Agricultural expansion and its impacts on tropical nature - PubMed (original) (raw)
Review
Agricultural expansion and its impacts on tropical nature
William F Laurance et al. Trends Ecol Evol. 2014 Feb.
Abstract
The human population is projected to reach 11 billion this century, with the greatest increases in tropical developing nations. This growth, in concert with rising per-capita consumption, will require large increases in food and biofuel production. How will these megatrends affect tropical terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity? We foresee (i) major expansion and intensification of tropical agriculture, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South America; (ii) continuing rapid loss and alteration of tropical old-growth forests, woodlands, and semi-arid environments; (iii) a pivotal role for new roadways in determining the spatial extent of agriculture; and (iv) intensified conflicts between food production and nature conservation. Key priorities are to improve technologies and policies that promote more ecologically efficient food production while optimizing the allocation of lands to conservation and agriculture.
Keywords: agricultural intensification; biodiversity; biodiversity hotspots; carbon storage; deforestation; land sparing; species extinctions.
Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Comment in
- Meat consumption as a key impact on tropical nature: a response to Laurance et al.
Machovina B, Feeley KJ. Machovina B, et al. Trends Ecol Evol. 2014 Aug;29(8):430-1. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2014.05.011. Epub 2014 Jun 17. Trends Ecol Evol. 2014. PMID: 24951393 No abstract available. - The impact of meat consumption on the tropics: reply to Machovina and Feeley.
Laurance WF, Sayer J, Cassman KG. Laurance WF, et al. Trends Ecol Evol. 2014 Aug;29(8):432. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2014.05.010. Epub 2014 Jun 17. Trends Ecol Evol. 2014. PMID: 24951395 No abstract available.
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources