Some tropical forest types are difficult to categorize. While forests intemperate areas are readily categorized on the basis oftree canopy density, such schemes do not work well in tropical forests.[1] There is no single scheme that defines what a forest is, in tropical regions or elsewhere.[1][2] Because of these difficulties, information on the extent of tropical forests varies between sources. However, tropical forests are extensive, making up just under half the world's forests.[3] The tropical domain has the largest proportion of the world's forests (45 percent), followed by the boreal, temperate and subtropical domains.[4]
More than 3.6 million hectares of virgin tropical forest was lost in 2018.[5][6]
Tropical forests are often thought of asevergreenrainforests[2] and moist forests, but these account for only a portion of them (depending on how they are defined – see maps). The remaining tropical forests are a diversity of many different forest types including:Eucalyptus open forest,tropical coniferous forests,savanna woodland (e.g.Sahelian forest), andmountain forests[9] (the higher elevations of which arecloud forests). Over even relatively short distances, the boundaries between thesebiomes may be unclear, withecotones between the main types.
Tropical forest ecological zones (FAO)Tropical forest land from the UN FO FRA2000 reportTropical climate sub-types (Köppen classification):
TheGlobal 200 scheme, promoted by theWorld Wildlife Fund, classifies three main tropical forest habitat types (biomes), grouping together tropical and sub-tropical areas (maps below):
Guyanese log "bulletwood" near theBerbice River, Guyana
A number of tropical forests have been designatedHigh-Biodiversity Wilderness Areas, but remain subject to a wide range of disturbances, including more localized pressures such as habitat loss and degradation and anthropogenicclimate change.
Studies have also shown that ongoing climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of some climate extremes (e.g. droughts, heatwaves and hurricanes) which, in combination with other local human disturbances, are driving unprecedented negative ecological consequences for tropical forests around the world.[14] All tropical forests have experienced at least some levels of disturbance.[15]
Current deforestation in the biodiversity hotspots of North of South America, sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia and the Pacific, can be attributed to export of commodities such as: beef, soy, coffee, cacao,palm oil, and timber; there is a requirement for "strong transnational efforts ... by improving supply chain transparency [and] public–private engagement".[16]
A study inBorneo describes how, between 1973 and 2018, theold-growth forest had been reduced from 76% to 50% of the island, mostly due to fire andagricultural expansion.[17] A widely-held view is that placing a value on theecosystem services these forests provide may bring about more sustainable policies. However, clear monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for environmental, social and economic outcomes are needed.
For example, a study in Vietnam indicated that poor and inconsistent data combined with a lack of human resources and political interest (thus lack of financial support) are hampering efforts to improve forest land allocation and a Payments for Forest Environmental Services scheme.[18]
^abPutz, Francis E.; Redford, Kent H. (September 14, 2009). "The Importance of Defining 'Forest': Tropical Forest Degradation, Deforestation, Long-term Phase Shifts, and Further Transitions".Biotropica.42 (1). Wiley:10–20.doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.2009.00567.x.ISSN0006-3606.S2CID83577100.
^abAnatoly Shvidenko, Charles Victor Barber, Reidar Persson et al. 2005 "Millennium Ecosystem Assessment." Ecosystems and human wellbeing: a framework for assessment Washington, DC: Island Press
^D'Annunzio, Rémi, Lindquist, Erik J., MacDicken, Kenneth G. 2017 "Global forest land-use change from 1990 to 2010:an update to a global remote sensing survey of forests Forest Resource Assessment Working Paper 187" FAO, Rome.
^Robin L. Chazdon 2003 "Tropical forest recovery: legacies of human impact and natural disturbances" Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 6/1,2, pp. 51–71
This article incorporates text from afree content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 (license statement/permission). Text taken fromGlobal Forest Resources Assessment 2020 Key findings, FAO, FAO.
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