The Fundao Dam broke in November 2015 and released more than 60 million cubic meters of tailings. / A Barragem de Fundao se rompeu em novembro de 2015 e liberou mais de 60 milhoes de metros cubicos de rejeitos.ENVIRONMENTAL INSANITY (360)Latest research on habitat fragmentationDear colleagues,I would like to draw your attention to a special issue of Ecography on habitat loss and fragmentation - the world's largest species-loss engine - edited by Nick Haddad and colleagues. You may freely read or download any of the articles, including an excellent synthesis by Haddad et al., At this link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ecog.2017.v40.i1/issuetocTom Lovejoy, founder of the Forest Dynamics Biological Dynamics Project in Brazil, considered it "the best collection of cutting-edge research on fragmentation in the last decade".I am attaching an article [Predicted trajectories of tree community change in Amazonian rainforest fragments: 170130 Ewers et al. 2017-BDFFP floristics] produced for the special edition on the long-term destination of fragments of Amazonian forest, which was led by Robert Ewers.With my compliments,BillWilliam F. Laurance, PhD, FAA, FAAAS, FRSQDistinguished Research ProfessorAustralian Laureate & Prince Bernhard Chair in International Nature Conservation (Emeritus)Director of the Center for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS)Published by EcoDebate on January 30, 2017Jutice suspends for an indefinite period the obligation of Samarco, Vale and BHP to deposit R $ 1.2 billionBy Leo Rodrigues Agencia BrasilThe Federal Court suspended for an indefinite period the decision that required mining company Samarco and its shareholders Vale and BHP Billiton to deposit R $ 1.2 billion as guarantee for future actions to recover and repair the social and environmental damages resulting from the Mariana (Minas Gerais) tragedy. The decision comes after the miners signed a Preliminary Adjustment Agreement with the Federal Public Ministry (MPF).The deadline for filing had already been extended several times. On the last occasion, the date set was January 19. In his decision, Judge Mario de Paula Franco said that the suspension was due to "demonstration of concrete attitudes and the cooperative stance of the parties, the MPF and the institutions involved, in seeking a solution to this dispute."The Preliminary Adjustment Term establishes that the miners will hire specialists appointed by the MPF to analyze the progress of the repair programs for the damages of the environmental tragedy of Mariana, considered the largest in the country, that occurred in November of 2015. In the episode, the dam of Fundao, belonging to Samarco, broke and released more than 60 million cubic meters of tailings. Nineteen people died. There was devastation of the native vegetation, pollution of the Rio Doce Basin and destruction of the districts of Bento Rodrigues and Paracatu, as well as other communities.The damages were negotiated in an agreement between Samarco, Vale, BHP, the federal government and the governments of Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo. The document estimates an investment of R $ 20 billion over 15 years. The parties are pushing forward the combined programs, but the Justice is still examining whether it ratifies this agreement. MPF challenges the terms. In an action filed in the Federal Court, which is being processed in parallel, the