Conservation opportunities in commercial plantations: The case of mammals

Abstract

Enhancing the structural complexity of commercial plantations could enrich the presence of mammals within them. We tested this hypothesis through a meta-analysis in order to determine whether more complex plantations, with a dense understory, can sustain more mammal diversity and if mammals respond differently pending on its taxonomic affiliation, body size, and diet group. We recorded 71 cases of forest-plantation comparisons, and 10 cases of plantation-plantation comparisons. Both richness and abundance of native mammals were lower in plantations than in native forests, although there was no significant difference in body size, dietary group, and taxonomic affiliation between those two habitats. Complex plantations showed higher richness and abundance of native mammals, independently of the plantation type. Taxonomic affiliation, body size and diet did not significantly differ between complex and simple plantations. Structural complexity of commercial plantations may increase mammal