India, March 30 -- Nepal's fragmented forests can also see biodiversity gain from nearby sanctuaries: study In findings that have implications for Nepal's protected areas, a new study has found that improving the landscape surrounding forest remnants can increase their ability to retain bird species - even in small or isolated forests.

For decades, traditional ecological theory has treated isolated and fragmented habitats as ' forest islands', predicting species' survival through area size and isolation.

But these models have long overlooked the nature of the matrix of farmland, vegetation, or open areas surrounding these habitat remnants.

Such isolated natural habitats can be found in Nepal's buffer zones and the fringes of community...