New global research that shows increases in surrounding tree cover can dramatically boost biodiversity.
According to a major new international study, improving the landscapes surrounding fragmented forests can dramatically boost biodiversity – even where remaining forest patches are small or isolated.
The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), led by the University of East Anglia with support from the University of Birmingham reveals that forests surrounded by tree rich, wildlife friendly landscapes support far more bird species than similar forests bordered by open water or heavily degraded land. In some cases, small forest fragments retained more than twice as many bird species when embedded in landscapes with even modest tree cover.
The research analysed data from more than 1,000 forest remnants across tropical and subtropical regions in the Americas, Africa and Asia, bringing together evidence from 50 largescale bird surveys.
The team compared forest “islands” created by hydroelectric reservoirs – one of the most extreme forms of habitat fragmentation – with forest fragments surrounded by farmland and other terrestrial landscapes.
The findings challenge longstanding ecological theories that focus almost exclusively on the size and isolation of habitat patches, overlooking the surrounding landscape such as farmland and vegetation, known as ‘the matrix’. Instead, the research highlights its pivotal role in helping species to survive.
What this study shows very clearly is that the landscape around those patches can make a huge difference. If the surrounding environment is more tree rich and permeable, many more species can persist.
Crucially, the researchers found that even small increases in tree cover within 300 metres of a forest remnant significantly reduced local extinction risk, particularly for bird species that depend on forest habitat.
Professor Tom Matthews, from the University of Birmingham and a co-author of the study, said: “For a long time, conservation thinking has treated small forest patches as being on borrowed time. What this study shows very clearly is that the landscape around those patches can make a huge difference. If the surrounding environment is more tree rich and permeable, many more species can persist.”
“This is encouraging, because it means we don’t always need vast, untouched wilderness to make a difference. Practical actions such as restoring tree cover, planting native vegetation and designing wildlife friendly farmland can deliver real biodiversity gains, even in heavily modified landscapes.”
Professor Carlos Peres, from UEA’s School of Environmental Sciences, said: “This study clearly shows how high-quality surrounding landscapes increase species retention within forest remnants across the tropics. The conservation gains from investing in a more hospitable matrix in agricultural and urban areas are far greater than previously realised.”
The study recorded almost 2,000 bird species, including several that are classified as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. The strongest benefits of improved surrounding landscapes were seen in forest dependent species, which are typically the most sensitive to habitat loss.
The authors argue that conservation and land use policies must also improve the quality of agricultural and urban landscapes – which are now increasingly central to biodiversity protection. The findings , will directly inform reforestation programmes and climate nature strategies in regions facing rapid development or infrastructure expansion.
The research involved 58 scientists from 19 countries and represents one of the most comprehensive global assessments to date of how landscape quality influences biodiversity survival in fragmented forests.
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Senior Research Fellow / Senior Lecturer
Dr Matthews researches global environmental change issues using macroecological, macroevolutionary and biogeographical approaches.
