Review Biogeographical and Taxonomic Biases in Tropical Forest Fragmentation Research JUSTUS P. DEIKUMAH, ∗ CLIVE A. MCALPINE, AND MARTINE MARON Landscape Ecology and Conservation Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia Abstract: Despite several decades of research on the effects of fragmentation and habitat change on biodi- versity, there remain strong biases in the geographical regions and taxonomic species studied. The knowledge gaps resulting from these biases are of particular concern if the forests most threatened with modification are also those for which the effects of such change are most poorly understood. To quantify the nature and magnitude of such biases, we conducted a systematic review of the published literature on forest fragmentation in the tropics for the period 1980–2012. Studies included focused on any type of response of single species, communities, or assemblages of any taxonomic group to tropical forest fragmentation and on fragmentation- related changes to forests. Of the 853 studies we found in the SCOPUS database, 64% were conducted in the Neotropics, 13% in Asia, 10% in the Afrotropics, and 5% in Australasia. Thus, although the Afrotropics is subject to the highest rates of deforestation globally, it was the most disproportionately poorly studied biome. Significant taxonomic biases were identified. Of the taxonomic groups considered, herpetofauna was the least studied in the tropics, particularly in Africa. Research examining patterns of species distribution was by far the most common type (72%), and work focused on ecological processes (28%) was rare in all biomes, but particularly in the Afrotropics and for fauna. We suggest research efforts be directed toward less-studied biogeographic regions, particularly where the threat of forest fragmentation continues to be high. Increased research investment in the Afrotropics will be important to build knowledge of threats and inform responses in a region where almost no efforts to restore its fragmented landscapes have yet begun and forest protection is arguably most tenuous. Keywords: Afrotropics, biogeographic bias, deforestation, fauna population decline, taxonomic bias, tropical forest biomes Sesgos Biogeogr´ aficos y Taxon´ omicos en la Investigaci´ on de la Fragmentaci´ on de Bosques Tropicales Resumen: A pesar de varias d´ ecadas de investigaci´ on sobre los efectos de la fragmentaci´ on y el cambio de h´ abitat sobre la biodiversidad, aun persisten sesgos fuertes en las regiones geogr´ aficas y especies taxon´ omicas estudiadas. Los vac´ ıos en el conocimiento que resultan de estos sesgos son de importancia particular si los bosques con mayor amenaza de modificaci´ on tambi´en son aquellos para los cuales los efectos de dicho cambio est´ an entendidos pobremente. Para cuantificar la naturaleza y la magnitud de dichos sesgos llevamos a cabo una revisi´ on sistem´ atica de la literatura publicada sobre la fragmentaci´ on de bosques tropicales en el periodo de 1980 a 2012. Los estudios incluyeron aquellos enfocados en cualquier tipo de respuesta de una sola especie, comunidad o conjunto de cualquier grupo taxon´ omico a la fragmentaci´ on del bosque; y aquellos enfocados en los cambios en los bosques relacionados con la fragmentaci´ on. Los campos biogeogr´ aficos tropicales estuvieron sujetos a las tasas m´ as grandes de p´ erdida de bosque, y el menor n´ umero de estudios publicados fue sobre ellos. De los 853 estudios que encontramos en la base de datos SCOPUS, 64% se llevaron a cabo en la zona neotropical, 13% en Asia, 10% en la zona afrotropical, y 5% en Australasia. As´ ı, aunque la zona afrotropical est´ a sujeta a la tasa m´ as alta de deforestaci´ on a nivel global, fue el bioma con menor estudio. Se identificaron sesgos taxon´ omicos significativos. De los grupos taxon´ omicos considerados, la herpetofauna fue la menos estudiada, particularmente en ´ Africa. La investigaci´ on encargada de examinar los patrones de distribuci´ on fue por mucho el tipo m´ as com´ un (72%) y el trabajo enfocado en los procesos ecol´ ogicos (28%) fue raro para ∗ Address correspondence to J. P. Deikumah, email stjustus25@yahoo.co.uk Paper submitted August 30, 2012; revised manuscript accepted March 28, 2014. 1522 Conservation Biology, Volume 28, No. 6, 1522–1531 C  2014 Society for Conservation Biology DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12348