Effects of ecological continuity on species richness and composition in forests and woodlands: A review

Abstract: Forests and woodlands with a long, uninterrupted presence (continuity) are often associated with high biodiversity and many habitat specialist species. But the mechanisms by which, and the scales in time and space at which, populations are dependent on continuity remain debated. We examine the spatial and temporal scales at which occurrences of plants, fungi, and invertebrates are affected by continuity and consider whether they are restricted by time for colonization (continuity per se) or by habitat formation times. We give improved definitions of landscape and local levels of continuity and evaluate the empirical literature with respect to these. By critically examining the reported effects of continuity on the occurrence of species in forests and woodlands, we explore the mechanisms behind the patterns at local and landscape scales. We conclude that many species are dispersal-limited in the current fragmented landscapes and occur mainly in landscapes with surplus continuity, meaning that the...