“…Because the Brazilian Atlantic Forest has a long land use history, we consider that past patterns of land use also have an important role in cycles of deforestation, fragmentation, and reforestation (Geist and Lambin, 2002;Soares-Filho et al, 2004;Fearnside, 2007Fearnside, , 2008a. In addition, topography can also influence patterns of forest fragmentation and forest cover, as previously demonstrated in several regions, including the Brazilian Atlantic Forest region (Miller et al, 1996;Cabral and Fiszon, 2004;Silva et al, 2007;Cabral et al, 2007). Usually, areas with steep slopes or poor soils are less used and more likely to remain forested (Ranta et al, 1998;Resende et al, 2002;Silva et al, 2007).…”