Thresholds for adding degraded tropical forest to the conservation estate

Ewers, Robert M.; Orme, C. David L.; Pearse, William D.; Zulkifli, Nursyamin; Yvon-Durocher, Genevieve; Yusah, Kalsum M.; Yoh, Natalie; Yeo, Darren C. J.; Wong, Anna; Williamson, Joseph; Wilkinson, Clare L.; Wiederkehr, Fabienne; Webber, Bruce L.; Wearn, Oliver R.; Wai, Leona; Vollans, Maisie; Twining, Joshua P.; Turner, Edgar C.; Tobias, Joseph A.; Thorley, Jack; Telford, Elizabeth M.; Teh, Yit Arn; Tan, Heok Hui; Swinfield, Tom; Svátek, Martin; Struebig, Matthew; Stork, Nigel; Sleutel, Jani; Slade, Eleanor M.; Sharp, Adam; Shabrani, Adi; Sethi, Sarab S.; Seaman, Dave J. I.; Sawang, Anati; Roxby, Gabrielle Briana; Rowcliffe, J. Marcus; Rossiter, Stephen J.; Riutta, Terhi; Rahman, Homathevi; Qie, Lan; Psomas, Elizabeth; Prairie, Aaron; Poznansky, Frederica; Pillay, Rajeev; Picinali, Lorenzo; Pianzin, Annabel; Pfeifer, Marion; Parrett, Jonathan M.; Noble, Ciar D.; Nilus, Reuben; Mustaffa, Nazirah; Mullin, Katherine E.; Mitchell, Simon; Mckinlay, Amelia R.; Maunsell, Sarah; Matula, Radim; Massam, Michael; Martin, Stephanie; Malhi, Yadvinder; Majalap, Noreen; Maclean, Catherine S.; Mackintosh, Emma; Luke, Sarah H.; Lewis, Owen T.; Layfield, Harry J.; Lane-Shaw, Isolde; Kueh, Boon Hee; Kratina, Pavel; Konopik, Oliver; Kitching, Roger; Kinneen, Lois; Kemp, Victoria A.; Jotan, Palasiah; Jones, Nick; Jebrail, Evyen W.; Hroneš, Michal; Heon, Sui Peng; Hemprich-Bennett, David R.; Haysom, Jessica K.; Harianja, Martina F.; Hardwick, Jane; Gregory, Nichar; Gray, Ryan; Gray, Ross E. J.; Granville, Natasha; Gill, Richard; Fraser, Adam; Foster, William A.; Folkard-Tapp, Hollie; Fletcher, Robert J.; Fikri, Arman Hadi; Fayle, Tom M.; Faruk, Aisyah; Eggleton, Paul; Edwards, David P.; Drinkwater, Rosie; Dow, Rory A.; Döbert, Timm F.; Didham, Raphael K.; Dickinson, Katharine J. M.; Deere, Nicolas J.; Lorm, Tijmen; Dawood, Mahadimenakbar M.; Davison, Charles W.; Davies, Zoe G.; Davies, Richard G.; Dančák, Martin; Cusack, Jeremy; Clare, Elizabeth L.; Chung, Arthur; Chey, Vun Khen; Chapman, Philip M.; Cator, Lauren; Carpenter, Daniel; Carbone, Chris; Calloway, Kerry; Bush, Emma R.; Burslem, David F. R. P.; Brown, Keiron D.; Brooks, Stephen J.; Brasington, Ella; Brant, Hayley; Boyle, Michael J. W.; Both, Sabine; Blackman, Joshua; Bishop, Tom R.; Bicknell, Jake E.; Bernard, Henry; Basrur, Saloni; Barclay, Maxwell V. L.; Barclay, Holly; Atton, Georgina; Ancrenaz, Marc; Aldridge, David C.; Daniel, Olivia Z.; Reynolds, Glen; Banks-Leite, Cristina

Thresholds for adding degraded tropical forest to the conservation estate

Robert M. Ewers (), C. David L. Orme, William D. Pearse, Nursyamin Zulkifli, Genevieve Yvon-Durocher, Kalsum M. Yusah, Natalie Yoh, Darren C. J. Yeo, Anna Wong, Joseph Williamson, Clare L. Wilkinson, Fabienne Wiederkehr, Bruce L. Webber, Oliver R. Wearn, Leona Wai, Maisie Vollans, Joshua P. Twining, Edgar C. Turner, Joseph A. Tobias, Jack Thorley, Elizabeth M. Telford, Yit Arn Teh, Heok Hui Tan, Tom Swinfield, Martin Svátek, Matthew Struebig, Nigel Stork, Jani Sleutel, Eleanor M. Slade, Adam Sharp, Adi Shabrani, Sarab S. Sethi, Dave J. I. Seaman, Anati Sawang, Gabrielle Briana Roxby, J. Marcus Rowcliffe, Stephen J. Rossiter, Terhi Riutta, Homathevi Rahman, Lan Qie, Elizabeth Psomas, Aaron Prairie, Frederica Poznansky, Rajeev Pillay, Lorenzo Picinali, Annabel Pianzin, Marion Pfeifer, Jonathan M. Parrett, Ciar D. Noble, Reuben Nilus, Nazirah Mustaffa, Katherine E. Mullin, Simon Mitchell, Amelia R. Mckinlay, Sarah Maunsell, Radim Matula, Michael Massam, Stephanie Martin, Yadvinder Malhi, Noreen Majalap, Catherine S. Maclean, Emma Mackintosh, Sarah H. Luke, Owen T. Lewis, Harry J. Layfield, Isolde Lane-Shaw, Boon Hee Kueh, Pavel Kratina, Oliver Konopik, Roger Kitching, Lois Kinneen, Victoria A. Kemp, Palasiah Jotan, Nick Jones, Evyen W. Jebrail, Michal Hroneš, Sui Peng Heon, David R. Hemprich-Bennett, Jessica K. Haysom, Martina F. Harianja, Jane Hardwick, Nichar Gregory, Ryan Gray, Ross E. J. Gray, Natasha Granville, Richard Gill, Adam Fraser, William A. Foster, Hollie Folkard-Tapp, Robert J. Fletcher, Arman Hadi Fikri, Tom M. Fayle, Aisyah Faruk, Paul Eggleton, David P. Edwards, Rosie Drinkwater, Rory A. Dow, Timm F. Döbert, Raphael K. Didham, Katharine J. M. Dickinson, Nicolas J. Deere, Tijmen Lorm, Mahadimenakbar M. Dawood, Charles W. Davison, Zoe G. Davies, Richard G. Davies, Martin Dančák, Jeremy Cusack, Elizabeth L. Clare, Arthur Chung, Vun Khen Chey, Philip M. Chapman, Lauren Cator, Daniel Carpenter, Chris Carbone, Kerry Calloway, Emma R. Bush, David F. R. P. Burslem, Keiron D. Brown, Stephen J. Brooks, Ella Brasington, Hayley Brant, Michael J. W. Boyle, Sabine Both, Joshua Blackman, Tom R. Bishop, Jake E. Bicknell, Henry Bernard, Saloni Basrur, Maxwell V. L. Barclay, Holly Barclay, Georgina Atton, Marc Ancrenaz, David C. Aldridge, Olivia Z. Daniel, Glen Reynolds and Cristina Banks-Leite
Additional contact information
Robert M. Ewers: Imperial College London
C. David L. Orme: Imperial College London
William D. Pearse: Imperial College London
Nursyamin Zulkifli: Universiti Putra Malaysia
Genevieve Yvon-Durocher: University of Bristol
Kalsum M. Yusah: Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Natalie Yoh: University of Kent
Darren C. J. Yeo: National University of Singapore
Anna Wong: Malaysian Nature Society
Joseph Williamson: Queen Mary University of London
Clare L. Wilkinson: Imperial College London
Fabienne Wiederkehr: Imperial College London
Bruce L. Webber: The University of Western Australia
Oliver R. Wearn: Imperial College London
Leona Wai: Danau Girang Field Centre
Maisie Vollans: Imperial College London
Joshua P. Twining: Imperial College London
Edgar C. Turner: Imperial College London
Joseph A. Tobias: Imperial College London
Jack Thorley: University of Cambridge
Elizabeth M. Telford: University of Edinburgh
Yit Arn Teh: Newcastle University
Heok Hui Tan: National University of Singapore
Tom Swinfield: University of Cambridge
Martin Svátek: Mendel University in Brno
Matthew Struebig: University of Kent
Nigel Stork: Griffith University
Jani Sleutel: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Eleanor M. Slade: Nanyang Technological University
Adam Sharp: Imperial College London
Adi Shabrani: University of Montana
Sarab S. Sethi: Imperial College London
Dave J. I. Seaman: University of Kent
Anati Sawang: Danum Valley Field Centre
Gabrielle Briana Roxby: Imperial College London
J. Marcus Rowcliffe: Zoological Society of London
Stephen J. Rossiter: Queen Mary University of London
Terhi Riutta: Imperial College London
Homathevi Rahman: Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Lan Qie: Imperial College London
Elizabeth Psomas: Imperial College London
Aaron Prairie: Imperial College London
Frederica Poznansky: Imperial College London
Rajeev Pillay: University of Florida
Lorenzo Picinali: Imperial College London
Annabel Pianzin: Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Marion Pfeifer: Newcastle University
Jonathan M. Parrett: Adam Mickiewicz University
Ciar D. Noble: Imperial College London
Reuben Nilus: Sabah Forestry Department
Nazirah Mustaffa: Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Katherine E. Mullin: University of Kent
Simon Mitchell: University of Kent
Amelia R. Mckinlay: Imperial College London
Sarah Maunsell: Griffith University
Radim Matula: Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Michael Massam: Imperial College London
Stephanie Martin: Imperial College London
Yadvinder Malhi: University of Oxford
Noreen Majalap: Sabah Forestry Department
Catherine S. Maclean: Imperial College London
Emma Mackintosh: Imperial College London
Sarah H. Luke: University of Cambridge
Owen T. Lewis: University of Oxford
Harry J. Layfield: Imperial College London
Isolde Lane-Shaw: Imperial College London
Boon Hee Kueh: Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Pavel Kratina: Queen Mary University of London
Oliver Konopik: Am Hubland
Roger Kitching: Griffith University
Lois Kinneen: Griffith University
Victoria A. Kemp: Queen Mary University of London
Palasiah Jotan: Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Nick Jones: Imperial College London
Evyen W. Jebrail: Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Michal Hroneš: Palacký University
Sui Peng Heon: Imperial College London
David R. Hemprich-Bennett: Queen Mary University of London
Jessica K. Haysom: University of Kent
Martina F. Harianja: University of Cambridge
Jane Hardwick: Griffith University
Nichar Gregory: Imperial College London
Ryan Gray: Danum Valley Field Centre
Ross E. J. Gray: Imperial College London
Natasha Granville: Imperial College London
Richard Gill: Imperial College London
Adam Fraser: Imperial College London
William A. Foster: University of Cambridge
Hollie Folkard-Tapp: Imperial College London
Robert J. Fletcher: University of Florida
Arman Hadi Fikri: Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Tom M. Fayle: Queen Mary University of London
Aisyah Faruk: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wakehurst
Paul Eggleton: The Natural History Museum London
David P. Edwards: University of Cambridge
Rosie Drinkwater: Queen Mary University of London
Rory A. Dow: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Timm F. Döbert: The University of Western Australia
Raphael K. Didham: The University of Western Australia
Katharine J. M. Dickinson: University of Otago
Nicolas J. Deere: University of Kent
Tijmen Lorm: Imperial College London
Mahadimenakbar M. Dawood: Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Charles W. Davison: Imperial College London
Zoe G. Davies: University of Kent
Richard G. Davies: University of East Anglia
Martin Dančák: Palacký University
Jeremy Cusack: Imperial College London
Elizabeth L. Clare: Queen Mary University of London
Arthur Chung: Sabah Forestry Department
Vun Khen Chey: Sabah Forestry Department
Philip M. Chapman: Imperial College London
Lauren Cator: Imperial College London
Daniel Carpenter: The Natural History Museum London
Chris Carbone: Zoological Society of London
Kerry Calloway: The Natural History Museum London
Emma R. Bush: Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
David F. R. P. Burslem: University of Aberdeen
Keiron D. Brown: The Natural History Museum London
Stephen J. Brooks: The Natural History Museum London
Ella Brasington: Imperial College London
Hayley Brant: Imperial College London
Michael J. W. Boyle: Imperial College London
Sabine Both: University of New England
Joshua Blackman: Queen Mary University of London
Tom R. Bishop: Imperial College London
Jake E. Bicknell: University of Kent
Henry Bernard: Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Saloni Basrur: University of Kent
Maxwell V. L. Barclay: The Natural History Museum London
Holly Barclay: Monash University
Georgina Atton: University of Bristol
Marc Ancrenaz: Borneo Futures
David C. Aldridge: University of Cambridge
Olivia Z. Daniel: Imperial College London
Glen Reynolds: Danum Valley Field Centre
Cristina Banks-Leite: Imperial College London

Nature, 2024, vol. 631, issue 8022, 808-813

Abstract: Abstract Logged and disturbed forests are often viewed as degraded and depauperate environments compared with primary forest. However, they are dynamic ecosystems1 that provide refugia for large amounts of biodiversity2,3, so we cannot afford to underestimate their conservation value4. Here we present empirically defined thresholds for categorizing the conservation value of logged forests, using one of the most comprehensive assessments of taxon responses to habitat degradation in any tropical forest environment. We analysed the impact of logging intensity on the individual occurrence patterns of 1,681 taxa belonging to 86 taxonomic orders and 126 functional groups in Sabah, Malaysia. Our results demonstrate the existence of two conservation-relevant thresholds. First, lightly logged forests ( 68%) of their biomass removed, and these are likely to require more expensive measures to recover their biodiversity value. Overall, our data confirm that primary forests are irreplaceable5, but they also reinforce the message that logged forests retain considerable conservation value that should not be overlooked.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07657-w

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