Result Of Deforestation Research Articles

A review on global warming and its impacts

Many academics, engineers, and environmentalists are concerned about changes in the planet's general climate. Electricity is produced from fossil fuels on a continual basis. The combustion of these fuels releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides, which contribute to global warming. Warmer temperatures are also a result of deforestation. The threat of global warming continues to wreak havoc on the Earth's ecosystem. Most people are still ignorant of global warming and do not believe it will be a major issue in the future. The majority of people are unaware that global warming is already occurring, and that we are already suffering some of its debilitating consequences. It has and will continue to have a negative impact on ecosystems and disrupt ecological equilibrium. Some remedies must be developed due to the perilous consequences of global warming. The article introduces global warming, discusses its origins and dangers, and offers various options for dealing with this pressing problem. Alternative energy sources (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass) must be explored aggressively. Finding and using renewable energy sources is one of the most effective ways to fight the ever-increasing effects of global warming.

Is It True That Oil Palm Plantations Are The Main Driver of Deforestation of Indonesia’s Tropical Forest?

The extent to which oil palm has contributed to deforestation of primary forests still an intensive debate in public space. Even though the term deforestation and the results of the study and study are still debatable and have been scientifically valid, they have had a very debilitating effect and detrimental to Indonesia's position in global trade because it considered responsible for the destruction of primary natural forests in the Southeast Asia region. Therefore, since 2015, research has been carried out on the origin of status, history of land use, land-cover and biodiversity in several oil palm plantations in 6 provinces (Riau, North Sumatra, South Sumatra, Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan and West Sulawesi). The results of the search for the origins of the status of oil palm plantations (according to the RTRWP) show that 98.56% of the candidates for oil palm plantation areas are not forested, namely: APL (54.93%), Plantation and Agriculture (42.19%). Furthermore, the results of interpretation of Landsat imagery on the condition of vegetation cover at 1 year before being made into oil palm plantations indicate that the type of land cover no longer in the form of primary forest, but already in the form of shrubs and bare-land or rubber-plantation (68,91%). Likewise with the results of the search history of land use (see slide) where 71.29% of the land under study the land of ex-community gardens, fields, transmigration land, or ex-HGU of other companies. While the rest (28.71%) ex-HPH land. Referring to the juridical definition of deforestation, this data shows that oil palm plantation land which the location of the study is the result of deforestation. Referring to both the juridical definition and the FAO/World Bank definition of deforestation, this data shows that oil palm plantation land which the location of the study is a direct cause of primary deforestation.

Leaf herbivory and fluctuating asymmetry as indicators of mangrove stress

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), a widely used measure of developmental instability in plants and animals, which describes random differences in size and/or shape between the two sides of a bilateral character. We used FA as a tool to detect stress in three mangrove species (Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, Rhizophora mangle), growing in both disturbed and conserved habitats in the Atlantic coast of Mexico. In this region, disturbed habitats are the result of deforestation, livestock, tourism and agriculture activities. Twenty plants of each species were sampled in each of four sites (two disturbed and two conserved) and levels of FA, proportion of individuals with herbivory, proportion of leaves with damage, and leaf area removed by herbivores were evaluated. In disturbed habitats, regardless of plant species, more plants were attacked by insects, more leaves were damaged, and more leaf area was removed by herbivores, indicating higher overall damage to plants. We detected that FA levels varied significantly amongst mangrove species, they were higher in disturbed compared to conserved habitats, indicating the importance of FA as a monitoring tool of mangrove stress. A positive relationship between FA and herbivory levels also indicates that herbivores might be a source of stress.

Matrix and area effects on the nutritional condition of understory birds in Amazonian rainforest fragments

Forest fragmentation, a result of deforestation, not only decreases the amount of habitat available for wildlife, but also increases the isolation of the remaining fragments and the area of edges surrounding them. Also, deforestation often leads to the creation of a dynamic regenerating matrix where cleared land is subsequently abandoned. Here we examine the effects of fragmentation and landscape change on the nutritional condition of Amazonian rainforest birds at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, near Manaus, Brazil. We analyzed ptilochronology-based measurements of feather growth rate in 12 species living in fragments within a dynamic landscape over 21 years. Ptilochronology serves as an index of nutritional condition by revealing energy available for maintenance over 1–2 weeks while the feather is grown, allowing intraspecific comparison across treatments. Feather growth rate decreased in fragments surrounded by young second-growth borders but increased as fragment size and age of adjacent second-growth vegetation increased. Results from this simple, yet informative, measure of nutritional condition reveal physiological impacts of land cover change, including the response of birds to changes occurring at both local and landscape levels. Our results highlight the importance of looking beyond presence/absence data to describe fragmentation effects, and support the value of landscape-scale approaches for the conservation of tropical forest biodiversity.

Reforest with care

Ecology Grasslands throughout the tropics are targeted for forest planting. In his Perspective, Bond argues that such efforts put ancient, highly biodiverse ecosystems at risk. Although some grasslands are the result of deforestation, wide areas have supported mosaics of grassland and forest for

Perceptions of land-degradation, forest restoration and fire management: A case study from Malawi

Understanding local perceptions of degradation and attitudes to fire management are critical for gaining support for restoration work and improving livelihoods. Deforestation and annual burning are causing significant land degradation problems in the area around Bandawe, northern Malawi. We mapped evidence of soil erosion and remaining areas of woodland. Gully erosion was common and primarily associated with heavily utilised footpaths. Areas between gullies showed signs of significant soil movement. Remnant patches of native woodland existed but were small, degraded and isolated. We interviewed local households to understand local awareness and impacts of land-degradation, its perceived cause and preferred methods for restoration. All households were aware of the presence of gullies and reported associated problems of flood damage. Most households believed erosion was a result of deforestation. Burning practices were seen to have exacerbated erosion problems. Changing fire management practice was not seen as realistic as it risked reducing the productivity of grasses and fires were perceived to be too difficult to control. Tree planting was the community's preferred approach to tackling erosion. Their focus was on planting exotic fruit and timber trees around houses and they often requested that such work be done by volunteers. Such attitudes may have been influenced by recent extension work and a desire to secure ownership of utilisable resource. Ecologists in the miombo zone should focus on improving fire management practices and involving communities in creating diverse secondary woodlands that provide a range of goods and services. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Climate change and the health profession in South Africa

AbstractClimate change is arguably the most important public health issue of the next decade. The impact of climate change should be understood in the broader context of population growth, degradation of ecosystems, inequality, food insecurity, urbanisation, slums and peak oil. Climate change is the result of deforestation and excess greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels. Environmental consequences include rising global temperatures, melting of sea ice and glaciers, rising sea levels, flooding, more frequent and severe storms and changes in climatic patterns. Medical consequences stem from extreme climatic events, changes in the patterns of infectious diseases, increased food insecurity, displacement of populations, lack of fresh water and conflict over resources. South Africa has a relatively high carbon footprint. The health profession should respond as opinion leaders, as professional bodies and as an industry.

The “seven-coloured earth” of Chamarel, Mauritius

The “seven-coloured earth” of Chamarel is a geological curiosity and a major tourist attraction of Mauritius. This is a small (∼7500 m 2) area of strikingly bare landscape showing well-developed rills and various shades of red, brown, grey, and purple. Curiously, it is located within a large, dense forest. Prevalent misconceptions are that the landscape formed due to a volcanic eruption, or from volcanic ash. Whereas the bedrock is undoubtedly an old volcanic rock (basalt), the colours are due to weathering of the basalt and the formation of secondary iron oxides and hydroxides in it, and the rilling is a result of deforestation and sheet erosion, i.e., human modification of the landscape. Such features, inadequately described in the literature so far, also occur in Papua New Guinea, and may be common in tropical, high-rainfall regions with volcanic bedrock.

Araucaria forest expansion on grassland in the southern Brazilian highlands as revealed by 14C and δ13C studies

The vegetation of the southern Brazilian highlands in Rio Grande do Sul State is a mosaic of grassland (C 4) and deciduous forests (C 3) with the conifer Araucaria angustifolia. It was uncertain, whether the grasslands represent relics of drier periods in the Holocene or if they are the result of deforestation in recent times. We analyzed plant tissues from gramineous and woody species, organic surface layers, as well as soil organic matter of 13 Andosols and Umbrisols in grassland, shrubland, pine plantations and Araucaria forest for stable carbon isotope ratios ( δ 13C) and 14C activity. The soil organic matter was separated into a free particulate organic matter (fPOM) and a heavy, organo-mineral fraction by density fractionation. All grassland soils have consistently δ 13C values of − 18.7 to − 14.3‰ typical for C 4 grasses. In Araucaria forests and forest patches within grassland the δ 13C values of both, the fPOM throughout the soil and the organic surface layers, are characteristic for the present below- and above-ground input from C 3 trees. The C 3- and C 4-derived SOC stocks reflect expansion of Araucaria forest on grassland, which started after 1300 yr BP. The youngest forests are found at the forest border and in forest patches. Grassland soils lose their typically black colour from the top downwards after shrub encroachment or establishment of forest as indicated by increasing melanic indexes which are closely related to the δ 13C values. The natural 13C depletion with depth in grassland soils counteracts the enrichment of 13C in the subsoils of present Araucaria forest. The results clearly indicate that current grasslands represent relics at least from the early and mid Holocene period (6000–8000 yr BP) and are not the result of recent deforestation.

Late‐Holocene fire history in a forest‐grassland mosaic in southern Brasil: Implications for conservation

AbstractQuestion: Is the diverse mosaic of forest/grassland (Campos) vegetation on the hills in the Porto Alegre region natural or of anthropogenic origin? What are the best approaches to management and conservation of forest/grassland mosaics in southern Brazil?Location: 280 m a.s.l., Rio Grande do Sul State (30°04′32″S; 51°06′05″W, southern Brazil.Methods: A 50‐cm long radiocarbon dated sediment core from a swamp on Morro Santana was analysed for pollen and charcoal, and multivariate data analysis was used to reconstruct past vegetation and fire dynamics.Results: The formation of swamp deposits is related to a change to wetter climatic conditions since 1230 cal yr BP. The diverse forest/grassland mosaic existed already at that time and can be seen as natural in origin as it has been also shown from other studies in southern Brazil. Since 580 cal yr BP, forests expanded continuously. The marked higher occurrence of the pioneer Myrsine during the last 70 years, indicates a change in the disturbance regime. In the past, vegetation has been influenced by mostly anthropogenic fire, set first by Amerindians and later by European settlers.Conclusions: Management for conservation of forest/grassland mosaics should take into account, first, that grasslands are remnants of earlier drier Holocene periods and not a result of deforestation and, second, the history of disturbance by grazing and fire. Suppression of grazing and burning has likely resulted in a trend towards more woody vegetation under modern wet climatic conditions. If management for conservation excludes fire, the present grassland patches will tend to disappear due to forest expansion under the modern humid climate. Maintaining or reintroducing cattle grazing in conservation areas could be an alternative to fire.

Late-Holocene fire history in a forest-grassland mosaic in southern Brasil: Implications for conservation

Question: Is the diverse mosaic of forest/grassland (Campos) vegetation on the hills in the Porto Alegre region natural or of anthropogenic origin? What are the best approaches to management and conservation of forest/grassland mosaics in southern Brazil? Location: 280 m a.s.l., Rio Grande do Sul State (30°04'32''S; 51°06'05''W, southern Brazil. Methods: A 50-cm long radiocarbon dated sediment core from a swamp on Morro Santana was analysed for pollen and charcoal, and multivariate data analysis was used to reconstruct past vegetation and fire dynamics. Results: The formation of swamp deposits is related to a change to wetter climatic conditions since 1230 cal yr BP. The diverse forest/grassland mosaic existed already at that time and can be seen as natural in origin as it has been also shown from other studies in southern Brazil. Since 580 cal yr BP, forests expanded continuously. The marked higher occurrence of the pioneer Myrsine during the last 70 years, indicates a change in the disturbance regime. In the past, vegetation has been influenced by mostly anthropogenic fire, set first by Amerindians and later by European settlers. Conclusions: Management for conservation of forest/grassland mosaics should take into account, first, that grasslands are remnants of earlier drier Holocene periods and not a result of deforestation and, second, the history of disturbance by grazing and fire. Suppression of grazing and burning has likely resulted in a trend towards more woody vegetation under modern wet climatic conditions. If management for conservation excludes fire, the present grassland patches will tend to disappear due to forest expansion under the modern humid climate. Maintaining or reintroducing cattle grazing in conservation areas could be an alternative to fire.

Towards a reverse image. Botanical research into the landscape history of the eastern Netherlands (1100 B.C.—A.D. 1500)

ABSTRACT Analysis of a large number of pollen samples from pools and wells has led to a more detailed understanding of the vegetation development in the eastern Netherlands between c. 1100 B.c. and A.D. 1500. During the Neolithic and the Bronze Age settlements were islands within a forest landscape, with natural clearings as the obvious starting points for further exploitation. Especially during the Iron Age the higher grounds became rapidly deforested. A semi-open landscape was formed relatively quickly, as was the case in the northern Dutch sandy areas. The Iron Age and Roman period landscape seems to have been almost as open as it would be during the Middle Ages, something which has also been established for south-east England. Deforestation proceeded at a slower pace in the lower and wetter parts of the landscape, but here too the effects of human presence are already visible during late prehistory, at least in the proximity of settlements. A sharp increase of heath can be observed, the result of deforestation and soil exhaustion. Sometimes it is grasses that increase rather than heather, as was probably the case on relatively fertile and degradation-resistant soil types. The late prehistoric mosaic landscape was probably still characterised by a high degree of spatial dynamics. On the other hand, many of the medieval and younger essen (open fields) are likely to have been open areas and to have been in continuous use for agriculture from the Iron Age until the present day. These areas had apparently become stable elements in an otherwise dynamic landscape long before the Middle Ages.

Continued decline and conservation needs of the Endangered Mauritius olive white-eye Zosterops chloronothos

The Mauritius olive white-eye Zosterops chloronothos is the least known of the eight threatened terrestrial bird species remaining on the island of Mauritius. The olive white-eye has declined drastically in numbers and distribution since 1975. Surveys carried out between 1998 and 2001 estimated that 93–148 pairs remained within an area of less than 25 km2. Most areas that held olive white-eye territories in 1975 supported considerably fewer territories in 2001. This decline is thought to have primarily been the result of deforestation and degradation of native habitat and intense nest predation by introduced mammals. Declines have been more severe in areas dominated by native vegetation than they have been in areas that contained substantial amounts of exotic Cryptomeria and Pinus. The continued decline of the Mauritius olive white-eye is of critical concern and immediate species-specific conservation management is required for its survival.

The ecological status of Lake Laguna de Bay, Philippines

This article assesses the ecological status of Laguna de Bay using available published and unpublished information. The declining fishery productivity of the lake is the most glaring evidence of its stressed ecological state. This loss stems from numerous deleterious factors operating throughout the lake and its drainage basin. Phytoplankton community composition has drastically changed over the years and algal biomass has diminished in the presence of ample supplies of nitrogen and phosphorus. Light limitation due to high siltation rates in the perennially turbid lake whose Secchi depth is only 5 cm might be the primary limitation to photosynthesis. The problem of siltation in the lake is the result of deforestation in the watershed that heightened soil erosion rates. Trophic relationships are inadequately examined in Laguna de Bay, the biggest lake in Southeast Asia. High biological oxygen demand and high heavy metal levels in the lake water, sediments, and biota are evidence of excessive pollution. Heavy metal levels in fish are similar to those found in fish from a smaller nearby lake receiving mine tailings. Collectively, these observations show that Laguna de Bay is an extremely stressed ecosystem needing rehabilitation. The article concludes with a set of recommendations on how to deal with the problem of impairment of lake ecology, namely, the improvement of the hydrological regime, control of the internal loading of fertilizing nutrients, toxic and hazardous chemicals, control of the sources of pollution, a systematic implementation of closed and open seasons to fishing, the establishment of a system for the assessment and evaluation of environmental perturbations, and revitalization and support for local community efforts to safeguard the ecology of the lake.

The savannization of moist forests in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia

In the Rio Ranchería watershed of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, between 500 and 1500 m, savanna vegetation is interspersed with moist forests. The savannas are composed of native savanna grasses like Aristida adscensionis L., Arundinella sp., Panicum olyroides Kunth, and Schyzachyrium microstachyum (Desv.) Roseng., Arrill & Izag and the African Melinis minutiflora P. Beauv. There is also Curatella americana L. and Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) H.B.K., two typical tree species of the neotropical savannas. Although moist forest patches occur more often on lower slopes and narrow valley bottoms, they can also be found on mid‐ and upper‐slopes and less often on ridges. Thus, these forest patches are not gallery forests as are found throughout the neotropics, but the result of deforestation and fractionation of a continuous forest. A comparison of soil profiles between the savannas and remnant forest patches on the same slope, showed the disappearance of the A and B horizons (approx. 50 cm) under savanna vegetation. The sharp difference between the savanna and forest soils at the Rio Ranchería does not appear to be due to a change in soil water status along a toposequence or differences in the underlying bedrock. We hypothesize that the savannas of the Rio Ranchería watershed, are the result of deforestation and land practices on infertile soils derived from granite. The savannization process was likely initiated by Amerindians by means of the frequent use of fire or clearing lands for the cultivation of maize. The introduction of cattle by Spaniards (c. 1530) and the frequent use of fire to maintain grazing fields, contributed to further degradation of the habitat. While some tropical landscapes recovered their forest cover when human pressure was removed approximately 500 years ago, areas such as the Rio Ranchería watershed have suffered permanent damage. The savannas of this region are likely to remain unless fire is suppressed and soil restoration practices implemented.

Salinity tolerance--mechanisms, models and the metabolic engineering of complex traits.

Soil salinity reduces plant productivity in many farming areas world-wide. Salinity affects dry-land farming and is found in irrigated areas where sodium accumulates over time. Reports have appeared about rising water tables, a result of deforestation, moving saline groundwater to the surface, and about intruding seawater in coastal areas, following increased removal of fresh water for human consumption. The United Nations Environment Program estimates approximately 20% of the world’s agricultural land s as salt-stressed (1– 3). While the extent of salt-affected land is highly variable on a local scale, salinity is a considerable problem in countries such as Pakistan, India, sub-Saharan Africa and Australia where as much as one-third of the land may be affected. Estimates of losses due to salinity in irrigated areas world-wide vary considerably (4, 5). Prohibitively high salinity already forces aband onment of about 10 × 106 ha. of irrigated land every year (4), and one-third to one-half of the land presently irrigated may to be heading towards this fate. Salt build-up in irrigated areas is particularly significant considering that the production capacity of irrigated crops is approximately three times that of dryland farming (3). Breeding programs are ongoing for generating varieties that could tolerate higher soil salinity while maintaining productivity, but the success of such programs has been marginal. Flowers and Yeo (3) have discussed the impact of various breeding strategies: (a) improving halophytes, (b) incorporation of genes from halophilic relatives of crop species, (c) selection within the species’ range of phenotypes, (d) generation, through mutation, of new phenotypes followed by selection for salt tolerance, and (e) selection based on yield potential only, disregarding salt resistance. The authors, summarizing a search for salt-tolerant varieties which have been released to farmers, conclude that the research and breeding efforts have not resulted in new varieties in the field in a substantial way. As the preferred strategy for future breeding, they suggested the “pyramiding” of established beneficial physiological traits by multiple crosses.

Urban geo-archaeology in medieval alzira (Prov. Valencia, Spain)

Abstract Alzira is situated in a cut-off meander loop of the Rio Jucar. Geo-archaeological study shows that the Islamic city wall was built during the second quarter of the 11th century AD, at a time when the river had a low-amplitude and low-energy flood regime. After mid-century, overbank silts began to invade the city as peak flood discharge increased, with a spate of destructive floods reflected by high-energy deposits during the late 11th century. Urban expansion within the city wall is dated to the later 11th or early 12th century, interrupted by local abandonment and moderate-energy flood silts. Major construction during the mid-12th century was followed by protracted abandonment (after a siege in AD 1171?) and further, moderate-energy flood silts that redistributed occupation and collapse debris. Reoccupation, during the late 14th century, was terminated by catastrophic floods in 1517 and 1571, after which much of the western end of Alzira was not rebuilt. Following further flood catastrophes during the 17th century, parts of the central walled city remained abandoned until the 19th century. with new occupation atop flood sands of yet another disaster in 1864. The change in flood regime after 1150 was a result of deforestation of the watershed, but progradation of a downstream tributary fan after 1517 created an unstable, aggrading floodplain increasingly prone to severe flooding. Climatic anomalies were responsible for periods of recurrent severe floods, archaeologically verified during the 11th and 12th centuries, and historically documented, beginning in 1318. The geo-archaeological methodology illuminates the constructional and settlement history of Alzira, allows distinction of fluvial and cultural components, and provides the necessary microstratigraphic detail and dating control to document the true complexity of alluvial processes during the last 1000 years.

The Effective Rate of Altitudinal Change in Temperate Atlantic Climates

SINCE the early pioneering days the brusque alternations of the eastern American climate have provided abundant material for discussion; for example, the results of instrumental comparisons between the two sides of the Atlantic are often found in English scientific journals of the eighteenth century. The effects, real or presumed, of the American climatic environment on European plants, animals, and man, and of course on man's inventions and ideas, have also given rise to a voluminous literature. Geographers are familiar with the stimulating virtues of the New England climate as expounded by Professor Ellsworth Huntington. But it is noteworthy that European forms of life have frequently survived in competition with the native American product, especially those from the cool northwestern fringe; witness, for example, the rapid displacement of the native grasses of New England by the European grasses.I Although the climatic extremes are less marked in England, the somewhat astringent climate,2 especially in the north, provides certain advantages, both as a selective agency and as a long-period stimulus to individual and local differentiation, that are not easy to parallel elsewhere. This follows from consideration of an aspect of climatology not hitherto brought under review, namely the effective rate of change of climatic environment with altitude. American officers in training in British hills are frequently surprised by the extremely low tree line; conversely, the Englishman who ascends Mt. Washington is struck by the fact that in spite of the New England winter the alpine zone is not reached till about 5000 feet.3 The coasts of northwestern Ireland and the northwestern Highlands of Scotland are, of course, treeless, on account of exposure to wind and the extensive blanket bog or poorly drained peaty soil resulting from an excessive rainfall; farther inland, vast areas of treeless upland above Iooo feet are the result of deforestation in the past combined with present-day grazing. Nevertheless, it is evident from a variety of sources that at best the climatic tree line is little above 2000 feet. Through the combination of a low tree line with the results of past glaciation the traveler in the Lake District sees