The effects of fuelwood removal on the diversity of some cavity-using birds and mammals in South Africa Original Research Article

Although the sustainability of the woodfuel resource has been the cause for concern in many developing countries, few studies have considered the impact of fuelwood utilization on biota other than trees. In this study, I show that in the eastern Cape Province, South Africa, the increasing removal of dead wood over less than a decade negatively affected the diversity of cavity-using vertebrate species. More specifically, this study provides evidence that, in South African riverine forest habitats, cavity-using forest-edge species, and species that are limited to making holes in soft-wood substrata, may soon disappear from utilized areas. It may be shortsighted to consider the sustainability of the fuelwood resource in isolation of the protection of biodiversity. This study serves to point out the dangers of overlooking the effects of fuelwood utilization practices.