Data for: Loss of the world's smallest forests

A large number of small forests typically harbor higher biodiversity than
a small number of large forests totaling the same area, suggesting that
small patches are disproportionately valuable for biodiversity
conservation. However, policies often favor protection of large forest
patches. Here we demonstrate a global trend of higher deforestation in
small than large forest patches: the likelihood that a randomly-selected
forest plot disappeared between 1992 and 2020 increased with decreasing
size of the forest patch containing that plot. Our results imply a
disproportionate impact of forest loss on biodiversity relative to the
total forest area removed. Achieving recent commitments of the post-2020
Global Biodiversity Framework will require revision of current policies
and increased societal awareness of the importance of small habitat
patches for biodiversity protection.