The pivotal role of land cover around forest fragments for small‐mammal communities in a Neotropical savanna

Abstract While harboring the bulk of planet's biodiversity, tropical ecosystems have experienced intense land conversion for agriculture. Studies examining impacts land‐use change on biodiversity primarily focused forest cover loss but overlooked ecological potential habitats surrounding fragments to modulate loss. We examined whether small‐mammal communities changed with fragments, and how functional traits affected responses cover. Small mammals were sampled in Brazilian Cerrado using live‐trap transects. Three landscape types identified according surroundings transects (within 750‐m‐radius buffers): forest‐ (≥50% cover), pasture‐, crop‐dominated landscapes (<50% cover, predominance pastures or crops, respectively). composition across used abundance models analyze response From forest‐dominated pasture‐ landscapes, abundances and/or species richness largest, forest‐specialist, frugivorous/granivorous, terrestrial decreased. In slightly by fragments. which represent less‐preserved increased proportions native forests, open formations, and, some extent, pastures, supported small mammals. Land is critical maintaining diversity within communities. Our results emphasize need maintain vegetation human‐modified functions.