Responses of tropical forest herpetofauna to moderate anthropogenic disturbance and effects of natural habitat variation in Sulawesi, Indonesia

摘要: Abstract Tropical forest destruction is a major contributor to global biodiversity loss, with much of remaining forests subject extensive subsistence use. Compared clear-felling and conversion, the impacts these less intense but complex disturbance regimes on remain poorly understood. Given challenges protecting pristine tropical for conservation in developing regions, there strong imperative understand role altered range low moderate long term conservation. We sampled rainforest reptile amphibian diversity over nine year period along gradient anthropogenic intact primary Sulawesi, Indonesia. evaluated relative influences proxies natural habitat variability species richness assemblage composition. Reptile were affected by characteristics, not disturbance. In contrast, composition varied both metrics. Our results indicate that even levels have measurable, pervasive, herpetofaunal diversity. However, moderately disturbed retain relatively high canopy cover complexity still retained most associated forest, indicating they provide significant contribution Management implications from findings complement those birds large mammals Asia, sustainable likely be best achieved maintaining larger areas variable usage around more remote, minimally core areas.