Effects of habitat fragmentation on species richness and community composition of medium- and large-sized mammals in sugarcane-dominated Cerrado landscapes, southwestern Goiás, Brazil

Mammal species richness and community composition in the Cerrado Protected Areas of Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks, Brazil, are highly sensitive to habitat fragmentation caused by sugarcane expansion. The study found that landscape metrics—such as native habitat area, fragment isolation, and proximity to protected areas—explained 90.1% of species richness variation and 85.5% of compositional changes. Species diversity increased with more native habitat but declined with greater fragment isolation, while community structure was primarily shaped by inter-fragment distances and protection status. These findings highlight the profound impact of agricultural landscapes on mammal assemblages, favoring generalist and disturbance-tolerant species while reshaping ecological dynamics.

de Lima, C. A., Alves, E. N., Hannibal, W., & Rocha, E. C. (2026). Effects of habitat fragmentation on species richness and community composition of medium- and large-sized mammals in sugarcane-dominated Cerrado landscapes, southwestern Goiás, Brazil. Frontiers in Conservation Science, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2026.1799392