Rainforests and logging
Harbouring over 50% of the worlds' biodiversity, tropical forests are one of the richest terrestrial ecosystems on Earth. Tragically however, this is threatened by the burgeoning logging industry; approximately 20% of tropical forests' total area was selectively logged in 2000-2005, and more recently over 400 million hectares was designated for timber production, thats twice the size of Mexico!
It is possible to harvest timber sustainably and some methods of selective logging have been proposed as an alternative to clear-cutting. Still, there is a need for rigorous field studies to help us understand how species abundance and composition changes in response to different selective logging intensities, and with forest recovery over time. Our goal is to fill this knowledge gap, collaborate with local industry and boost efforts to protect biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest.
It is possible to harvest timber sustainably and some methods of selective logging have been proposed as an alternative to clear-cutting. Still, there is a need for rigorous field studies to help us understand how species abundance and composition changes in response to different selective logging intensities, and with forest recovery over time. Our goal is to fill this knowledge gap, collaborate with local industry and boost efforts to protect biodiversity of the Amazon Rainforest.
WHY DOES IT MATTER? WHY SHOULD WE CARE?Over 80,000 acres of tropical rainforest are destroyed every day. To protect this vital ecosystem we need to act NOW!
Though few people experience the charms of a rainforest, the heavy air, around sounds and breath-taking abundance of life, all can take pride in their beauty and value. Not only that, rainforests are vital for our own survival due to their importance governing weather patterns and reducing climate change. If moral obligation is too weak an incentive, then global health should be reason enough to protect rainforest ecosystems. |
WHY STUDY BUTTERFLIES?Despite their key functional roles in rainforest ecosystems, invertebrates are given little attention when it comes to studying the impacts of deforestation. Perhaps they are considered less charismatic than larger, more identifiable-species, maybe less understood, but certainly not a group we should ignore.
Butterflies are an ideal flagship species for studying the impacts of deforestation on invertebrate communities. Being highly sensitive to environmental disturbance, they are useful as ecological indicators and in some cases even predict other species diversity. Caterpillars play an important role in the ecosystem as herbivores and through host-specificity help to promote plant diversity. Add to this the fact that rainforests house roughly 90% of known species, working in this environment, butterflies are the ideal candidate for study. |