Improvement in conservation value of insect communities in South Patagonian forests managed with variable retention.

LENCINAS, MV; MARTÍNEZ PASTUR, G; CELLINI, JM; BUSSO, CA

Frontiers in Biodiversity Studies

IK International Publishing House

Lugar: Bangalore; Año: 2012; p. 118 - 130

Insect conservation usually is rejected in ecosystem management planning of South Patagonian forests. Traditional silviculture methods proposed for these forests significantly affect its original diversity. Variable retention (aggregated and dispersed retention) appears as alternative to mitigate insect species losses of the original forest communities. The aim was to evaluate insect communities in Nothofagus pumilio forests managed with variable retention using aggregated and dispersed retentions, as well as clear cuts, comparatively with unmanaged primary forests, one and four years after harvesting. Adult insects were sampled through a wide spectrum trap set (pit-fall, alcohol, lights and color trays). Richness and relative abundance were evaluated by ANOVAs and classification analysis. Both variables trend to decrease in harvested forests respect to the unmanaged ones, depending to the habitat damage level, and were significantly higher in the fourth year after harvesting than in the first. Variable retention improved N. pumilio forest insect community conservation, but more studies are necessary to evaluate conservation at landscape level and the effect of introduced species invasion from associated environments.