Drivers of tropical forest loss between 2008 and 2019 (original) (raw)
Related papers
Biodiversity and Conservation, 2023
Recent studies identifying underlying and proximate drivers of tropical deforestation and forest degradation have applied a multitude of methodologies, with varying and sometimes conflicting results. Divergent results can have implications for evidence-informed programs, policy action, and land use planning since these differences can lead to controversy as to which drivers should be addressed by deforestation and emissions-reduction or conservation programs, in addition to mismatch between the scale of study results and the scale of policy and program implementation. To identify and reconcile divergences between results among different scales and methodological approaches, we systematically reviewed 231 articles in the drivers of deforestation literature and found inconsistency in scale applied within studies (e.g., differences between the stated scale of analysis and scale of article recommendations), and variation in the number and type of drivers identified between studies by methodology. Additionally, global and regional studies tended to feature recommendations that would be difficult to implement, or that targeted large-scale problems lacking specificity. This study clarifies common themes in driver identification and what is needed for drawing contextualized, scale-appropriate conclusions relevant to forest conservation policy and sustainable land use planning. We suggest improvements to recommendations drawn from drivers of deforestation studies and avenues to reconcile divergences in approaches and results, which will support efforts to advance forest conservation and sustainable forest management outcomes.
Accelerated deforestation in the humid tropics from the 1990s to the 2000s
Geophysical Research Letters, 2015
Using a consistent, 20 year series of high-(30 m) resolution, satellite-based maps of forest cover, we estimate forest area and its changes from 1990 to 2010 in 34 tropical countries that account for the majority of the global area of humid tropical forests. Our estimates indicate a 62% acceleration in net deforestation in the humid tropics from the 1990s to the 2000s, contradicting a 25% reduction reported by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Forest Resource Assessment. Net loss of forest cover peaked
Determination of tropical deforestation rates and related carbon losses from 1990 to 2010
Global Change Biology, 2014
We estimate changes in forest cover (deforestation and forest regrowth) in the tropics for the two last decades (1990-2000 and 2000-2010) based on a sample of 4000 units of 10 910 km size. Forest cover is interpreted from satellite imagery at 30 9 30 m resolution. Forest cover changes are then combined with pan-tropical biomass maps to estimate carbon losses. We show that there was a gross loss of tropical forests of 8.0 million ha yr À1 in the 1990s and 7.6 million ha yr À1 in the 2000s (0.49% annual rate), with no statistically significant difference. Humid forests account for 64% of the total forest cover in 2010 and 54% of the net forest loss during second study decade. Losses of forest cover and Other Wooded Land (OWL) cover result in estimates of carbon losses which are similar for 1990s and 2000s at 887 MtC yr À1 (range: 646-1238) and 880 MtC yr À1 (range: 602-1237) respectively, with humid regions contributing two-thirds. The estimates of forest area changes have small statistical standard errors due to large sample size. We also reduce uncertainties of previous estimates of carbon losses and removals. Our estimates of forest area change are significantly lower as compared to national survey data. We reconcile recent low estimates of carbon emissions from tropical deforestation for early 2000s and show that carbon loss rates did not change between the two last decades. Carbon losses from deforestation represent circa 10% of Carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion and cement production during the last decade (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010). Our estimates of annual removals of carbon from forest regrowth at 115 MtC yr À1 (range: 61-168) and 97 MtC yr À1 (53-141) for the 1990s and 2000s respectively are five to fifteen times lower than earlier published estimates.
Assessment of Factors Responsible for Forest Loss in Tropics
International Journal of Environmental & Agriculture Research, 2021
The tropical forest harbors the most enriched and highly diverse ecosystem in the world. Presently, many natural, as well as human-induced activities, are causing a deliberating impact on the biodiversity of this forest. The loss of primary vegetation in these forests has imbalanced the natural cycle of the surrounding environment. Among natural drivers, floods, drought, hurricane, and biotic stresses like pathogen and pest attack, whereas several anthropogenic activities such as forest fire, grazing, land modification through agricultural activities, exploitation of trees for fuel-wood and timber purpose, illegal cutting of vegetation are altogether responsible for massive destruction and degradation of tropical forestry. Various awareness drives has halted the rate of deforestation in last three decades; however, during the same time period, the global area of tropical forest cover has reduced at an alarming rate. In order to restore the loss, there is an urgent need to focus on conservation strategies like habitat rehabilitation, preservation of rare and endangered tree species, application of the new scientific methodology, and most importantly the rehabilitation of barren and waste forest land to ensure the functioning of a forest ecosystem. This research highlights the present status of plant diversity and the main drivers of biodiversity loss in tropical forests.
2017
Tropical forests are a lynchpin for environmental and social services, but are undergoing rapid deforestation. Despite the urgency of this issue, and despite rapid technological advances in monitoring tropical deforestation, and the existence of multiple studies of tropical forest loss over the last two decades, there is little certainty on the rates of tropical forest loss. We intercompared available pan-tropical forest change studies over the 1990-2010 period to examine: 1) differences in tropical forest loss during the 1990s, 2) differences in tropical forest loss in the 2000s, 3) differences in the rate of change of tropical forest loss from the 1990s to the 2000s, and 4) how these pan-tropical estimates compare to independent country/regional-level estimates of tropical forest loss. On balance, we conclude that tropical forest loss is decelerating between those decades. We also find that country reports from the Forest Resources Assessment of the Food and Agriculture Organization appear to be the least reliable; that satellite-based data appear the most reliable despite some persistent differences; and that there is higher agreement between forest loss estimates in Latin America. Our study improves current understanding of tropical forest loss in order to better inform policies to reduce deforestation, and in order to improve future tropical forest change analyses.
Reflections on the tropical deforestation crisis
Biological Conservation, 1999
Tropical forests do far more than sustain biodiversity; they are homes to indigenous peoples, pharmacopeias of natural products, and provide vital ecosystem services, such as¯ood amelioration and soil conservation. At regional and global scales, tropical forests also have a major in¯uence on carbon storage and climate. I highlight these bene®ts, then assess the pattern and pace of tropical forest destruction in the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Asia emerges as the most immediate concern, because it has less surviving forest than the other two regions and higher relative rates of deforestation and logging. At regional and national levels, however, there is enormous variation in rates of forest loss. I discuss some factors that tend to promote forest conversion in developing countries, and propose that four Ð human population pressure, weak government institutions and poor policies, increasing trade liberalization, and industrial logging Ð are emerging as key drivers of forest destruction. # 0006-3207/99/$ -see front matter # 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. P I I : S 0 0 0 6 -3 2 0 7 ( 9 9 ) 0 0 0 8 8 -9
The last frontiers of wilderness: Tracking loss of intact forest landscapes from 2000 to 2013
Science Advances, 2017
An intact forest landscape (IFL) is a seamless mosaic of forest and naturally treeless ecosystems with no remotely detected signs of human activity and a minimum area of 500 km 2. IFLs are critical for stabilizing terrestrial carbon storage, harboring biodiversity, regulating hydrological regimes, and providing other ecosystem functions. Although the remaining IFLs comprise only 20% of tropical forest area, they account for 40% of the total aboveground tropical forest carbon. We show that global IFL extent has been reduced by 7.2% since the year 2000. An increasing rate of global IFL area reduction was found, largely driven by the tripling of IFL tropical forest loss in 2011-2013 compared to that in 2001-2003. Industrial logging, agricultural expansion, fire, and mining/resource extraction were the primary causes of IFL area reduction. Protected areas (International Union for Conservation of Nature categories I to III) were found to have a positive effect in slowing the reduction of IFL area from timber harvesting but were less effective in limiting agricultural expansion. The certification of logging concessions under responsible management had a negligible impact on slowing IFL fragmentation in the Congo Basin. Fragmentation of IFLs by logging and establishment of roads and other infrastructure initiates a cascade of changes that lead to landscape transformation and loss of conservation values. Given that only 12% of the global IFL area is protected, our results illustrate the need for planning and investment in carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation efforts that target the most valuable remaining forests, as identified using the IFL approach.