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. 2020 Mar 11;6(11):eaax8574.
doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aax8574. eCollection 2020 Mar.

The fate of tropical forest fragments

Matthew C Hansen  1 , Lei Wang  2 , Xiao-Peng Song  1   3 , Alexandra Tyukavina  1 , Svetlana Turubanova  1 , Peter V Potapov  1 , Stephen V Stehman  4
Affiliations

The fate of tropical forest fragments

Matthew C Hansen et al. Sci Adv. .

Abstract

Tropical forest fragmentation results in habitat and biodiversity loss and increased carbon emissions. Here, we link an increased likelihood of tropical forest loss to decreasing fragment size, particularly in primary forests. The relationship holds for protected areas, albeit with half the rate of loss compared with all fragments. The fact that disturbance increases as primary forest fragment size decreases reflects higher land use pressures and improved access for resource extraction and/or conversion in smaller fragments. Large remaining forest fragments are found in the Amazon and Congo Basins and Insular Southeast Asia, with the majority of large extent/low loss fragments located in the Amazon. Tropical areas without large fragments, including Central America, West Africa, and mainland Southeast Asia, have higher loss within and outside of protected areas. Results illustrate the need for rigorous land use planning, management, and enforcement in maintaining large tropical forest fragments and restoring regions of advanced fragmentation.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Annual forest loss rates by fragment size group for all forest fragments and protected areas.
Percent loss for (A) mean of 2001–2018 and (B) 2016, the strongest El Nino year of the study period.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Primary forest and nonprimary forest extent and loss as a function of fragment size.
(A) Annual forest loss rates for primary forest and nonprimary forest. (B) Area of primary forest and nonprimary forest per fragment size grouping. (C) Mapped loss per fragment size grouping for primary forest and nonprimary forest.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Forest fragments of South America by fragment area, 2001–2018 total loss area, and percentage loss of year 2000 fragment area.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Forest fragments of Africa by fragment area, 2001–2018 total loss area, and percentage loss of year 2000 fragment area.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5. Forest fragments of South and Southeast Asia by fragment area, 2001–2018 total loss area, and percentage loss of year 2000 fragment area.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6. Distance of year 2000 forest to loss from 2001 to 2018.
Plots depict fragment groups by mean size versus the distance to loss of the most distant (25%) quartile. The 17 largest pantropical fragments are highlighted for (A) Tropical America, (B) Tropical Africa, and (C) Tropical Asia. Data of distance to loss by 25, 50, and 75% quartiles may be found at https://glad.umd.edu/dataset/fate-tropical-forest-fragments.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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