Articles tagged with Deforestation
Space agencies are collaborating to provide long-term global climate observations using Earth observation satellites. These data will support the UNFCCC and the International Panel on Climate Change by quantifying the state of our climate.
A new software package called CLASlite is revolutionizing forest monitoring by automatically identifying deforestation and forest degradation from satellite imagery. The technology has been adopted by 70 organizations in five countries and is being rapidly disseminated to support international policy discussions.
The report concludes that performance-based financial incentives could provide the necessary political will for action in developing countries. It also highlights opportunities for progress in the short-term by addressing broader causes of deforestation, such as agricultural sector pressures.
The Field Museum has received a three-year grant to establish new conservation landscapes in Amazonian Peru. The project aims to secure legal protection for high-priority forests and indigenous territories, while also promoting sustainable management and financing through the REDD voluntary carbon market.
Migratory birds prefer smaller, protected areas over large forest patches for rest stops and food, according to a Purdue University study. Small woodlots can provide essential refuges for birds vulnerable to predators in open habitats.
A recent MSU-led study found that Brazil's protected areas within the Amazon can buffer the forest from climate change even if the remaining area is deforested. The researchers used atmospheric computer modeling to simulate a worst-case scenario and found rainfall levels would not decrease significantly.
Research reveals that clearing the Amazon rainforest brings initial improvements in income and quality of life for Brazilian communities, but these gains are short-lived. The study suggests that levels of development revert back to below national average levels once natural resources are exploited and deforestation expands.
Research by NC State University biologist Dr. Nick Haddad and colleagues found that landscape corridors connecting isolated habitat patches increased plant species beyond the area itself. The study showed that corridors caused a significant spillover effect, especially among bird-dispersed plants, leading to broader conservation benefits.
A new study by Duke University researchers found that rainforest reserves provide an effective buffer against fires in the Brazilian Amazon. Despite the presence of roads and settlements, reserves still experience fewer fires than surrounding areas. The study suggests that even inhabited reserves can be effective tools for reducing fires.
A recent study analyzing satellite data reveals a significant link between drought and deforestation in equatorial Asia, leading to increased global warming. The practice of using fire to clear forests releases substantial amounts of climate-warming carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology has received a $1.6-million grant to improve and expand CLASLite, a user-friendly method for mapping tropical forests from desktops. The technology will help rainforest nations monitor their changing carbon budgets and advance deforestation and degradation mapping in Latin America.
Research shows that recognizing local rights and tenure systems is cost-effective and can secure carbon credits, while indigenous communities prove to be good forest stewards. Poorly designed initiatives could fuel corruption and conflict.
The September 2008 issue of BioScience features research on the molecular biology toolbox, permafrost carbon vulnerability to climate change, urbanization impacts on aquatic ecosystems, warfare ecology, sociality in bats, lab-computation collaboration, deforestation and vectorborne disease, and more.
Wealthy nations willing to spend $1 billion annually could prevent half a billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted globally over the next 25 years. The program, called 'avoided deforestation,' would put an end to a tenth of tropical deforestation, one of the top contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers emphasize the importance of forest dynamics in understanding and predicting climate change, citing a need for improved forest modeling. New studies suggest that realistic forest models can significantly improve predictions of environmental change and help manage the world's forests.
Scientists say conserving biodiversity must consider reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation. A plan to protect forests could shift land use to low-carbon forests and harm other ecosystems important for biodiversity. Conservation efforts may need to focus on less valuable but biodiverse forests and non-forest ecosystems.
Protected forest strips need to be at least 400m wide to conserve bird and mammal species in the Amazon rainforest. The current width of 60m is deemed insufficient, according to a new study by University of East Anglia researchers.
A new biodiversity survey reveals that primary rainforests are home to over half of all terrestrial species, with many species found nowhere else. The study emphasizes the need for conservation and sustainable land-use practices, highlighting the importance of protecting large areas of intact forest habitat.
A new study found that agricultural expansion is the major factor behind mangrove deforestation in tsunami-impacted regions, with aquaculture and urban development contributing less significantly. The study used Landsat satellite images to quantify the rates and causes of change between 1975 and 2005.
A new study by Conservation International and colleagues warns that 11 countries with high forest cover and low rates of deforestation are at risk of being left out of a carbon market intended to promote rainforest conservation. The study calls for 'preventive credits' to incentivize protection of intact tropical forests.
New research by CSIRO Australia confirms deforestation is a critical climate change role, releasing 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon annually. Preserving tropical forests as carbon sinks can help stabilize atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.
A unique fishbone deforestation pattern in Rondonia, Brazil has been found to increase precipitation over deforested regions, resulting in increased vegetation growth. The study suggests that the pattern creates a localized low-pressure zone, leading to more cumulus clouds and rainfall.
A new study reveals that planting trees can help slow down global warming, particularly in tropical rainforests where they absorb carbon dioxide and increase cloudiness. However, afforestation in mid- to high-latitude locations may actually create a net warming effect due to the albedo effect of forest canopies.
A new method of measuring forest cover considers volume, biomass, and captured carbon, showing a growing trend in most countries. Richer nations with higher GDP per capita tend to have more forested areas, biomass, and carbon.
A team of scientists led by Greg Asner discovered a strong link between selective logging and clear-cutting in the Brazilian Amazon. They found that areas within 15 miles of major roads are more likely to be cleared, with 32% of logged areas cleared within four years.
A recent study reveals a catastrophic collapse in orangutan populations due to massive deforestation and palm oil plantations. The genetic analysis indicates that the decline occurred within the past hundred years, coinciding with the acceleration of deforestation efforts.
The Paraguay River Basin, home to the Pantanal wetlands, faces critical threats from agriculture, cattle grazing, and coal mining. Deforestation has already destroyed almost 45% of the original vegetation, with some areas losing over 90%. Conservation efforts are needed to protect the region's biodiversity and ecosystems.
Land use changes in the Amazon region could exacerbate global warming due to deforestation, while agriculture in midlatitudes can counteract warming by up to 50%. The study utilized a global climate model to examine two scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and found contrasting results
A new satellite imaging method detects selective logging in the Brazilian Amazon, revealing twice the extent of forest degradation as previously estimated. Logging causes major ecological disruptions, including increased carbon flow to the atmosphere and area damage.
A recent study using high-resolution satellite data found that selective logging in the Brazilian Amazon has been underestimated by half, with an annual extent of around 4,685 to 7,973 square miles. This has significant ecological implications for the region and beyond, including increased carbon emissions and biodiversity loss.
A new study reveals that selective logging in the Amazon Basin causes widespread destruction, losing an area roughly twice the size of Connecticut annually. This practice, which removes one or two trees and leaves the rest intact, contributes to climate change by releasing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than previously assumed.
SC Johnson's donation will help conserve 7.5 acres of forest and reduce deforestation in Madagascar. The partnership aims to mitigate climate change and preserve biodiversity through sustainable agriculture and ecosystem services.
A recent study found that nearly 40% of research participants expressed concerns about genetic discrimination affecting their insurance coverage. Concerns were higher among certain age groups, ethnicities, and income levels, with some participants expressing fear of being discriminated against due to a genetic predisposition.
A mathematical model suggests adjusting biometric identification systems can increase chances of catching known criminals at ports of entry by up to 94.9%. Human modification of Earth's water cycle through deforestation and irrigation may have regional impact on weather patterns and food production.
A study led by Duke University researchers found that species tolerating secondary habitats are not more resilient to deforestation than those dependent on primary forests. The study suggests that all bird species in the region face equal threats from habitat loss, regardless of their adaptability.
Deforestation in the Amazon leads to faster land heating, causing localized upward motions that enhance cloud formation and increase rainfall. The effects are most pronounced during the dry-to-wet season transition period.
Deforestation has risen by nearly 50% in Brazil's southern and eastern Amazon since 2002, threatening indigenous plant and wildlife species. The expansion of new highways and infrastructure projects is a key driver of this destruction.
A team led by Greg Asner is using satellite technology to track timber harvests and deforestation in the Amazon, sharing data with environmental agencies to target illegal loggers. The research highlights the urgent need to address selective logging, which has dire consequences for the global environment and climate.
Researchers argue that shade coffee farming can help protect bird species, but also poses a risk of accelerating forest clearance if not done sustainably. The Society for Conservation Biology examines the benefits and drawbacks of this traditional farming method.
A long-term study of 952 households will investigate how farming strategies change with each generation and the impact of human characteristics on deforestation rates. The research aims to determine whether subsequent generations have a reduced learning curve for forest conservation.
A new study by Duke University researchers suggests that deforestation in the Amazon can lead to a significant reduction of rainfall in the Midwest and Dakotas during summer months. The simulation used mathematical equations to model climate behavior, finding a 10-15% decrease in precipitation in these regions.
A team of scholars discovered that early Maya centers were abandoned due to a drastic change in local environments, transforming swamp-like bajos into seasonal swamps. The study found evidence of human-induced environmental change and climatic shift, leading the Maya to adapt and thrive in the altered environment.
A new study suggests that lowland deforestation may be robbing mountain cloud forests of critical cloud cover, threatening their survival. Breaking up deforested land into a mosaic of uses can help restore cloud formation.
The SOHO mission has provided stunning images of the Sun's south polar region, revealing that even in quiet areas, there is tremendous activity. The observations suggest that solar plumes are associated with small regions of high magnetic activity and are more dynamic than previously thought.