Deforestation trends in a tropical landscape and implications for endangered large mammals
The remarkable large-mammal fauna of the Indonesian island of Sumatra is one of the most endangered on Earth and is threatened by rampant deforestation. We used remote sensing and biological surveys to study the effects of deforestation on populations of endangered large mammals in a Sumatran landscape. We measured forest loss and created a predictive model of deforestation for Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park and an unprotected buffer area based on satellite images between 1985 and 1999. We used automatic cameras to determine the distribution and relative abundance of tigers ( Panthera tigris sumatrae ), elephants ( Elephas maximus ), rhinoceros ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis ), and tapirs ( Tapir indicus ). Between 1985 and 1999, forest loss within the park averaged 2% per year. A total of 661 km 2 of forest disappeared inside the park, and 318 km 2 were lost in a 10-km buffer, eliminating forest outside the park. Lowland forest disappeared faster than hill/montane forest ( by a factor of 6 ) and forests on gentle slopes disappeared faster than forests on steep slopes ( by a factor of 16 )
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Texto biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
| Subjects: | Mamíferos, Conservación de bosques, Deforestación, Especies en peligro de extinción, Selva lluviosa, |
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