Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

When bigger is better: the need for Amazonian mega-reserves.

William F Laurance1

  • 1Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 2072, Balboa, Panama. laurancew@si.edu

Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|May 17, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Protecting Amazonian biodiversity requires large mega-reserves (exceeding 1 million ha) to ensure species survival and ecological processes amid accelerating forest destruction. These extensive protected areas are vital for the future of biodiversity in the region.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The safety margin of small-scale tree cover loss in global fragmented forests.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Analogous environments across the tropics have similar levels of tree species alpha diversity.

National science review·2026
Same author

Road expansion risk predicts future hotspots of tropical deforestation.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Centuries of compounding human influence on Amazonian forests.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

EU's global investments put biodiversity at risk.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025
Same author

Six actions for ecologists in times of planetary crisis.

Nature ecology & evolution·2025

Area of Science:

  • Conservation Biology
  • Tropical Ecology
  • Biodiversity Management

Background:

  • Accelerated forest destruction in Brazilian Amazonia poses a significant threat to biodiversity.
  • New protected areas are being designated, presenting conservation opportunities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To argue for the necessity of a network of mega-reserves (over 1 million ha) for long-term species persistence.
  • To highlight the importance of large-scale protected areas for Amazonian ecological processes.

Main Methods:

  • The paper synthesizes disparate lines of evidence to support the concept of mega-reserves.
  • Analysis of conservation opportunities and threats in Brazilian Amazonia.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Mega-reserves are essential for ensuring the long-term persistence of Amazonian species.
  • Evidence suggests that large protected areas are vital for maintaining ecological processes.

    • Conclusions:

    • An extensive network of mega-reserves is crucial for safeguarding Amazonian biodiversity.
    • Despite their size, mega-reserves are a necessary strategy for effective conservation in the face of habitat loss.