Most forest-dwelling species have been disrupted by fragmentation, new research suggests. Using a new analysis method, scientists assessed the impact of human-induced forest fragmentation on the abundance of 1,673 species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians around the globe. Their findings revealed that in many forests, the animal communities in the core differ greatly from the animals living in near the edges. Mammal populations show the greatest decline in abundance near forest edges – according to the recent analysis, 57% of mammalian species are affected.
Corresponding author:
Marion Pfeifer, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, Email: marion.pfeifer@newcastle.ac.uk
Canadian author:
S. L. Peters, Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON
Original paper published in Nature on November 1, 2017.
