Conservation Strategies for Amphibians and Reptiles in Fragmented Habitats of the Neotropics

Habitat fragmentation is one of the most pressing threats to amphibian and reptile biodiversity in the neotropical region, primarily driven by agricultural expansion, urbanization, and infrastructure development. Fragmented landscapes not only reduce available habitat but also isolate populations, threatening genetic diversity, reproductive viability, and long-term survival. Natural history—encompassing the fundamental observations of species’ behaviors, life-histories, habitat preferences, and ecological interactions—offers crucial insights into how these taxa respond to environmental changes.

Despite its importance, conservation planning in fragmented landscapes often overlooks detailed natural history knowledge. Many amphibians and reptiles possess unique ecological requirements and behavioral adaptations, making them sensitive indicators of habitat change. For instance, microhabitat use, dispersal capabilities, reproductive strategies, and dietary specialization often dictate a species’ resilience or vulnerability to fragmentation.

This Research Topic invites contributions that leverage natural history observations to enhance understanding of how habitat fragmentation affects neotropical amphibian and reptile populations. We encourage research at the interface of natural history and conservation science—from foundational field studies documenting distribution, breeding, and movement, to applied research assessing the efficacy of corridors and habitat restoration. Submissions that highlight the value of long-term monitoring, novel observational methodologies, or traditional ecological knowledge are especially welcome.

We aim to gather research and reviews addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

-How natural history insights reveal mechanisms of fragment sensitivity or persistence in amphibians and reptiles
-Case studies demonstrating the role of microhabitat selection, reproductive ecology, and dispersal in fragmented environments
-Development and natural history-informed assessment of ecological corridors and habitat connectivity strategies
-Impacts of human activities on amphibian and reptile natural history traits and their conservation
-Integrating traditional ecological knowledge and community observations into fragmentation research
-Challenges and advances in long-term field observations for monitoring fragmented populations
Success stories and lessons learned from natural history-driven conservation initiatives in the Neotropics

By highlighting natural history insights, this Research Topic aims to foster a deeper, evidence-based understanding of fragmentation’s impacts, and to inspire innovative, context-sensitive conservation solutions for the amphibians and reptiles of the Neotropics.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Habitat fragmentation, Amphibian, Reptile, Neotropics

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.