local (i.e. elevation, temperature, relative humidity, soil pH, canopy cover, litter volume and vegetation structure) and landscape level (i.e. landscape heterogeneity, forest cover and connectivity). Overall, we observed that increasing primary forest cover within the sampling sites positively influenced richness and diversity of species and trophic guilds. In addition, at the local level, we found that only richness and diversity of ant species were negatively associated with tree density (i.e. number of trees, litter volume and canopy cover). These findings suggest that opportunistic species can be favored in environments with low tree density. In short, our complementary approach highlights the importance of environmental variability and primary forest cover in the maintenance of ant biodiversity in primary rainforest remnants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The ecological interplay between edge and matrix effects along forest-matrix interfaces is closed linked to landscape processes modulating biodiversity and ecosystem services provision in disturbed landscapes. Improving such knowledge is therefore essential to design more efficient land use management in multifunctional landscapes. Objectives: Estimate the avian-mediated Ecosystem Service Provision (ESP) in contrasting types of forest-matrix interfaces in tropical landscapes, and examine how local habitat and landscape attributes can predict ESPs. Methods: We sampled bird assemblages in forest-pasture (FP) and forest-eucalyptus plantation (FE) interfaces, and estimated their potential as pest control, seed dispersal and pollination agents across human-modified landscapes in southeastern Brazil. Using Random Forest algorithm, we also quantified the relative importance of local vs. landscape attributes in predicting ESPs. Results: The overall ESPs was higher in FP than FE interfaces. Habitat generalist birds were important potential seed disperser and pollinator agents at both FP and FE. At forest edges, landscape forest cover best predicted pest control services, whereas the density of rural homesteads best predicted potential seed dispersal and pollination services. Local habitat features were particularly important in predicting all ESP in pastures. Conclusions: We highlight the importance of matrix type and matrix habitat structure in modulating avian ESPs across forest-matrix interfaces in human-altered landscapes and suggest that forest cover and rural homestead density are key elements in multifunctional landscapes that consider avian ESP in both forest and matrix habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on biodiversity involve a series of mechanisms and processes that cannot be studied in isolation, mainly because human-modified landscapes are spatially heterogeneous. Despite the recent evidence on how habitat quality and landscape structure may regulate species composition and community structure, there is no empirical information on how ant-plant co-occurrence networks respond to landscape changes.Objectives: In this study, we used tools derived from landscape ecology and graph theory to model how habitat loss and forest fragmentation affect ant-plant co-occurrence networks at two different spatial levels (local and landscape) in a human-modified tropical rainforest in Mexico. Methods We sampled ant-plant co-occurrence networks in 16 landscapes and calculated species and co-occurrence diversity as well as the specialisation of the networks. For each landscape, we measured a series of biotic and abiotic variables at the local level and another set of variables at the landscape level.Results: We found that the landscape context (i.e. forest cover and landscape heterogeneity) was a better predictor of plant diversity and diversity of ant-plant co-occurrences compared with local characteristics. Moreover, we also observed that network specialisation was positively related to the amount of forest cover in landscapes.Conclusions: In short, our results highlight the importance of studying the diversity of species and co-occurrence networks within a landscape approach to predict the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation at different spatial levels and contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The recently introduced concept of ‘landscape services’—ecosystem services influenced by landscape patterns—may be particularly useful in landscape planning by potentially increasing stakeholder participation and financial funding. However, integrating this concept remains challenging. In order to bypass this barrier, we must gain a greater understanding of how landscape composition and configuration influence the services provided.Methods: We conducted meta-analyses that considered published studies evaluating the effects of several landscape metrics on the following services: pollination, pest control, water quality, disease control, and aesthetic value. We report the cumulative mean effect size (E++), where the signal of the values is related to positive or negative influences.Results: Landscape complexity differentially influenced the provision of services. Particularly, the percentage of natural areas had an effect on natural enemies (E++ = 0.35), pollination (E++ = 0.41), and disease control (E++ = 0.20), while the percentage of no-crop areas had an effect on water quality (E++ = 0.42) and pest response (E++ = 0.33). Furthermore, heterogeneity had an effect on aesthetic value (E++ = 0.5) and water quality (E++ = − 0.40). Moreover, landscape aggregation was important to explaining pollination (E++ = 0.29) and water quality (E++ = 0.35).Conclusions: The meta-analyses reinforce the importance of considering landscape structure in assessing ecosystem services for management purposes and decision-making. The magnitude of landscape effect varies according to the service being studied. Therefore, land managers must account for landscape composition and configuration in order to ensure the maintenance of services and adapt their approach to suit the focal service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-crop habitats play a key role in maintaining functional diversity and ecosystem services in farmland. However, the interplay between beneficial insects and landscape variables has rarely been investigated in Neotropical agroecosystems. We used flower flies as a model group to investigate the effects of landscape attributes on beneficial insects in agroecosystems across a gradient of landscape complexity. We specifically ask: (i) Do the abundance and species richness of flower flies in cereal crops increase with increasing landscape complexity? (ii) Do the effects of landscape variables on local flower fly communities differ between spatial scales? (iii) How do landscape complexity and local factors (crop size, altitude and insecticide applications) affect beta diversity? We sampled flower flies in 54 edges within 18 wheat crops in Paraná State, southern Brazil. The percentage of non-crop habitats, landscape diversity and edge density were the explanatory variables, which were calculated at multiple spatial scales for each landscape. We collected 8340 flower flies, distributed in 12 genera and 52 species. Species richness was positively associated with the percentage of non-crop habitats, but total abundance presented non-clear pattern. However, abundance without the dominant species was also positively associated with the percentage non-crop habitats. Similarly, beta diversity was related to non-crop habitats, suggesting that the reduction in non-crop habitats implies in species loss. We have provided the first insights into the importance of non-crop habitats on the conservation of beneficial insects within Neotropical farmlands. To guarantee high levels of biodiversity within agroecosystems we need to promote the conservation and restoration of non-crop habitats in the surrounding landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite major advances in mammal research, there are knowledge gaps regarding distribution, composition, and the functional role of mammal species within agricultural and fragmented landscapes. Also, there is a lack of knowledge about which factors influence mammal assemblages within agricultural ecosystems. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the contribution of forest cover, functional connectivity, drainage, and amount of sugar cane toward explaining the functional diversity of terrestrial mammals. We made an inventory of terrestrial mammals in an agricultural and fragmented landscape in an Atlantic Forest-Cerrado ecotone in southeastern Brazil, assessed the functional diversity of mammal assemblages, and proposed conservation strategies at the landscape level. Data collection occurred from September/2011 to August/2012 through a combination of complementary methods: active search; trapping stations; collection of fecal samples, which were identified by hair cuticle and fecal DNA analysis; and data from the literature. Functional diversity (FD) was calculated using a set of ecological traits including body mass, locomotion form, behavioral and dietary traits, and the environmental sensitivity of species. Akaike information criterion was used to compare generalized linear models between FD values and landscape metrics. Our results reveal a surprising insight about the role exerted by agricultural and fragmented landscapes, which still sustain impressively high biodiversity levels and a meaningful amount of ecological functions, indicating some resistance of species to pressure from the agricultural matrix and advancing urbanization. The amount of ecological functions performed by mammal species within agricultural and fragmented landscapes was similar to pristine areas and more preserved landscapes. Functional connectivity (amount of area assessed for species able to cross 200 m of matrix) was the most plausible model (wAICc = 0.873). Thus, we concluded that improving functional connectivity guarantees high FD values, and we demonstrate the importance of maintaining and restoring structural connections between fragment patches within these landscapes for species conservation and the maintenance of populations over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

São Paulo is the most developed state in Brazil and contains few fragments of native ecosystems, generally surrounded by intensive agriculture lands. Despite this, some areas still shelter large native animals. We aimed at understanding how medium and large carnivores use a mosaic landscape of forest/savanna and agroecosystems, and how the species respond to different landscape parameters (percentage of landcover and edge density), in a multi-scale perspective. The response variables were: species richness, carnivore frequency and frequency for the three most recorded species ( Puma concolor, Chrysocyon brachyurus and Leopardus pardalis). We compared 11 competing models using Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and assessed model support using weight of AIC. Concurrent models were combinations of landcover types (native vegetation, “cerrado” formations, “cerradão” and eucalypt plantation), landscape feature (percentage of landcover and edge density) and spatial scale. Herein, spatial scale refers to the radius around a sampling point defining a circular landscape. The scales analyzed were 250 (fine), 1,000 (medium) and 2,000 m (coarse). The shape of curves for response variables (linear, exponential and power) was also assessed. Our results indicate that species with high mobility, P. concolor and C. brachyurus, were best explained by edge density of the native vegetation at a coarse scale (2,000 m). The relationship between P. concolor and C. brachyurus frequency had a negative power-shaped response to explanatory variables. This general trend was also observed for species richness and carnivore frequency. Species richness and P. concolor frequency were also well explained by a second concurrent model: edge density of cerradão at the fine (250 m) scale. A different response was recorded for L. pardalis, as the frequency was best explained for the amount of cerradão at the fine (250 m) scale. The curve of response was linearly positive. The contrasting results ( P. concolor and C. brachyurus vs L. pardalis) may be due to the much higher mobility of the two first species, in comparison with the third. Still, L. pardalis requires habitat with higher quality when compared with other two species. This study highlights the importance of considering multiple spatial scales when evaluating species responses to different habitats. An important and new finding was the prevalence of edge density over the habitat extension to explain overall carnivore distribution, a key information for planning and management of protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]