LandFrag: A Dataset to Investigate the Effects of Forest Loss and Fragmentation on Biodiversity
Authors: Gonçalves‐Souza Thiago , Vancine Maurício Humberto , Sanders Nathan J. , Haddad Nick M. , Cortinhas Lucas , Aase Anne Lene T. O. , de Aguiar Willian Moura , Aizen Marcelo Adrian , Arroyo‐Rodríguez Víctor , Baz Arturo , Benchimol Maíra , Bernard Enrico , Bertotto Tássia Juliana , Bispo Arthur Angelo , Bogoni Juliano A. , Boldorini Gabriel X. , Bragagnolo Cibele , Brosi Berry , Cantalice Aníbal Silva , do Carmo Rodrigo Felipe Rodrigues , Cazeta Eliana , Chiarello Adriano G. , de la Sancha Noé U. , Didham Raphael K. , Faria Deborah , Filgueiras Bruno , Figueira José Eugênio Côrtes , Galvão Gabriela Albuquerque , Garey Michel Varajão , Gibb Heloise , Gómez‐Martínez Carmelo , González Ezequiel , de Gusmão Reginaldo Augusto Farias , Henry Mickaël , de Jesus Shayana , Kloss Thiago Gechel , Lázaro Amparo , Leandro‐Silva Victor , de Lima Marcelo G. , da Silva Lima Ingrid , Lins‐e‐Silva Ana Carolina B. , Nally Ralph Mac , Magalhães Arthur Ramalho , Magnago Luiz Fernando Silva , Manu Shiiwua , Mariano‐Neto Eduardo , Mbora David Nyaga Mugo , Melo Felipe P. L. , Mutua Morris Nzioka , Neckel‐Oliveira Selvino , Nemésio André , Nogueira André Amaral , Oliveira Patricia Marques Do A. , Pádua Diego G. , Paes Luan , de Paiva Aparecida Barbosa , Passamani Marcelo , Pena João Carlos , Peres Carlos A. , Pinho Bruno X. , Pons Jean‐Marc , Prasniewski Victor Mateus , Reiniö Jenny , dos Santos Rocha Magda , Rocha‐Santos Larissa , Rodal Maria J. , Rodrigues Rodolpho Credo , Safar Nathalia V. H. , Salomão Renato P. , Santos Bráulio A. , Santos Mirela N. , dos Santos Jessie Pereira , Savilaakso Sini , Schaefer Carlos Ernesto Gonçalves Reynaud , Silva Maria Amanda Menezes , da Silva Fernando R. , Silva Ricardo J. , Simonelli Marcelo , Soto‐Werschitz Alejandra , Stireman John O. , Storck‐Tonon Danielle , Szinwelski Neucir , Tabarelli Marcelo , Teixeira Camila Palhares , Totland Ørjan , Uehara‐Prado Marcio , Vaz‐de‐Mello Fernando Zagury , Vasconcelos Heraldo L. , Vieira Simone A. , Chase Jonathan M. 
Published: February 2025

Motivation

The accelerated and widespread conversion of once continuous ecosystems into fragmented landscapes has driven ecological research to understand the response of biodiversity to local (fragment size) and landscape (forest cover and fragmentation) changes. This information has important theoretical and applied implications, but is still far from complete. We compiled the most comprehensive and updated database to investigate how these local and landscape changes determine species composition, abundance and trait diversity of multiple taxonomic groups in forest fragments across the globe.

Main Types of Variables Contained

We gathered data for 1472 forest fragments, providing information on the abundance and composition of 9154 species belonging to vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. For 2703 of these species, we obtained more than 20 functional traits. We provided the spatial location and size of each fragment and metrics of landscape composition and configuration.

Spatial Location and Grain

The dataset includes 1472 forest fragments sampled in 121 studies from all continents except Antarctica. Most datasets (77%) are from tropical regions, 17% are from temperate regions, and 6% are from subtropical regions. Species abundance and composition were collected at the plot or fragment scale, whereas the landscape metrics were extracted with buffer size ranging from a radius of 200–2000 m.

Time Period and Grain

Data on the abundance of species and community composition were collected between 1994 and 2022, and the landscape metrics were extracted from the same year that a given study collected the abundance and composition data.

Major Taxa and Level of Measurement

The studied organisms included invertebrates (Arachnida, Insecta and Gastropoda; 41% of the datasets), vertebrates (Amphibia, Squamata, Aves and Mammalia; 44%), and vascular plants (19%), and the lowest level of identification was species or morphospecies.

Software Format

The dataset and code can be downloaded on Zenodo or GitHub.