Effects of Amazon Deforestation on Wildlife - Research Paper Example

Id: Introduction The Amazon rain forest or Amazon jungle as it is commonly known as is actually a wet extensive leaf forest that is found in most part of the Amazon basin that is part of South America. The rainforest primarily occurs or is found in the Amazon basin or the basin formed by the Amazon River. The Amazon basin is spread over 7,000,000 square kilometers. Out of the total area that is covered by the Amazon basin, the area covered by the forest is 5,500,000 sq km. The rainforest is spread over 9 nations. However most of the rainforest that is 60% of it is found in Brazil. Over half of the planet’s remaining rainforest is represented by Amazon. It is one of the most bio diverse amongst all the tropical rainforests that are found in the world. Amazon contains about 40000 species of plants, 427 species of mammals, 1200 species of birds, 378 species of reptiles, 400 species of Amphibians, 3000 species of freshwater fish. Since the human settlement has begun in the area there has been rapid scale of deforestation that is going on in the area. The deforestation of Amazon has a tremendous impact on the ecosystem. The present research paper aims to find out Thesis statement: How does deforestation of the Amazon affect wildlife? Research objective: In order to achieve the above thesis statement the following objectives needs to be followed: 1. The amount of biodiversity in Amazon 2. Deforestation activities 3. Human activities that have led to deforestation 4. Effect on animal and plant life. Literature review Amazon rainforest is mostly located in the state of Brazil as it covers most of the land area of that country. There have been many factors that have led to the deforestation in that region such as agriculture and other allied activities. With least regard for the diverse Amazonian ecosystem and the aspiration of the local people the Amazonian rain forest is being rapidly degraded and the forest area rapidly cleared off with singular approach to move towards a rapid scale of economic growth and development. According to Vieira, Toledo, Silva and Higuchi the highest rate of deforestation in the Amazon rain forest occur in the area known as the deforestation arch. The deforestation arch is typically located in the east west area of the forest. They argue that the cultivation of land in the Amazon since 1960s has been characterized by violent environmental degradation which is the characteristic of frontier economics (Viera, et al 950). The degradation of the forest cover of the Amazon basin works at a pace which assumes that the natural resources are limitless and the economic growth and prosperity is based on boundless exploitation of the limitless natural resources. The researchers argue that there are several factors that have led to the rapid scale of degradation of the Amazon such as human occupation, lack of territorial planning, monoculture, introduction of exotic species etc (viera, et al 950-952). It has been estimated through satellite imaging that within the course of a year (2003-04) about 26,130 km2 area of Amazon was deforested. It can be estimated that 1,175,850,000 to 1,437,150,000 trees have been cut down in one year alone. It is also estimated that within a single year about 914,550 to 2,116,530 species of animals have been wiped out through deforestation and loss of habitat. If the total no. of trees cut down are lined side by side that it will cover the earth at the equator 3-3.5 times. The no. of birds and animals that are illegally traded world-wide in a year is just a mere fraction of the no. that dies at Amazon due to deforestation or habitat loss (Vieira, et al 953). Another group of researchers led by Lawrence also subscribe to the views by the previous researchers and describe some other factors that have been led to the loss of wildlife in the area. According to Laurance, Heraldo and Lovejoy rates of deforestation and logging in the Amazon area has increased many folds in the recent years. They argue that the patterns of forest loss in the area have also changed. Highways are being constructed that lead settlers and loggers in the heart of Amazon basin leading to the fragmentation of the forest area. The fragmented landscapes in turn leads to wide range of changes in the field of forest dynamics, structure, microclimate and their susceptibility to draughts and fires. These changes in the area coupled with hunting have in turn lead to the rapid degradation of no. of animal species in Amazon (Laurance, Heraldo and Lovejoy 39). This view is also supported by Nepstad et al. According to Nestad et al Roads can be taken as single most factor or the important cause behind frontier expansion and resulting deforestation. The researchers argue that about 2/3rd of the deforestation in Brazil have taken place within 50km of major highways (Nepstad et al 403). It is true that the roads may pave for the economic development of those areas and specially the farmers however the researchers argue that there is no good rationale behind the rapidly expanding agriculture frontier. The researchers also argue that these activities have associated with them ecological and economic risks that far outweigh the benefits perceive from the projects. Another threat that threatens the Amazon forest and has been identified by the researchers as the most potent is the forest fires (Nepstad et al 395). Finding The Amazon rainforest is the source of great biodiversity for the whole world. It is estimated that in the Amazon rainforest there are about 40000 species of plants and about 427 species of mammals, 1200 species of birds etc making it one of the most bio diverse area in the world (Bärtschi). The Rainforest has been subject to wide scale level of deforestation and degradation due to rapidly expanding human activities and the resultant increase in the area that has to come under cultivation. Some of the activities that has led to the deforestation and degradation of the forest cover in Amazon are human occupation, pavement of roads, forest fires, lack of territorial planning, monoculture and introduction of exile and exotic species. Some researchers have stated that pavement of roads and forest fires are the main reasons that have led to the wide scale degradation of the forest areas. Deforestation has led to local and direct and effect on diversity. The pavement of roads has led to lowering of animal species diversity in the Amazon forest. The mortality of the tree was higher in the edge areas that were fragmented by the building of roads than the trees which were located in the interiors of the forest. The areas that are most affected by the deforestation were the areas where there were least forest cover and there existed large variety of endemic specific. The areas which faced high risk of extinction and the species which were most vulnerable were the endemic species that were specific to the Amazon rain forest (Verweij 47). It is found that the Amazonian species avoided even crossing small gaps or clearings in the forest areas. This means that the species in Amazon are more vulnerable to forest deforestation (Lawrence). It is estimated that there have been huge and irreparable losses that has already occurred to the species of animals and plants that occur in Amazon by the process of deforestation. It is estimated that if the no. of trees that are cut down in the Amazon rain forest in the deforestation arc in one year are lined side by side that the total length covered is 3-3.5 times the circumference of earth at the equator. The total no. of animals killed due to deforestation, hunting, fires, habitat loss is many times the no. of animals and bird species that are illegally traded across the world. The total area of species that exists in the Amazon is yet to be mapped. So the deforestation actually is putting to extinction many more species than is actually estimated or known of (Heinrichs 23-24). The governments most often push for deforestation on the context that it will make new ground for economic growth and a boom for agriculture. However the ecological and social impact of deforestation far outweighs the economic benefits derived by clearing the rain forest. From the research it is absolutely clear that the deforestation has a profound negative impact on the wildlife population at Amazon. Conclusion From the above research it is hereby concluded that the Amazon rainforest which is one of the richest placed on earth in terms of diversity of flora and fauna, has been facing steady loss of forest coverage area under the pressures of deforestation due to several factors. Several factor shave been responsible for the degradation of the forest such as human occupation, monoculture, introduction of exotic species, forest fires, pavement of roads there by leading to fragmentation of forest. These all factors have led to the depletion of the plant and animal species at a rapid scale in the Amazon forest. The decrease in the forest cover is more threatening for the animals that are endemic to the Amazon region. This count includes about 30,000 trees and several species of animals. These species can face extinction if Amazon rainforest continues to degrade at this alarming rate. Works cited Bärtschi, Michel Gunther. Amazon wildlife. 2015. Web. 2 March 2015. Heinrichs, Ann. The Amazon Rain Forest. NY: Marshall Cavendish, 2009. Print. Laurance, William F., Heraldo L. Vasconcelos, and Thomas E. Lovejoy. "Forest loss and fragmentation in the Amazon: implications for wildlife conservation." Oryx 34.1 (2000): 39-45. Laurance, William.F., A.K.M. Albernaz, P.M. Fearnside, H.L. Vasconcelos, & L.V. Ferreira. Deforestation in Amazonia. Journal of Science 304.1 (2004):1109-1111. Nepstad, Daniel, et al. "Road paving, fire regime feedbacks, and the future of Amazon forests." Forest ecology and management 154.3 (2001): 395-407. Vieira, Ima Célia Guimarães, et al. "Deforestation and threats to the biodiversity of Amazonia." Brazilian Journal of Biology 68.4 (2008): 949-956. Read More