Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity

Антропогенная модификация лесов означает, что только 40% оставшихся лесов имеют высокую экологическую целостность
Todd O. Stevens, Richard Schuster, Hedley S. Grantham, James Watson, Russell A. Mittermeier, Penny F. Langhammer, Joe Walston, Hugh P. Possingham, S. J. Goetz, Sassan Saatchi, Yadvinder Malhi, Nicholas Murray, A. J. Duncan, Tom Evans, Kendall R. Jones, Hawthorne L. Beyer, Justina C. Ray, John G. Robinson, Mark Callow, Tom Clements, Hugo M. Costa, Alfred DeGemmis, Paul R. Elsen, Jamison Ervin, Peter A. Franco, Elizabeth Dow Goldman, Andrew J. Hansen, E. Hofsvang, Patrick Jantz, Stacy D. Jupiter, A Kang, William F. Laurance, Susan Lieberman, M. Linkie, Sean Maxwell, M. Méndez, Jeremy Radachowsky, C. Samper, Jacob Silverman, Aurélie Shapiro, Bernardo B. N. Strassburg, Emma J. Stokes, Rick S. Taylor, Tim Tear, Robert Tizard, Oscar Venter, Piero Visconti, S. Wang
2020-12-08
SCID:  54.1/95mtfz42 Discuss with AI
anthropogenic modification of forestsforest condition indexforest ecosystem integritylost connectivity indexprotected area effectiveness
Abstract (AI)
Abstract Many global environmental agendas, including halting biodiversity loss, reversing land degradation, and limiting climate change, depend upon retaining forests with high ecological integrity, yet the scale and degree of forest modification remain poorly quantified and mapped. By integrating data on observed and inferred human pressures and an index of lost connectivity, we generate a globally consistent, continuous index of forest condition as determined by the degree of anthropogenic modification. Globally, only 17.4 million km 2 of forest (40.5%) has high landscape-level integrity (mostly found in Canada, Russia, the Amazon, Central Africa, and New Guinea) and only 27% of this area is found in nationally designated protected areas. Of the forest inside protected areas, only 56% has high landscape-level integrity. Ambitious policies that prioritize the retention of forest integrity, especially in the most intact areas, are now urgently needed alongside current efforts aimed at halting deforestation and restoring the integrity of forests globally.
Key Findings
1
A global continuous index of forest condition was generated by integrating observed and inferred human pressures and lost connectivity.
2
High-integrity forests are primarily located in Canada, Russia, the Amazon, Central Africa, and New Guinea.
3
Only 17.4 million km² of forest (40.5% of remaining forests) has high landscape-level ecological integrity.
4
Only 27% of high-integrity forest area lies within nationally designated protected areas.
5
Within protected areas, only 56% of forest has high landscape-level integrity, indicating substantial modification even inside reserves.
Research Object

Global forest areas (remaining forests worldwide)

Research Subject

Landscape-level ecological integrity as determined by the degree of anthropogenic modification, including observed/inferred human pressures and lost connectivity

Publication Details
Publication Date
2020-12-08
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Authors
Todd O. Stevens
Richard Schuster
Hedley S. Grantham
James Watson
Russell A. Mittermeier
Penny F. Langhammer
Joe Walston
Hugh P. Possingham
S. J. Goetz
Sassan Saatchi
Yadvinder Malhi
Nicholas Murray
A. J. Duncan
Tom Evans
Kendall R. Jones
Hawthorne L. Beyer
Justina C. Ray
John G. Robinson
Mark Callow
Tom Clements
Hugo M. Costa
Alfred DeGemmis
Paul R. Elsen
Jamison Ervin
Peter A. Franco
Elizabeth Dow Goldman
Andrew J. Hansen
E. Hofsvang
Patrick Jantz
Stacy D. Jupiter
A Kang
William F. Laurance
Susan Lieberman
M. Linkie
Sean Maxwell
M. Méndez
Jeremy Radachowsky
C. Samper
Jacob Silverman
Aurélie Shapiro
Bernardo B. N. Strassburg
Emma J. Stokes
Rick S. Taylor
Tim Tear
Robert Tizard
Oscar Venter
Piero Visconti
S. Wang
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