Forest As a Habitat

Joseph Paquit, MSc

Forests are much more than just trees
 Habitat trees

Source : Reed (2000)

 Coarse Woody Debris (CWD)

• Refers to the range of different sizes and types

of woody material that can be found in forests.
Examples:
1. Logs
2. Snags
3. Chunks of wood
4. Large branches
5. Coarse roots
 Coarse Woody Debris (CWD)

• Important
habitats of fungi,
invertebrates,
mosses and
lichens
• Snags are used
by birds for
nesting,
perching and
roosting.
 Forest fragmentation

 “breaking apart” of a forest habitat

 Distinct from habitat loss
 Considered to be one of the drivers of forest
habitat degradation
 Effects of Forest fragmentation

1. Causes reduction in total area

– Loss of original habitat diversity
– Reduction in population size
2. Formation of disjunct areas (Insularization effect)
– Decrease in dispersal and immigration
– Isolation of population
– Faunal collapse
3. Increase in edge Habitat
– Reduction in effective habitat area
– Increased predation
– Increased invasion of exotics
– Change in microclimate
 Effects of Forest fragmentation

Species that are most affected by fragmentation

• Area sensitive
• Isolation sensitive
• Edge sensitive
• Rare species
• Specialists
 Habitat corridors
 Also known as ecological corridors
 is an area of habitat
connecting wildlife populations separated by
human activities or structures (such as roads,
development, or logging)
 Habitat corridors
Corridors can contribute to three factors that
stabilize a population:
• Colonization animals are able to move and
occupy new areas when food sources or other
natural resources are lacking in their core habitat.
• Migration species that relocate seasonally can
do so more safely and effectively when it does not
interfere with human development barriers.
• Interbreeding—animals can find new mates in
neighboring regions so that genetic diversity can
increase and thus have a positive impact on the
overall population.