THE EFFECT OF AREA ON RAIN-FOREST SPECIES RICHNESS

​

Colonization of forest patches by forest edge species, light gap specialists, and Savannah species could counteract the loss of less tolerant species for altered forests and maintain patch diversity. In some cases, the diversity of forest parts may remain constant, but the overall (global) diversity decreases as some unique species lost from the forest patch are not replaced. Earth-dwelling species appear to be more vulnerable to forest fragmentation than canopy types. Declining biodiversity according to diminishing land area is an important trend to consider for conservation.

 

In global studies, large forest patches have lost fewer of their species. Diversity decreased, but at a rate and degree inversely proportional to patch size. In other words, the larger the patch, the more organisms and the successful reproduction. Thus these experiments showed that the ecosystem area directly affects biodiversity.

​

Patterns of diversity along a habitat size gradient in a biodiversity hotspot

Habitat destruction and loss are the most serious threats to wildlife worldwide. The relationship between the patch of habitat size, species richness and abundance of mammals and reptiles was examined at a California biodiversity hotspot. Within nine parts of forests standardized according to age, terrain, climate and vegetation, the effects of patch size and isolation on biodiversity were tested. To measure species richness and abundance, wildlife cameras for medium and large vertebrates, marker analyzes - and - restoration of small mammals, marker analysis - and - resistance to reptiles, and standard clouds techniques for tick populations have been used because they are frequent ectoparasites on vertebrates in oak forest habitats. Our results show that the richness and abundance of medium and large vertebrates increase with the area of ​​correction as does the density of the ticks. Surprisingly, the richness and abundance of small mammal species peaks in midsize fragments. Resource limitation, competition in the smallest habitats, and predation in the largest patches may be responsible for this pattern. Moreover, there is a significant decrease in the richness of invasive species with the size of the habitat patch. We have found that habitat destruction and fragmentation affect species and communities in context-dependent ways that are critical to conservation planning, land use design, and ecosystem function.