Understanding anuran responses to rainforest fragmentation and oil palm agriculture in lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia

Aguilar Leon, Juan Manuel 2020. Understanding anuran responses to rainforest fragmentation and oil palm agriculture in lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Habitat fragmentation is one of the first causes of biodiversity loss, but there is no consistent pattern describing how species react to it. Tropical forest has been lost due to timber extraction and agriculture. Large areas of protected continuous forest are now limited. It is vital to determine the biodiversity value of these fragmented secondary forests, especially in southeast Asia where the expansion of oil palm plantations has become a major threat for rainforest biodiversity. This study explores the effects of habitat fragmentation and oil palm plantations for Anuran communities of the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (LKWS). This thesis provides the first genetic amphibian study for the LKWS and Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve (KSFR). Higher species richness in primary (KSFR) and secondary (LKWS) forest habitats were found compared with oil palm plantations. Plantations surrounding the LKWS provide little overall benefit to frog conservation. Inside oil palm plantations lower species richness was found in interior plantations compared with plantation edges. The genetic diversity, genetic structure and migration rates of three species of Bornean frogs were examined using new species-specific microsatellites. Genetic analysis revealed the importance of fragment connectivity and the high conservation value of the study areas inside the LKWS. Phylogenetic diversity results showed that LKWS secondary forest could not be replaced without greater losses of diversity. The results of this study can be used as a baseline for future conservation and management measures for the amphibians of the LKWS and KSFR.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Biosciences
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	20 July 2020
Last Modified:	17 Mar 2021 02:27
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/133570

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