Impacts of salvage logging on biodiversity: a meta-analysis

Loggingto "salvage" economic returns from forests affected by natural disturbances has become increasingly prevalent globally. Despite potential negative effects on biodiversity, salvage loggingis often conducted, even in areas otherwise excluded from loggingand reserved for nature conservation, inter alia because strategic priorities for post-disturbance management are widely lacking. A review of the existing literature revealed that most studies investigating the effects of salvage loggingon biodiversityhave been conducted less than 5 years following natural disturbances, and focused on non-saproxylic organisms. A meta-analysis across 24 species groupsrevealed that salvage loggingsignificantly decreases numbers of species of eight taxonomic groups. Richness of dead wood dependent taxa (i.e. saproxylic organisms) decreased more strongly than richness of non-saproxylic taxa. In contrast, taxonomic groups typically associated with open habitats increased in the number of species after salvage logging. By analysing 134 original species abundance matrices, we demonstrate that salvage loggingsignificantly alters community composition in 7 of 17 species groups, particularly affecting saproxylic assemblages. Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that salvage loggingis not consistent with the management objectivesof protected areas. Substantial changes, such as the retention of dead wood in naturally disturbed forests, are needed to support biodiversity. Future research should investigate the amount and spatio-temporal distribution of retained dead wood needed to maintain all components of biodiversity.