Certified forest management and conservation of medium and large-sized mammals: biodiversity, trampling, browsing and seed removal in the Argentine Austral Yungas

Abstract

Timber extraction is one of the most widespread human activities in forested environments, and subsequent environmental degradation and impacts on wildlife have been largely mentioned. Reduced impact logging (RIL) under certification standards could help reconcile forest production with biodiversity conservation standards. However, whether this is a convenient strategy for the conservation of the medium and large-sized mammal assemblage of the Argentine Austral Yungas remains unknown. Here, we compared species richness, diversity and composition, sign frequency and species identities of medium and large mammals considering body mass and trophic guilds, as well as three mammal-plant interactions (seedling trampling, plant browsing and fruit removal) between an area under logging certification (FSC) and a similar unlogged area (control). Our results showed that, after 3-4 years from the end of logging, 16 of the 32 variables analyzed showed no changes between the logged area and the control (species composition, richness and 2 diversity indices, frequency of herbivores and omnivores, frequency of 7 species, browsing rate in the 2 lowest strata and trampling rate). In the logged area we found higher frequencies of medium-sized mammals, of 5 mammal species, higher browsing rate in the upper stratum and rate of fruit removal. On the other hand, in the logged area we found lower frequencies of carnivores, large mammals and 6 of species. Although in our study we found certain species-specific differences, with a predominance of generalist species and certain reduced biological interactions in the logged compared to the Unlogged area, we propose that forest intervention under responsible management guidelines is convenient to conserve a significant proportion of medium and large-sized mammal diversity of the Argentine Austral Yungas . Responsible forest management is an “intermediate path” between deforestation and strict conservation, for which environmental and governmental institutions should support and promote it.