Biological impacts of deforestation and fragmentation

Type :

Presentation

Pages :

7 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

11/21/2008

Category :

Science & technology

Sub category :

Biology

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Summary :

Introduction.
Physical consequences of deforestation.
1. Habitat loss and insularization.
2. Abiotic changes in forest fragments.
Biological consequences of fragmentation.
1. Changes in individual physiology and behavior.
2. Changes in population size and genetic structure.
3. Changes in community composition and their consequences.
4. Changes in ecosystem dynamics.
Conclusion- Future directions.

Abstract

In addition to housing the majority of the planet's biodiversity, forest ecosystems are the basis for trillions of dollars in global revenue. They are homes to indigenous groups, sources of food, medicines, and raw materials for industry, and they provide opportunities for recreation and tourism. They are also being logged, cleared, or otherwise altered by humans at alarming rates. Consequently, understanding the physical and biological consequences of deforestation has become one of the leading areas of research in forest ecology. This review aims to describe the physical and biological consequences of deforestation on four levels of ecosystem organization: individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems. The most dramatic and immediately obvious consequence of deforestation is the loss of native habitat in newly cleared areas. However not all deforestation results in the denuded landscapes one typically associates with clear-cut logging or industrial cattle ranching. In many cases deforestation proceeds unevenly, leaving behind a patchwork of forest fragments that are isolated at varying degrees from one another.