Accompanying vegetation in young Pinus radiata plantations enhances recolonization by Ceroglossus chilensis (Coleoptera: Carabidae) after clearcutting

Abstract

The replacement of native forests by Pinus radiata plantations modifies habitat availability and quality for wildlife, constituting a threat to species survival. However, the presence of understory in mature pine plantations minimizes the negative impacts of native forest replacement, rendering a secondary habitat for wildlife. Whether forest-dwelling species recolonize clear-felled areas pending on the spontaneous development of accompanying vegetation growing after harvesting is yet to be assessed. In this context, we analyze the abundance, movement and habitat selection of the endemic ground beetle Ceroglossus chilensis (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in an anthropic forest landscape consisting of native forest remnants, adult pine plantations (> 20 years) with a well-developed understory, and young (1-2 years) pine plantations with varying degrees of accompanying vegetation development. Particularly, we analyze the likelihood that C. chilensis would recolonize young pine plantations depending on the presence (> 70% cover) or the absence (< 20% cover) of this accompanying vegetation. C. chilensis shows a greater probability of selecting habitats with understory (pine plantations and native forest) and young plantations with accompanying vegetation (future understory) than habitats without such vegetation. Movement of C. chilensis also favors their permanence in habitats with understory vegetation, coinciding with higher abundances than in young pine plantations devoid of accompanying vegetation. Hence, the effect of clearcutting could be mitigated by allowing the development of accompanying vegetation into a future understory, which facilitates the recolonization of pine plantations and its use as secondary habitat for wildlife.