Spatial variation in human disturbances and their effects on forest structure and biodiversity across an Afromontane forest

Context
Human disturbances can have large impacts on forest structure and biodiversity, and thereby result in forest degradation, a property difficult to detect by remote sensing.
Objectives
To investigate spatial variation in anthropogenicdisturbances and their effects on forest structure and biodiversity.
Methods
In 144 plots of 20 x 20 m distributed across a forest area of 750 km2 in Southwest Ethiopia, we recorded: landscape variables (e.g., distance to forest edge), different human disturbances, forest structure variables, and species composition of trees and epiphyllous bryophytes. We then first assessed if landscape variables could explain the spatial distribution of disturbances. Second, we analysed how forest structure and biodiversity were influenced by disturbances.
Results
Human disturbances, such as coffee management and grazing declined with distance to forest edges and penetrated at least a kilometer into the forest. The slope was not related to disturbance levels, but...

研究背景
人类干扰活动可对森林结构与生物多样性造成显著影响，进而引发森林退化——该过程难以通过遥感技术进行监测。

研究目标
探究人为干扰的空间变异特征及其对森林结构与生物多样性的影响。

研究方法
本研究在埃塞俄比亚西南部一片面积达750平方千米的林区内，布设了144个20米×20米的样地，记录内容包括：景观变量（如距林缘距离）、各类人类干扰活动、森林结构变量，以及树木与叶附生苔藓植物（epiphyllous bryophytes）的物种组成。随后，本研究首先评估了景观变量能否解释干扰活动的空间分布；其次分析了干扰活动对森林结构与生物多样性的影响。

研究结果
人类干扰活动（如咖啡种植管理与放牧）随距林缘距离的增加而减弱，且其影响范围至少可深入林区1千米。坡度与干扰强度并无关联，但……