Resolving the Debate over Forest Fragmentation's Impact on Ecosystem Resilience

Resolving the debate over forest fragmentation's impact on ecosystem resilience

Forest fragmentation—the division of large, intact woodlands into smaller patches—has emerged as a critical issue in 21st-century global land cover change, with far-reaching implications for ecosystem health. By increasing forest edges, fragmentation alters forest structure, ecosystem functions, and ecosystem services (the benefits to humans) that potentially reshape resilience. Yet whether this process weakens or strengthens resilience has been…

Forest connectivity key to preserving PNG’s spectacular rainforest birds: Study

From pollinating plants to dispersing seeds, birds play a variety of crucial roles that help to keep ecosystems in balance. But when we degrade and fragment their habitats, some species disappear much quicker than others — taking their specific ecosystem functions with them. New research from Papua New Guinea, one of the world’s last havens […]

The effects of extreme forest fragmentation on the bird community of Singapore Island

Singapore Island suffered one of the highest known deforestation rates in the tropics from the mid-to-late 19th century when over 95% of its native lo…