title: Comment on "Extinction debt and windows of conservation opportunity in the Brazilian Amazon".
abstract: A paper by Wearn et al. (Reports, 13 July 2012, p. 228) yields new insights on extinction debt. However, it leaves out the area dependence of the relaxation process. We show that this is not warranted on theoretical or observational grounds and that it may lead to erroneous conservation recommendations.
authors: Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. jhalley@cc.uoi.gr
authors: John M
authors: JM
authors: Halley
authors: Yoh
authors: Y
authors: Iwasa
authors: Despoina
authors: D
authors: Vokou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D053476:Extinction, Biological; D014197:Trees; D014714:Vertebrates