Do coniferous plantations have an importance for biodiversity conservation? Bats as indicators in the Foreste Casentinesi National Park

Abstract

Abstract Artificial forest and plantations are gaining an ever more central importance in the discussion about forest role in biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and in many aspects related to social and economic importance of these environment. Particularly to what regards biodiversity conservation, there is a heated debate on the potential role that these artificial habitats, if properly managed, could have as species habitat. We evaluated the role of these forest for bat species in the Foreste Casentinesi National Park, that hosts widespread coniferous plantations, many of which have now an "old-growth" type structure, with numerous large trees, relatively low densities and abundant deadwood. These forest, if compared with beech forest, the other most spread forest type, have also a more diversified structure. Our results show a strong positive effect associated with the presence of conifer forests for four out of eight species tested, specifically P. pipistrellus, P. kuhlii, H. savii, M. schreibersi. The presence of coniferous plantations has effect at different spatial scale, suggesting that different species use this habitat in different way. Coniferous plantations have also a positive effect on the number of feeding buzz, the specific sequence of ultrasound impulses bats emitting during the approaching to preys. Although other studies have also shown that these forests can actually play a role as habitat for numerous species, including other taxa, there is still a widespread belief, even among those with active roles in forest management, that these environments are "green deserts". Particularly inside protected areas, we believe that work should be done to identify and apply correct forms of management for these forests instead of generally promoting their replacement with native species.