Exotic Tree Plantations Can Disturb Local Wildlife, Researchers Find
Published:13 Jun.2022 Source:University of Bristol
Initiatives using non-native tree species can impact tropical insects in neighbouring forests, according to an international study.
Scientists at the University of Bristol and Federal University of Western Pará, in Brazil have found that Eucalyptus plantation edge effects radiates up to 800 meters into the interior of nearby Amazonian forests, when applied to ecologically important dung beetles. As the world seeks to mitigate human-induced climate change, planted forests have become widespread restoration strategy across the globe. However the findings, published today in Forest Ecology and Management, suggest that while well-intentioned, exotic tree plantations can have a wider influence on the native biodiversity of hyperdiverse tropical forests.