Integrating species life-history traits and patterns of deforestation in amphibian conservation planning

Deforestation does not progress randomly throughout landscapes (Viana et al., 1997; Ezard & Travis, 2006; Silva et al., 2007) because of the non-random spatial distribution of land suitable for specific human activities and laws that often protect particular habitats or vegetation types. Riparian vegetation, for example, is protected by law in many countries (Gregory et al., 1991). Thus, if enforcement is effective, deforestation should be biased to areas other than riparian zones. In contrast, humans tend to concentrate their activities in valleys where water is readily available for agriculture, industry and human consumption, resulting in deforestation and disconnection of riparian zones from upland vegetation Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA, Departamento de Ecologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia GO 74001-970, Brazil, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, SP 13506-900, Brazil