@article {164800, title = {Partial recovery of large seed arrival following ecological restoration in fragmented tropical rainforests}, journal = {Nordic Society Oikos}, year = {2026}, month = {24 February 2026}, abstract = {

Forest restoration success depends crucially on the reinitiation of ecological processes such as seed arrival that drive natural regeneration. We know little about whether, by increasing and diversifying local seed sources to alleviate seed limitation, and attracting animal frugivores to alleviate dispersal limitation, restoration could shift seed arrival rates and species composition in the direction of mature rainforests, particularly for large-seeded species in degraded fragments. We tested this by examining seed arrival over a year in 189 1-m2\ seed fall traps within 63 seed trapping stations across sites ecologically restored (through maximum diversity mixed-native species planting 13{\textendash}21 years ago) and those left unrestored within degraded rainforests fragments, and in mature {\textquoteleft}benchmark{\textquoteright} rainforests, in India{\textquoteright}s Western Ghats. We found that overall, large-seeded species arrival rates in restored sites was comparable with benchmark, and was higher than unrestored sites. Seeds arriving through dispersal (from fruiting trees absent in the overstory) also showed a recovery towards benchmark levels, but were dominated by alien species abundant in the matrix habitat. Restoration also had no effect on species richness and composition of all arriving seeds, with restored sites closely resembling unrestored sites and remaining distinct from benchmark sites. Further, restoration did not alleviate the effect of fragment isolation on large seed arrival rates, which declined with distance from benchmark forests similarly in restored and unrestored sites. Our results suggest that restoration can increase local availability and dispersal of large seeds, and highlights the value of diverse native species restoration plantings within degraded forests and promoting their use instead of alien tree species in the surrounding matrix. However, our findings also show that recovery of natural regeneration can remain slow or uncertain in restored forest fragments, and underscore the need for sustained monitoring and evaluation of restoration over multiple decades.

}, doi = {10.1002/oik.11945}, url = {https://nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oik.11945}, author = {Aparna Krishnan and Jyotsna Nag and S. Arun and Divya Mudappa and T. R. Shankar Raman and Mahesh Sankaran and Anand M. Osuri} } @article {157497, title = {Structure and dynamics of secondary and mature rainforests: insights from South Asian long-term monitoring plots}, journal = {Plant Ecology \& Diversity}, year = {2025}, month = {30 April 2025}, type = {Research Article}, abstract = {

Background

Tropical forests play a critical role in global biodiversity conservation and carbon storage. In human-modified landscapes, secondary forests are becoming increasingly common, yet their ecological functioning remains underexplored. Comparing the forest dynamics in mature and regenerating forests offers insights into forest recovery and carbon dynamics.

Aims

To compare forest structure, floristic composition, stand dynamics and carbon of a mature and secondary tropical rainforest.

Methods

We assessed tree community and carbon dynamics over 5 years in two 1-ha long-term ecosystem monitoring plots, one each in mature tropical rainforests (MR) and 10-year post-agroforestry secondary rainforests (SR) in India{\textquoteright}s Western Ghats mountains. Both plots were established in 2017 and monitored annually. We expected (1) higher tree diversity, differences in species composition, and greater carbon stock in MR; (2) higher carbon sequestration rates in SR; and (3) carbon dynamics shaped by growth and mortality in SR and MR, respectively.

Results

The SR plot had fewer species (67 vs. 84), stored substantially less carbon (76 vs. 193 Mg), and comprised a distinct community with fewer late-successional species than MR. SR gained 5.8 Mg carbon, due to tree growth exceeding losses from mortality, while in MR mortality exceeded growth and recruitment resulting in a 3.3 Mg carbon decline over five years.

Conclusion

While MR had higher tree diversity, carbon stocks and relatively intact composition, the high rates of biodiversity and carbon accrual in SR highlight the conservation and climate significance of post-agroforestry secondary forests. Moderate carbon losses noted here in MR, as in other mature South Asian tropical forests, is a cause for concern under ongoing climate change.

}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2025.2494204}, url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17550874.2025.2494204?src=$\#$abstract}, author = {Akhil MuraliORCID Icon,ORCID Icon,ORCID Icon,ORCID Icon,ORCID Icon,ORCID Icon,ORCID Icon \& and Srinivasan Kasinathan and Kshama Bhat and Jayashree Ratnam and Mahesh Sankaran and Divya Mudappa and T. R. Shankar Raman and Anand M. Osuri} } @article {26583, title = {Bats in the Ghats: Agricultural intensification reduces functional diversity and increases trait filtering in a biodiversity hotspot in India}, journal = {Biological Conservation}, volume = {210}, year = {2017}, month = {06/2017}, pages = {48-55}, abstract = {

The responses of bats to land-use change have been extensively studied in temperate zones and the neotropics, but little is known from the palaeotropics. Effective conservation in heavily-populated palaeotropical hotspots requires a better understanding of which bats can and cannot survive in human-modified landscapes. We used catching and acoustic transects to examine bat assemblages in the Western Ghats of India, and identify the species most sensitive to agricultural change. We quantified functional diversity and trait filtering of assemblages in forest fragments, tea and coffee plantations, and along rivers in tea plantations with and without forested corridors, compared to protected forests.

}, doi = {10.1016/j.biocon.2017.03.026}, author = {Claire F.R. Wordley and Sankaran, Mahesh and Divya Mudappa and Altringham, John D.} } @article {26578, title = {Successional status, seed dispersal mode and overstorey species influence tree regeneration in tropical rain-forest fragments in Western Ghats, India}, journal = {Journal of Tropical Ecology}, volume = {33}, year = {2017}, month = {07/2017}, pages = {270-284}, abstract = {

The effects of fragmentation and overstorey tree diversity on tree regeneration were assessed in tropical rain forests of the Western Ghats, India. Ninety plots were sampled for saplings (1{\textendash}5 cm diameter at breast height (dbh); 5{\texttimes}5-m plots) and overstorey trees (\>9.55 cm dbh; 20{\texttimes}20-m plots) within two fragments (32 ha and 18 ha) and two continuous forests. We tested the hypotheses that fragmentation and expected seed-dispersal declines (1) reduce sapling densities and species richness of all species and old-growth species, and increase recruitment of early-successional species, (2) reduce the prevalence of dispersed recruits and (3) increase influence of local overstorey on sapling densities and richness. Continuous forests and fragments had similar sapling densities and species richness overall, but density and richness of old-growth species declined by 62\% and 48\%, respectively, in fragments. Fragments had 39\% lower densities and 24\% lower richness of immigrant saplings (presumed dispersed into sites as conspecific adults were absent nearby), and immigrant densities of old-growth bird-dispersed species declined by 79\%. Sapling species richness (overall and old-growth) increased with overstorey species richness in fragments, but was unrelated to overstorey richness in continuous forests. Our results show that while forest fragments retain significant sapling diversity, losses of immigrant recruits and increased overstorey influence strengthen barriers to natural regeneration of old-growth tropical rain forests.

}, doi = {10.1017/S0266467417000219}, author = {Osuri, Anand M and chakravarthy, Dayani and Divya Mudappa and Raman, Shankar TR and Ayyappan, N and Muthuramkumar, S and Parthasarathy, N} } @article {5218, title = {Landscape scale habitat suitability modelling of bats in the Western Ghats of India: Bats like something in their tea}, journal = {Biological Conservation}, volume = {191}, year = {2015}, month = {11/2015}, pages = {529{\textendash}536}, abstract = {

To conserve biodiversity it is imperative that we understand how different species respond to land use change, and determine the scales at which habitat changes affect species{\textquoteright} persistence. We used habitat suitability models (HSMs) at spatial scales from 100{\textendash}4000 m to address these concerns for bats in the Western Ghats of India, a biodiversity hotspot of global importance where the habitat requirements of bats are poorly understood. We used acoustic and capture data to build fine scale HSMs for ten species (Hesperoptenus tickelli, Miniopterus fuliginosus, Miniopterus pusillus, Myotis horsfieldii, Pipistrellus ceylonicus, Megaderma spasma, Hipposideros pomona, Rhinolophus beddomei, Rhinolophus indorouxii and Rhinolophus lepidus) in a tea-dominated landscape. Small (100{\textendash}500 m) scale habitat variables (e.g. percentage tea plantation cover) and distances to habitat features (e.g. distance to water) were the strongest predictors of bat occurrence, likely due to their high mobility, which enables them to exploit even small or isolated foraging areas. Most species showed a positive response to coffee plantations grown under native shade and to forest fragments, but a negative response to more heavily modified tea plantations. Two species were never recorded in tea plantations. This is the first study of bats in tea plantations globally, and the first ecological Old World bat study to combine acoustic and capture data. Our results suggest that although bats respond negatively to tea plantations, tea-dominated landscapes that also contain forest fragments and shade coffee can nevertheless support many bat species.

}, doi = {10.1016/j.biocon.2015.08.005}, author = {Claire F.R. Wordley and Mahesh Sankaran and Divya Mudappa and John D. Altringham} }