BACKGROUND Fragmentation of native forests is a highly visible result of human land-use throughout the world. In this study, we evaluated the effects of landscape fragmentation and matrix features on the genetic diversity and structure of Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, the natural reservoir of Hantavirus in southern South America. We focused our work in the Valdivian Rainforest where human activit...

Effects of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity vary among species. This may be attributed to the interacting effects of species traits and landscape structure. While widely distributed and abundant species are often considered less susceptible to fragmentation, this may be different if they are small sized and show limited dispersal. Under intensive land use, habitat fragmentation may re...

Spatial isolation caused by forest fragmentation and temporal isolation caused by asynchronous flowering of plants have been proposed as important factors that affect the reproduction ofplant populations. In a 4-year study, we determined the effects of forest fragmentation and spatial isolation on flowering phenology and reproductive success of the tropical tree Ceiba aesculifolia ([Kunth] Brit...

In many developing tropical regions, especially indigenous people are often deprived of their traditional land use rights due to the establishment of protected areas. This conservation practice jeopardizes people’s livelihoods and ultimately counteracts conservation efforts by provoking illegal use of natural resources. Thus, approaches that consider local livelihood needs in conservation plann...

The effects of the experimental fragmentation of native eucalypt forest on the beetle community were tested, in a controlled, replicated, long-term experiment. Included in our design were three fragment sizes, fragment edge and interior sites, and sites in the surrounding exotic pine plantation matrix. We followed 325 species through 28 sampling periods over seven years, including two years pre...

Habitat loss and fragmentation are important threats to carnivores worldwide, and can be especially intense for large predators. Jaguars have already been extirpated from over half of their original area of distribution, and few regions still maintain large populations. For these, detailed understanding is crucial for setting appropriate recovery targets in impacted areas. The Pantanal is among...

Opportunities to conduct large-scale field experiments are rare, but provide a unique opportunity to reveal the complex processes that operate within natural ecosystems. Here, we review the design of existing, large-scale forest fragmentation experiments. Based on this review, we develop a design for the Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) Project, a new forest fragmentation experimen...