From: Systematic review of effects on biodiversity from oil palm production
Authors | Year published | Taxonomic group | Similarity between primary forest and plantation | Similarity between secondary forest and plantation | Statistics used | Changes in communities between forest and plantation | Notes on similarity | Causes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Invertebrates | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Brühl & Eltz [36] | 2010 | Ground-dwelling ants | - | - | - | Yes | Communities of plantations dominated by a small number of, partly invasive, non-forest taxa. Highly impoverished in regard to forest taxa. | Absence of leaf litter. Hot and dry conditions possibly prevent colony establishment and reduce survival. |
Chang et al. [27] | 1997 | Mosquitoes | 100% | - | - | No | Lower abundances but same species composition. | na |
Chey [31] | 2006 | Moths | 0.278 |  | Preston’s coefficient of faunal resemblance | Yes | Noctuid and arctiid species dominated the assemblages. | Low floristic diversity. Lichens and other host plants. Open habitat (many noctuid and arctiid species favor open habitat). |
Chey [31] | 2006 | Moths | 0.228 | Â | ||||
Chey [31] | 2006 | Moths | 0.970 | Â | ||||
Chung et al. [21] | 2000 | Subterra-nean, understorey and arboreal beetles | - | - | Detrended Correspondence Analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis | Yes | Species composition significantly different between sites (primary forest, secondary forest and oil palm). A few species dominated the assemblage at the plantation site. | The amount of litter, tree and sapling densities, and plant species richness. |
Davis & Philips [22] | 2005 | Dung beetles | 22.5% | - | Steinhaus similarity coefficient; Persentage disagreement distance measure; Cluster analysis and ordination | Yes | Similarity between both forest types and plantation. | Physiognomic differences. |
Fayle et al. [42] | 2010 | Ants (canopy) | S: 0.191, C: 0.301 | - | Sørenson’s classic similarity index; Chao’s incidence-based measure with a correction for unseen species | Yes | Only a small proportion of forest ant species were present in oil palm plantation. Non-native species were much more widespread. | Temperature nearly significant factor ( P = 0.073). Simplification of the canopy structure. Competitive interactions. |
Fayle et al. [42] | 2010 | Ants (ferns) | S: 0.056, C: 0.070 | - | Sørenson’s classic similarity index; Chao’s incidence-based measure with a correction for unseen species | Yes | Only a small proportion of forest ant species were present in oil palm plantation. Non-native species were much more widespread. | Competitive interactions. |
Fayle et al. [42] | 2010 | Ants (leaf-litter) | S: 0.213, C: 0.555 | - | Sørenson’s classic similarity index; Chao’s incidence-based measure with a correction for unseen species | Yes | Only a small proportion of forest ant species were present in oil palm plantation. Non-native species were much more widespread. | Temperature. Hotter and drier environment. Competitive interactions. |
Hashim et al. [41] | 2010 | Ants | - | - | - | Yes | Four species found in the plantation were absent from mangrove forest and two species found in the mangrove were absent from the plantation. | na |
Hassall et al. [35] | 2006 | Terrestrial isopods | - | - | - | Yes | Â | na |
Liow et al. [43] | 2001 | Bees | - | - | Cluster analysis and canonical correspondence analysis | Yes | Families Halictidae and Anthophoridae were more commonly caught in oil palm plantation. | The occurence of families Halictidae and Anthophoridae were correlated with higher temperatures and light intensity, lower humidity levels and greater flowering intensities. |
Lucey & Hill [32] | 2012 | Ants | - | - | Non-metric multidimensional scaling | Yes | NMDS differentiated between the habitats. | Air and soil temperature. |
Lucey & Hill [32] | 2012 | Butterflies | - | - | Non-metric multidimensional scaling | Yes | Two distinct clusters, one for forest and one for plantation. | Air and soil temperature. |
Room | 1975 | Ground foraging ants | 25.0% | - | Percentage similarity expressed as 100 × [(2 × number of occurences common to both)/(sum of occurences present in each)] | Yes | Only a small proportion of forest ant species were present in oil palm plantation. Non-native species were much more widespread. | na |
Vaessen et al. [33] | 2011 | Termites | - | - | - | Yes | The assemblage dominated by Schedorhinotermes. | Decrease in the amount of dead wood. |
Vertebrates | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Aratrakorn et al. [45] | 2006 | Birds | - | - | - | Yes | Plantations dominated by few species. 60% of the species recorded only in the forest, 3% only in the oil palm plantation. Species recorded only in the forest had significantly smaller ranges. Species that were recorded in both forest and plantations had smaller body size than species recorded only in forest. | na |
Bernard et al. [34] | 2009 | Non-volant small mammals | 12.0% | - | Proportional difference calculated following a formula by Thiollay (1992); a hierarchical cluster analysis | Yes | Both forest types (primary and secondary) combined. Oil palm plantations may act as an effective barrier to the dispersal of small mammals. | na |
Danielsen & Heegaard | 1995 | Birds | 38.7% | - | Proportional difference calculated following a formula by Thiollay (1992) | Yes | Widespread, generalist, and common species much more abundant in plantations than in the primary forest. | Plantation age, proximity to forest, microhabitat structure, and level of human disturbance. |
Danielsen & Heegaard | 1995 | Primates | 0.0% | - | Proportional difference | Yes | Â | na |
Danielsen & Heegaard | 1995 | Squirrels and tree-shrews | 0.0% | - | Proportional difference | Yes | No squirrels or tree-shrews observed in the plantation. | na |
Danielsen & Heegaard | 1995 | Bats | 13.0% | - | Proportional difference | Yes | Insectivorous bats appear to be more susceptible to conversion than frugivores/nectarivors. | na |
Edwards et al. | 2010 | Birds | 10.0% | Â | Analysis of Similarity | Yes | Â | na |
Fukuda et al. [48] | 2009 | Bats | - | - | - | Yes | Certain species absent in the oil palm plantation: Two frugivorous species were not recorded at all, only two insectivorous species recorded. | The absent frugivorous species rarely use agricultural lands for feeding. |
Gillespie et al. [39] | 2012 | Amphibians | 0.592 (p = 0.0002) | - | Analysis of Similarity between all forest transects and plantation and non-forest transects combined. | Yes | The assemblages reflect the strong affinities of certain species with particular habitat types. Plantation assemblages dominated by terrestrial, non-endemic, generalist species. | Absence of suitable microhabitats. The simple structure and open canopy of plantations results in greater temperature flux between day and night, increased evaporation rates and lower humidity. |
Glor et al. | 2001 | Lizards | - | - | - | Yes | Â | Microhabitat availability in regard to, at least, two species (grass-bush anole and Cochran's dwarf gecko). Oil palm plantation lacks the perch availability and understory microhabitat of natural forest. |
Peh et al. | 2005, 2006 | Birds | - | - | Multiresponse permutation procedure | Yes | Forest species constituted only 26% of the total individuals observed in plantation. Nearby primary forest may act as a source habitat. | Simplification of the vertical vegetational structure. |
Juliani | 2010 | Bats | - | - | - | Yes | Almost all species that were found in the oil palm plantation can be classified as common species in disturbed areas. | na |
Sheldon et al. [37] | 2010 | Birds | - | - | - | Yes | Most species in oil palm plantation were open country and scrub species that are common throughout Borneo. | Simple botanical structure. |