E. Virgos, Relative value of riparian woodlands in landscapes with different forest cover for medium-sized Iberian carnivores, BIODIVERS C, 10(7), 2001, pp. 1039-1049
This study analyses the role of riparian woodland in the conservation of fi
ve common carnivore species as compared with other non-riparian habitats ac
cording to woodland cover on the landscape scale (> 60, 20-35 and < 15% on
20 x 20-km surface area). I hypothesised that the importance of riparian wo
odlands in carnivore conservation on the regional scale would be greater in
landscapes with low forest cover than in those with intermediate or high f
orest cover. To test this hypothesis, in each landscape type I sampled five
riparian forests and 10-15 non-riparian habitats and recorded species rich
ness and frequency of occurrence (number of sampled sites with species pres
ence/total sampled sites) in both habitat types. The presence of (or use by
) species at each particular sampling site was recorded using sign-surveys
(search for scats and badger dens). The relative importance of riparian and
non-riparian habitats in each landscape type was analysed by comparing spe
cies richness and frequency of occurrence for each species. Comparison of s
pecies richness and frequency of occurrence between landscape types indicat
e that riparian woodlands are important habitats in all landscape contexts.
However, in accordance with the initial hypothesis, riparian woodlands are
essential for carnivore conservation in the most deforested areas. Any agr
icultural or development policy should take into account the need to mainta
in and preserve riparian woodlands in landscapes, especially in intensively
cultivated landscapes.