Experts have come to the conclusion that Amazon rainforest species will be critically endangered if people don’t start controlling fragmentation, wildfires, and logging.
A team of researchers from the Lancaster University conducted a study called ‘Anthropogenic disturbance in tropical forests can double biodiversity loss from deforestation.’
Based on this study, they investigated the consequences of forest fragmentation, wildfires, and logging on 156 dung beetle species, 460 bird species, and 1,538 tree species situated in Pará, a state from the Brazilian Amazon, known for its vast area six times larger than the United Kingdom.
Scientists from 18 international research institutions participated in reviewing the effects of human ignorance, pollution, habitat loss, and deforestation.
According to lead author, Professor Jos Barlow of Lancaster University, current rainforest conservation initiatives do not account for deforestation and forest disturbance, meaning that it is incomplete and highly ineffective in dealing with the most critical problems concerning the balance of the Amazon ecosystem.
Efficient countermeasures must be taken immediately in order to reduce the damage that is being done every day to these forests through logging and wildfires caused by human activity.
If human excess does not stop, Amazon rainforest will no longer be home to such a large variety of birds, insects, animals, and plants. Since 1988, the statistics showed that human disturbance led to a loss of 139,000 km2 due to deforestation, an area as large as Florida.
According to Dr. Gareth Lennox, lead project analyst from Lancaster University, Amazon rainforest is probably our world’s greatest treasure, as it represents a haven for countless of animal and plant species.
Scientists underline that all governments should contribute to finding the best solution to save this precious environment until it’s too late. According to Dr. Alexander Lees, Cornell University lead ornithologist, rare plants, animals, insects, and birds are the most endangered because almost all of them are endemic species.
More than 10 percent of Earth’s bird species live in the state of Pará, and most of them cannot be found anywhere in the world. If Amazon rainforest is further harmed, then a huge part of these species will become extinct.
People need to change their perspective and join the common cause of protecting the world ecosystem, especially tropical forests which provide the world with many resources. Unfortunately, humans abused of these resources and brought the Amazon rainforest in a critical condition.
Image Source:Inhabitat
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