Study finds biodiversity impacts of agricultural deforestation have inherent and predictable geographical differences (phys.org)

submitted 10 months ago by GreyShuck@feddit.uk to c/biodiversity@mander.xyz

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Agriculture is the foundation of human civilization and a prime example of our impact on Earth. Almost 40% of our planet's ice-free land surface, most of which was previously forested, is now dedicated to agriculture. As our demand for food increases, so does agricultural deforestation, which is widely viewed as one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity.

Yet, the magnitude of agriculture's impact on biodiversity varies widely across the world. Take birds, for example. While many species in the Ecuadorian Amazon are highly sensitive to deforestation, most birds in Costa Rican agricultural landscapes seem more tolerant.

Research from the Indian Himalayas has reported some bird species even benefit from agriculture at certain times of the year. So far, this variation has mostly been explained by how 'natural' the agricultural landscapes are, for instance, how much forest cover remains, or how frequently synthetic fertilizers are used. But this reasoning does not adequately explain the full story.

A new study led by Peking University and involving 49 institutions from around the world reports that, beyond the 'naturalness' of agricultural landscapes, regions differ inherently and predictably in how sensitive their bird communities are to agricultural deforestation.

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this post was submitted on 10 Jan 2024

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Biodiversity is a term used to describe the enormous variety of life on Earth. It can be used more specifically to refer to all of the species in one region or ecosystem. Biodiversity refers to every living thing, including plants, bacteria, animals, and humans. Scientists have estimated that there are around 8.7 million species of plants and animals in existence. However, only around 1.2 million species have been identified and described so far, most of which are insects. This means that millions of other organisms remain a complete mystery.

Over generations, all of the species that are currently alive today have evolved unique traits that make them distinct from other species. These differences are what scientists use to tell one species from another. Organisms that have evolved to be so different from one another that they can no longer reproduce with each other are considered different species. All organisms that can reproduce with each other fall into one species. Read more...

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