Tuesday, August 20, 2013


Forest fragmentation leading to higher extinction rates


Aerial view of forest fragment in Costa Rica. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler.

Undiscovered species die every day due to forest fragmentation. For the first time researchers have looked at the effects of forest fragmentation rates to extinction rates. The forests that are mainly being fragmented are the ones we need the most. The tropical forests around the world hold a bulk of the world’s species and have been butchered down to fragments. The species that make it to this small fragment of forest have a little chance of surviving but most vanish. According to researchers, if 90% of a forest is destroyed, then half of the species will vanish over a period of time. Fragmentation is the fault of the human race. Farmers go through and plow down the trees not knowing what else they are destroying. Everyday species are becoming extinct due to fragmentation and something needs to be done. Many foundations have been formed to help protect the forest but I think they can do more. I believe that a country as a whole should get involved to saving of the forests. They do not know it yet, but we rely on every species in the world to live as an ecosystem. Take one string out and your breaking the web. A solution would be that laws protecting the forests would be created and enforced. If the laws were established the fragmentation rate would go down. If the fragmentation rate were to go down, then the extinction rate would follow.  A barrier to this solution would be if the laws were created, but not enforced correctly. 

http://news.mongabay.com/2013/0813-hance-fragmentation-extinction.html

1 comment:

  1. You made a good point when you said that if you "take one string out" then you are "breaking the web." Your post and many others I have read on this blog make the assertion that the extinction of one species starts a chain reaction among others, until the entire ecosystem is impacted. This issue is clearly very prevalent seen in various places; something needs to be done about it. I agree that the country as a whole should take part in protecting the forests. The government should take a bigger role and create and enforce a system that reduces and regulates the cutting down of trees.

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