Researchers have discovered some profoundly bad news about the world's rainforests.
What's happening?
Less than a quarter of the world's remaining tropical rainforest cover is in sufficiently good condition to ensure the survival of over 16,000 terrestrial vertebrate species, a recent study revealed.
"At first glance, it seemed like good news — up to 90% of the geographic ranges of these species were still covered in forest," The Conversation wrote. "But when we drilled down further, we found the real problem."
From the Amazon to the Congo Basin, the researchers found that up to 90% of the geographical ranges of these forest-dependent mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians were still covered in forest. But for all that, they are not safe.
"Intact, undisturbed native forests of high integrity are indispensable for sustaining tropical biodiversity," they wrote. "Structurally intact native forests free from major human pressures are vitally important habitats for the persistence of forest biodiversity."
And the high-integrity forest habitat left for species that are already threatened or in decline is even more alarming: only 8%.
Why is this concerning?
According to Earth.org, some 3.2 million hectares (over 7.9 million acres) of primary tropical forests have been destroyed annually since 2002, primarily driven by agricultural land expansion to feed a growing population. An even larger area of secondary forest is cleared or degraded.
"Degraded rainforests aren't lifeless," The Conversation said. "But the species you find are usually those that thrive in disturbed, open areas," it added. "This comes at the expense of many other forest dependent species, who often decline or disappear."
Besides, safeguarding those biodiverse areas is also for our sake, as they are part of the Earth's life-support systems.
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Definitely 👍 Tropical rainforests act as massive carbon sinks. Their ability to regulate the composition of the atmosphere and, therefore, to slow down global warming has waned in recent years, a NASA study showed.
What can be done?
As such, maintaining these biodiversity strongholds without considering their quality is not enough. Instead, it is essential to look into major human sources of damage, such as logging, road building, and mining.
The authors of the first paper define high-quality rainforests as those left undisturbed since 2000 "with little pressure from human industry. These forests have over 75% canopy cover and trees over 15 meters, indicating they are older."
"Just because a forest is still standing doesn't mean it's able to be a home," The Conversation explained.
Meanwhile, at the COP26 climate summit, more than 100 world leaders pledged to allocate around $19 billion to end and reverse deforestation by 2030. For the Energy Transitions Commission, at least $130 billion a year is needed to reach that goal.
"We are now in the middle of the sixth mass extinction, caused by our emergence as a planet-shaping force. Species are going extinct far faster than the average natural rate of loss," The Conversation concluded. "These findings are a wake-up call."
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