Retain understorey vegetation within plantations

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
Share Tweet Email

View assessment score

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Understorey vegetation may compete for resources with planted trees, especially when trees are young, and is, therefore, sometimes removed as part of commercial forest management. However, retaining understorey vegetation has the potential to support native mammals (e.g. Carrilho et al. 2017) and may form part of a suite of actions that could attract premium payments for timber products marketed as being biodiversity-friendly.

Carrilho, M., Teixeira, D., Santos-Reis, M., & Rosalino, L. M. (2017). Small mammal abundance in Mediterranean Eucalyptus plantations: how shrub cover can really make a difference. Forest Ecology and Management, 391, 256-263.

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects on mammals of retaining understorey vegetation within plantations. This study was in Chile.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (1 STUDY)

Richness/diversity (1 study): A replicated, controlled, before-and-after study in Chile found that areas with retained understorey vegetation had more species of medium-sized mammal, compared to areas cleared of understorey vegetation.

POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

BEHAVIOUR (1 STUDY)

Use (1 study): A replicated, controlled, before-and-after study in Chile found that areas with retained understorey vegetation had more visits from medium-sized mammals, compared to areas cleared of understorey vegetation.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, controlled, before-and-after study in 2009–2012 of a Monterey pine Pinus radiata plantation in central Chile (Simonetti et al. 2013) found that retaining understorey vegetation resulted in there being a greater number and higher visit rate of medium-sized mammal species, compared to areas cleared of understorey vegetation. Before clearance, the same four species were recorded both in plots designated to be uncleared and cleared; guiña Leopardus guigna, culpeo Pseudalopex culpaeus, Molina's hog-nosed skunk Conepatus chinga and southern pudu Pudu puda. After understorey clearance, all four species remained in uncleared plots but just southern pudu occurred in cleared plots. There were also fewer visits to cleared plots after understorey removal (visit rates presented as response ratios). Thirteen plots (≥300 m apart) were monitored using camera traps for four to five nights, monthly, from October 2009 to July 2012. In February 2011, understorey vegetation was removed from 1,600 m² around cameras in five plots. Regrowth was controlled in February 2012.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Simonetti J.A., Grez A.A. & Estades C.F. (2013) Providing habitat for native mammals through understory enhancement in forestry plantations. Conservation Biology, 27, 1117-1121.

Please cite as:

Littlewood, N.A., Rocha, R., Smith, R.K., Martin, P.A., Lockhart, S.L., Schoonover, R.F., Wilman, E., Bladon, A.J., Sainsbury, K.A., Pimm S. and Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Terrestrial Mammal Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions for terrestrial mammals excluding bats and primates. Synopses of Conservation Evidence Series. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Terrestrial Mammal Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Retain wildlife corridors in logged areas Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	2	Synopsis Link
Retain undisturbed patches during thinning operations Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	2	Synopsis Link
Retain understorey vegetation within plantations Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link