Riparian buffers act as microclimatic refugia in oil palm landscapes. Issue 2 (15th November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Williamson, Joseph; Slade, Eleanor M.; Luke, Sarah H.; Swinfield, Tom; Chung, Arthur Y. C.; Coomes, David A.; Heroin, Herry; Jucker, Tommaso; Lewis, Owen T.; Vairappan, Charles S.; Rossiter, Stephen J.; Struebig, Matthew J.
• Editors: Louzada, Julio
• Is Part Of: Journal of applied ecology. Volume 58:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 431
• Page End: 442
• Publication Date: 2020-11-15
• Subjects: agriculture -- biodiversity -- Borneo -- climate change -- habitat fragmentation -- microclimate -- riparian buffer -- tropical forest; Agriculture -- Periodicals; Biology, Economic -- Periodicals; Agricultural ecology -- Periodicals; Applied ecology -- Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13784
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8901

Abstract

Abstract: There is growing interest in the ecological value of set‐aside habitats around rivers in tropical agriculture. These riparian buffers typically comprise forest or other non‐production habitat, and are established to maintain water quality and hydrological processes, while also supporting biodiversity, ecosystem function and landscape connectivity. We investigated the capacity for riparian buffers to act as microclimatic refugia by combining field‐based measurements of temperature, humidity and dung beetle communities with remotely sensed data from LiDAR across an oil palm dominated landscape in Borneo. Riparian buffers offer a cool and humid habitat relative to surrounding oil palm plantations, with wider buffers characterised by conditions comparable to riparian sites in continuous logged forest. High vegetation quality and topographic sheltering were strongly associated with cooler and more humid microclimates in riparian habitats across the landscape. Variance in beetle diversity was also predicted by both proximity‐to‐edge and microclimatic conditions within the buffer, suggesting that narrow buffers amplify the negative impacts that high temperatures have on biodiversity. Synthesis and applications . Widely legislated riparian buffer widths of 20–30 m each side of a river may provide drier and less humid microclimatic conditions than continuous forest. Adopting wider buffers and maintaining high vegetation quality will ensure set‐asides established for hydrological reasons bring co‐benefits for terrestrial biodiversity, both now, and in the face of anthropogenic climate change. Abstract : Widely legislated riparian buffer widths of 20–30 m each side of a river may provide drier and less humid microclimatic conditions than continuous forest. Adopting wider buffers and maintaining high vegetation quality will ensure set‐asides established for hydrological reasons bring co‐benefits for terrestrial biodiversity, both now, and in the face of anthropogenic climate change. Abstrak: Minat terhadap nilai ekologikal untuk habitat yang ditepikan di sekitar sungai di kawasan pertanian tropikal semakin meningkat. Zon penampan riparian, merupakan rezab hutan atau kawasan bukan pengeluaran hasil, yang ditubuhkan untuk mengekalkan kualiti air dan proces hidrologi sambil menjaga biodiversiti, fungsi ekosistem dan kekalkan penyambungan landskap hutan. Kita menyiasat keupayaan zon penampan riparian untuk bertindak sebagai refugia terlindung dari kesian iklim micro, dengan menggabungkan pengukuran suhu, kelembapan udara di lapangan dan komuniti kumbang tahi dengan mengunakan data penderiaan jauh dari LIDAR melintasi kawasan Borneo yang dikuasai oleh ladang kelapa sawit. Zon penampan riparian mengekekalkan suhu yang lebih sejuk dan lebih lembap berbanding kawasan ladang kelapa sawit di sekitarnya, dengan zon penampan riparian yang lebih luas setanding dengan keadaan zon riparian di hutan bekas dibalak berterusan. Kualiti tumbuh‐tumbuhan tinggi dan perlindungan topographi sangat berkaitan dengan iklim micro yang lebih sejuk dan lebih lembap di habitat kawasan riparian di sekeling landskap. Variasi dalam kepelbagaian kumbang tahi juga diramalkan oleh 'kedekatan ke tepi' dan iklim mikroklimatik dalam zon penampan riparian, menunjukkan bahawa zon penampan riparian sempit memperkuatkan kesan negatif suhu tinggi terhadap biodiversiti. Penghasilan dan pelaksanaan . Penggubalan penampan riparian secara meluas iaitu kelebaran 20–30 m pada setiap sisi sungai boleh memberikan keadaan iklim mikro yang lebih kering dan kurang lembab berbanding hutan berterusan. Dengan menyediakan penampan yang lebih luas dan mengekalkan kualiti tumbuhan yang baik, ia akan dapat memastikan bahagian yang telah ditetapkan untuk tujuan hidrologi akan membawa faedah bersama untuk biodiversiti dan sekarang untuk menghadapai perubahan iklim antropogenik.