Do eucalypt plantations provide habitat for native forest biodiversity?

► Understory diversity and composition in plantations and other communities was compared. ► Diversity was lower in plantations than in native communities at local scales. ► Species composition of eucalypt plantations was similar to shrublands when young. ► Native forests were the most distinctive community, and harboured the rarest species. ► Eucalypt plantations provide low habitat value to support native biodiversity.