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Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems
Published on: June 30, 2020
7.5K
The exceptional value of intact forest ecosystems.
James E M Watson1,2, Tom Evans3, Oscar Venter4
1School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. jwatson@wcs.org.
Nature Ecology & Evolution
|February 28, 2018
Summary
Maintaining intact forests is crucial for biodiversity, climate change mitigation, and human well-being. Protecting and restoring these vital ecosystems is an urgent global environmental priority.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Human expansion is rapidly decreasing native forests.
- Intact forests provide critical global environmental benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the importance of maintaining and restoring intact forest integrity.
- To advocate for intact forest conservation within global environmental strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of emerging evidence on intact forest values.
- Argument for proactive conservation strategies.
Main Results:
- Intact forests support imperiled biodiversity.
- They are vital for carbon sequestration and storage.
- They ensure water provision, support indigenous cultures, and maintain human health.
Conclusions:
- Maintaining and restoring intact forest integrity is an urgent priority.
- It should be central to global and national environmental strategies.
- This complements efforts to halt deforestation and promote reforestation.
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