Deforestation rates in insular Southeast Asia between 2000 and 2010

Global Change Biology, Год журнала: 2011, Номер 17(7), С. 2261 - 2270

Опубликована: Янв. 10, 2011

Insular Southeast Asia experienced the highest level of deforestation among all humid tropical regions world during 1990s. Owing to exceptionally high biodiversity in Asian forest ecosystems and immense amount carbon stored forested peatlands, this region has potential cause serious global consequences. In study, we analysed rates insular between 2000 2010 utilizing a pair 250 m spatial resolution land cover maps produced with regional methodology classification scheme. The results revealed an overall 1.0% yearly decline (including Indonesian part New Guinea) main change trajectories plantations secondary vegetation. Throughout region, peat swamp forests clearly at average annual rate 2.2%, while lowland evergreen declined by 1.2%/yr. addition, analysis showed remarkable variation levels within exposed two extreme concentration areas over 5.0% loss: eastern lowlands Sumatra peatlands Sarawak, Borneo. Both these lost around half their year 2010. As whole study shown that continued take place on since turn millennium. These on-going changes not only endanger existence numerous species endemic but they further increase elevated emissions from deforested thereby directly contributing rising dioxide atmosphere.

Язык: Английский

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Land cover distribution in the peatlands of Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo in 2015 with changes since 1990

Global Ecology and Conservation, Год журнала: 2016, Номер 6, С. 67 - 78

Опубликована: Март 5, 2016

Insular Southeast Asian peatlands have experienced rapid land cover changes over the past decades inducing a variety of environmental effects ranging from regional consequences on peatland ecology, biodiversity and hydrology to globally significant carbon emissions. In this paper we present industrial plantation distribution in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra Borneo 2015 analyse their since 1990. We create maps by visual interpretation 30 m resolution Landsat data combine them with fully comparable completed 1990 2007 (Miettinen Liew, 2010). Our results reveal continued deforestation conversion into managed types. 2015, 29% (4.6 Mha) study area remain covered peat swamp forest (vs. 41% or 6.4 Mha 76% 11.9 1990). Managed types (industrial plantations small-holder dominated areas) 50% (7.8 all 33% 5.2 11% 1.7 Industrial nearly doubled extent (2.3 Mha; 15%) 4.3 (27%) 2015. The majority these are oil palm (73%; 3.1 while rest (26%; 1.1 pulp wood plantations. hope that presented will enable improved evaluation magnitude various global level they help decision makers define sustainable management policies for insular peatlands.

Язык: Английский

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Biogeography and conservation in Southeast Asia: how 2.7 million years of repeated environmental fluctuations affect today’s patterns and the future of the remaining refugial-phase biodiversity

Biodiversity and Conservation, Год журнала: 2010, Номер 19(4), С. 919 - 941

Опубликована: Фев. 2, 2010

Understanding the historical biogeography of this global biodiversity hotspot is as important to long-term conservation goals ecology and evolution are understanding current patterns processes. Today's geography is, however, misleading typical only ~2% last million years; >90% that time region's land area was 1.5–2.0 times larger mean sea levels were 62 m below today's, climates cooler, extensive forests savanna covered emerged Sunda plains. The varied two-fold fluctuated up ±50 with each ~50 Pleistocene glacial cycles, expanded contracted oscillations in seasonality. This dynamic geographic history relevant development biogeographic regionalism shows it today's refugial, not those Last Glacial Maximum. affects how species will adapt or shift their ranges response warming further decreases (submergence low-lying coastal areas) during 21st century. alternative mass extinction. biota also threatened by continued destruction forest, Mekong River flood-pulse based ecosystems, human population growth. Human become more planning tens millions people who depend on protected forests, riverine habitats environmental refugees. Conservation scientists need involved regional ecological education, stewardship, ecosystem-based adaptation sustain much possible rich services provides.

Язык: Английский

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Observing and understanding the Southeast Asian aerosol system by remote sensing: An initial review and analysis for the Seven Southeast Asian Studies (7SEAS) program

Atmospheric Research, Год журнала: 2012, Номер 122, С. 403 - 468

Опубликована: Июнь 15, 2012

Язык: Английский

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Two decades of destruction in Southeast Asia's peat swamp forests

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Год журнала: 2011, Номер 10(3), С. 124 - 128

Опубликована: Апрель 14, 2011

We used land‐cover maps and active fire detection based on satellite imagery to evaluate the rates spatial distribution of peatland deforestation in Southeast Asia from 1990 2010. Over this time period, proportion forest cover peatlands Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo fell 77% 36%. After two decades extensive (31 000 km 2 ; 4.9% yr −1 ) strongly associated with activity, Sumatra has been left just 28% its historical forested peatlands. If is allowed continue at current rates, Asian peat swamp forests will disappear by around 2030. This have serious consequences for local communities that rely environmental services provided forests, lead extinction species endemic region, contribute global carbon emissions.

Язык: Английский

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Impacts of warming on tropical lowland rainforests

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Год журнала: 2011, Номер 26(11), С. 606 - 613

Опубликована: Авг. 2, 2011

Язык: Английский

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Extent of industrial plantations on Southeast Asian peatlands in 2010 with analysis of historical expansion and future projections

GCB Bioenergy, Год журнала: 2012, Номер 4(6), С. 908 - 918

Опубликована: Апрель 9, 2012

Abstract Tropical peatlands cover over 25 Mha in S outheast A sia and are estimated to contain around 70 Gt of carbon. Peat swamp forest ecosystems an important part the region's natural resources supporting unique flora fauna endemic sia. Over recent years, industrial plantation development on peatland, especially for oil palm cultivation, has created intense debate due its potentially adverse social environmental effects. The lack objective up‐to‐date information extent plantations complicated quantification their regional global consequences, both terms loss biodiversity as well increases carbon emissions. Based visual interpretation high‐resolution (30 m) satellite images, we find that covered 3.1 (20%) P eninsular M alaysia, umatra B orneo 2010, surpassing area elgium causing annual emission from peat decomposition 230–310 Mt CO 2e . majority (62%) were located island umatra, two‐thirds (69%) all developed with remainder mostly being cacia paper pulp production. Historical analysis shows strong acceleration years: 70% have been established since 2000 only 4% current existed 1990. ‘Business‐as‐usual’ projections future conversion rates, based historical rates past two decades, indicate 6–9 peatland insular may be converted by year 2020, unless land use planning policies or markets products change. This would increase somewhere between 380 920 2020 depending water management practices plantations.

Язык: Английский

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Area-based vs tree-centric approaches to mapping forest carbon in Southeast Asian forests from airborne laser scanning data

Remote Sensing of Environment, Год журнала: 2017, Номер 194, С. 77 - 88

Опубликована: Март 28, 2017

Tropical forests are a key component of the global carbon cycle, and mapping their density is essential for understanding human influences on climate ecosystem-service-based payments forest protection. Discrete-return airborne laser scanning (ALS) increasingly recognised as high-quality technology tropical carbon, because it generates 3D point clouds structure from which aboveground (ACD) can be estimated. Area-based models state art when comes to estimating ACD ALS data, but discard tree-level information contained within cloud. This paper compares area-based tree-centric in lowland old-growth Sabah, Malaysia. These challenging map immense height. We compare performance (a) an model developed by Asner Mascaro (2014), used primarily neotropics hitherto, with (b) approach that uses new algorithm (itcSegment) locate trees canopy height model, measures heights crown widths, calculates biomass these dimensions. find Mascaro's needed regional calibration, reflecting distinctive Southeast Asian forests. also discover basal area closely related gap fraction measured ALS, use this finding refine model. Finally, we show our less accurate at than best-performing (RMSE 18% vs 13%). Tree-centric modelling appealing based summing individual trees, until algorithms detect understory reliably estimate dimensions precisely, areas-based will remain method choice.

Язык: Английский

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Seed Dispersal Distances and Plant Migration Potential in Tropical East Asia

Biotropica, Год журнала: 2009, Номер 41(5), С. 592 - 598

Опубликована: Март 9, 2009

ABSTRACT Most predictions of vegetation responses to anthropogenic climate change over the next 100 yr are based on plant physiological tolerances and do not account for ability species migrate distances required in time available, or impact habitat fragmentation this ability. This review assesses maximum routine dispersal achievable tropical East Asia their vulnerability human impacts. Estimates various plant–vector combinations range from < 10 m, dispersed by ants mechanical means, > km some wind (tiny seeds), water, fruit pigeons, large bats elephants, rhinoceroses, people. probably have 100–1000 m range, but widespread, canopy‐dominant Dipterocarpaceae Fagaceae normally m. Large pigeons particularly important long‐distance fragmented landscapes should be protected hunting. The seed estimated study potentially sufficient many track temperature changes steep topography, far too small a significant role mitigating impacts lowlands, where rainfall gradients much more shallow.

Язык: Английский

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On the delineation of tropical vegetation types with an emphasis on forest/savanna transitions

Plant Ecology & Diversity, Год журнала: 2013, Номер 6(1), С. 101 - 137

Опубликована: Янв. 3, 2013

Background: There is no generally agreed classification scheme for the many different vegetation formation types occurring in tropics. This hinders cross-continental comparisons and causes confusion as words such 'forest' 'savanna' have meanings to people. Tropical formations are therefore usually imprecisely and/or ambiguously defined modelling, remote sensing ecological studies. Aims: To integrate observed variations tropical structure floristic composition into a single scheme. Methods: Using structural measurements made on three continents, discrete groupings were basis of overstorey understorey species compositions by using clustering techniques. Results: Twelve identified based height canopy cover dominant upper stratum extent lower-strata woody shrub grass cover. Structural classifications did not, however, always agree with those composition, especially plots located forest–savanna transition zone. duality incorporated new Conclusions: Both floristics stand important criteria meaningful delineation formations, forest/savanna A incorporating this information has been developed.

Язык: Английский

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