Educational content about rainforest conservation and biodiversity
Explore our collection of articles covering rainforest ecology, conservation strategies, biodiversity, and the critical role of rainforests in global climate regulation.
"By comparing geographic patterns of nonhuman primate biodiversity and human land-use, researchers discovered that areas managed or controlled by Indigenous peoples tend to have significantly more primate biodiversity than nearby regions. They also found that lorises, tarsiers, monkeys and apes whose territories overlap with Indigenous areas are less likely to be classified as vulnerable, threatened or endangered than those living fully outside Indigenous lands." [2] "Given that the ranges of 71% of primate species intersect Indigenous Peoples' lands, we will only avert the mass extinction of primates if we respect and support biocultural diversity and the efforts of Indigenous Peoples to maintain their languages, and cultural and symbolic ties to their lands and waters." [1]
Read more at:
[1] www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abn2927
[2] news.illinois.edu/view/6367/1935866953
"Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil has hit a six-year high, the national space agency, Inpe, reports. Some 3,988 square kilometres (1,540 square miles) of land were cleared in the region between January and June. Last year, 3,088 square kilometres of the rainforest were destroyed during the same period." [1] "We find that more than three-quarters of the Amazon rainforest has been losing resilience since the early 2000s, consistent with the approach to a critical transition. Resilience is being lost faster in regions with less rainfall and in parts of the rainforest that are closer to human activity. We provide direct empirical evidence that the Amazon rainforest is losing resilience, risking dieback with profound implications for biodiversity, carbon storage and climate change at a global scale." [2]
Read more at:
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-62103336
[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01287-8
"More than 140 species of mammals, 24 birds, 6 reptiles, and 5 amphibians deteriorated in conservation status, moving from lower to higher risk categories of concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the global authority on the conservation status of the world's animals and plants. Only 37 mammals improved during this period, along with two birds and one amphibian. Here are nine tactics that could help moderate human-caused extinctions: 1. Biodiversity Parks 2. Ecologically Reclaimed and Restored Habitats 3. The Fabric of Local Communities 4. Diversity in Human Landscapes 5. Legislation 6. Ecological Economics 7. Endowment: Biodiversity Trusts 8. Bioliteracy 9. Toward Zero Extinction"
Read the paper at:
thesolutionsjournal.com/2016/02/22/facing-extinction-nine-steps-to-save-biodiversity/
"83% of tree species experience nonnegligible human pressure across their range on average. ... Protecting high-priority areas for the top 17% and 50% priority thresholds would increase the average protected proportion of each tree species' range to 65.5% and 82.6%, respectively, leaving many fewer species (2,151 and 2,010) completely unprotected. The priority areas identified for trees match well to the Global 200 Ecoregions framework, revealing that priority areas for trees would in large part also optimize protection for terrestrial biodiversity overall. Based on range estimates for >46,000 tree species, our findings show that a large proportion of tree species receive limited protection by current PAs and are under substantial human pressure. Improved protection of biodiversity overall would also strongly benefit global tree diversity."
Read the paper at:
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2026733119
"Deforestation and climate change, via increasing dry-season length and drought frequency, may already have pushed the Amazon close to a critical threshold of rainforest dieback. ... We find that more than three-quarters of the Amazon rainforest has been losing resilience since the early 2000s, consistent with the approach to a critical transition. Resilience is being lost faster in regions with less rainfall and in parts of the rainforest that are closer to human activity."
Read the paper at:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01287-8
"Indigenous peoples comprise 5% of the world population but protect approximately 85% of its biodiversity through stewardship of indigenous-managed lands. ... Supporting indigenous-led fire stewardship can assist with reviving important cultural practices while protecting human communities from increasingly severe wildfires, enhancing biodiversity, and increasing ecosystem heterogeneity."
Read the paper at:
www.pnas.org/content/118/32/e2105073118
This comprehensive UN report provides evidence that Indigenous peoples are the most effective guardians of forests in Latin America, with significantly lower deforestation rates on indigenous lands compared to other areas.
Read the original report at:
www.fao.org/americas/publicaciones-audio-video/forest-gov-by-indigenous/en/
Read a news article discussing this report at:
www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/25/indigenous-peoples-by-far-the-best-guardians-of-forests-un-report
Natural areas that used to support biodiversity and have been converted for farming are the biggest reason for the population decline of thousands of species around the world. The WWF study has found that the average population size has dropped by 68% worldwide between 1970 and 2016.
Read the original article at:
www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/09/wildlife-populations-biodiversity-loss-human-action
Research demonstrating the critical role that Indigenous Peoples' lands play in the conservation of terrestrial mammals worldwide, with implications for global conservation strategies.
Read more at:
conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cobi.13620
An analysis of how deforestation and fires in the Amazon rainforest pose a significant threat to global climate stability and what this means for international climate policy.
Read more at:
https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/how-brazils-burning-amazon-threatens-climate
A comprehensive overview of the Amazon's critical role in stabilizing global ecological processes, from climate regulation to biodiversity preservation.
Read more at:
https://natureandculture.org/ecosystems/amazon-rainforest/
National Geographic's comprehensive encyclopedia entry on rainforests, covering their ecology, biodiversity, threats, and importance to global ecosystems.
Read more at:
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/rain-forest/
Detailed coverage of Amazon rainforest destruction, including drivers of deforestation, current rates of loss, and the environmental consequences.
Read more at:
https://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/amazon_destruction.html
BBC coverage of the devastating fires in the Amazon rainforest, their causes, impacts on local communities, and international response to the crisis.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-49971563
Analysis of the alarming increase in Amazon wildfires, with perspectives from scientists and environmental groups on the causes and consequences of this surge.
Read more at:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/scientists-environmental-groups-alarmed-huge-rise-amazon-wildfires-n1235595
A comprehensive guide to both tropical and temperate rainforests around the world, covering their characteristics, biodiversity, and conservation challenges.
Read more at:
www.rainforestmaker.org/files/the_worlds_rainforests_tropical_and_temperate.pdf
Scientific research examining the wide-scale ecological and social impacts of damming rivers throughout the Amazon basin, including effects on fish populations, sediment transport, and indigenous communities.
Read more at:
https://www.nature.com/articles/nature22333
Explore our comprehensive guide to rainforests or check out recommended books and resources.
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