Lepidopteran herbivory in restored and successional sites in a tropical dry forest

Published source details Hernandez Y., Boege K., Lindig-Cisneros R. & del-Val E. (2014) Lepidopteran herbivory in restored and successional sites in a tropical dry forest. The Southwestern Naturalist, 59, 66-74.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Restore or create forest or woodland Action Link
	Replant native vegetation Action Link

Restore or create forest or woodland

A site comparison study in 2008 in two forest sites in Jalisco, Mexico (Hernandez et al. 2014) found that a naturally regenerated forest and a forest restored by planting native trees had a similar diversity and abundance of caterpillars, but the species present at the two sites differed. In a forest which had regenerated naturally, the diversity and abundance of caterpillars (103 individuals) was similar to a forest restored by planting (119 individuals; diversity data presented as model results). However, only 27% of species were found at both sites. Three conserved forest sites had an average abundance of 159 caterpillars/plot (statistical significance not assessed). One 1-ha abandoned pasture was allowed to regenerate naturally from 1992. In 2002, a second 1-ha abandoned pasture was restored by planting 39 native tree species which were shared with the naturally regenerating site. Three conserved forest sites were also surveyed for comparison. From July–November 2008, caterpillars were sampled five times along four parallel 20 × 2-m transects/site, 20 m apart. All leaves in trees up to 2 m high were searched for caterpillars, and in trees >2 m high three branches/tree were searched. Caterpillars were reared in the laboratory to identify the adults.

(Summarised by: Andew Bladon)
Replant native vegetation

A site comparison study in 2008 in two forest sites in Jalisco, Mexico (Hernandez et al. 2014) found that a forest restored by planting native trees and a naturally regenerated forest had a similar diversity and abundance of caterpillars, but the species present at the two sites differed. In a forest restored by planting, the diversity and abundance of caterpillars (119 individuals) was similar to a forest which had regenerated naturally (103 individuals; diversity data presented as model results). However, only 27% of species were found at both sites. Three conserved forest sites had an average abundance of 159 caterpillars/plot (statistical significance not assessed). In 2002, one 1-ha abandoned pasture was restored by planting 39 native tree species. A second 1-ha abandoned pasture had been regenerating naturally since 1992, and shared tree species with the restored site. Three conserved forest sites were also surveyed for comparison. From July–November 2008, caterpillars were sampled five times along four parallel 20 × 2-m transects/site, 20 m apart. All leaves in trees up to 2 m high were searched for caterpillars, and in trees >2 m high three branches/tree were searched. Caterpillars were reared in the laboratory to identify the adults.

(Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)