title: Ecology. Three-Gorges Dam--experiment in habitat fragmentation?
abstract: Habitat fragmentation is the primary cause of the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, but its underlying processes and mechanisms remain poorly understood. Studies of islands and insular terrestrial habitats are essential for improving our understanding of habitat fragmentation. We argue that the Three-Gorges Dam, the largest that humans have ever created, presents a unique grand-scale natural experiment that allows ecologists to address a range of critical questions concerning the theory and practice of biodiversity conservation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. jingle.wu@asu.edu
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jianhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xingguo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Zongqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Xianming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D005378:Financial Support; D005618:Fresh Water; D005843:Geography; D007391:International Cooperation; D063245:Plant Development; D011157:Population Dynamics