“Is human intervention on ecosystems always damaging?”

A report comparing my study on the rainforests of Tioman and the Amazon rainforest

Fahima Hussain

11/11/2010

Pulau Tioman Humanities AssignmentAn ecosystem is a community of both living and non living things which work

together in order to help themselves. An ecosystem doesn’t particularly have a certain size; it can be as big as the Earth to as small as a small lake. An ecosystem has a basic cycle where the plants depend on the soil; where the animals living near the plants depend on the plant which depends on the soil; and where us, human beings and even animals such as eagles depend on the animals which depend on the plant. If any of those basic matters are affected, the whole ecosystem will automatically be affected. In this research, I am going to talk about whether human intervention on ecosystems such as coral reefs and rainforests, are always damaging or not.

Rainforests are the most diverse ecosystems on the Earth. There are two types of rainforests; the tropical rainforests and the temperate rainforests. In this report, I am going to focus on the tropical rainforest and two of the good examples of tropical rainforests would be Tioman Island which is situated in Malaysia and the Amazon Rainforest which is located in South America. The tropical rainforests in this world are the plenteous source of life on the Earth. As of a fact, the Amazon Rainforest is noted to be supplying the earth with 40% of its oxygen. Along with the oxygen supply, rainforests are believed to be the home to at least 50% of the total species of plants and animals of the world. On the other hand, a quarter of our medicines come from the rainforest and at the same time, it is believed that an average of 1500 rainforest plants offer cancer cures. However, most of the tropical rainforests in this world are under massive danger and threat due to humans. In a time span of 50 years, we can predict the elimination of most of the tropical rainforests of this world. Many ecologists believe that an average of hundred acres of rainforest land is destroyed every minute. [BK2]

The Amazon Forest (Amazonia) is believed to be the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It covers an area of about 5 million square miles. It is home for more than 600 species of bird. In an area of a single hectare, one will be able to find at least 40,000 species of insects. Competition among all plants and animals at the Amazon Rainforest is high and thus over a time span of about a million years, lots of species have adapted to living in the canopies of the Amazon rainforest.

However, as time has come along, the Amazon rainforest is under a lot of threat due to human interference in the area. It is believed that every year more and more of the forest is cleared out. As stated before, the Amazon rainforest is the largest rainforest of the world and to be more specific, it is approximately one fourth of Brazil’s size. Thus, it is huge and millions of year old. At the current rate of human intervention on the forest, it can be interpreted that the

Figure 1: A map of the Amazon Rainforest (Amazonia) [IMG1]

destruction of Amazon might lead to the disappearance of the rainforest in less than 50 years. [WEB1]

The Amazon rainforest is under huge threat due to various reasons. The first reason is that a widespread amount of the forest has been cleared out because of reasons such as cultivating crops for both subsistence and commercial farming. More and more of the Amazon forest land are being cleared out for cattle ranching for the grazing of animals. The Brazilian government has given privileges of free land to the settlers who have planned to move into the region of the Amazon rainforest. Thus, the settlers take advantage of their privileges and clear the forest in order to grow their own crops. Another problem associated with this issue is cattle ranching. Large areas of the Amazon rainforest are being cut down extensively as some parts of the forest have been bought by large-scale companies who clear out rainforest to graze cattle for beef. Cattle ranching play a pivotal role as the source of agricultural activity in the Amazonian countries, in this case, Brazil. Exporting beef to countries such as USA, Japan and Canada can turn out to be profitable and brings in money to poor countries in South America. Thus, the governments of the Amazonian countries persuade cattle ranching in the region. Therefore, large amounts of the forest are being cleared down in order to provide the cattle with sufficient nutrients. [BK4] [WEB6]

One other major reason for deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is the installation of roads and dams on the rainforest area. New roads have been built across the Amazon rainforest for the development of the region. The roads have been built for helping in the transportation of the timber which is also a problem since it leads to deforestation. The Trans-Amazon highway which is about 5300 km long is one of the bigger highways that have been built across the Amazon rainforest. The construction of this highway has been a problem to the people living

near the area since the rain causes the water to get blocked and thus it leads to the rotting of crops. The construction of the Trans- Amazon rainforest has also lead to the accessibility of many parts of the rainforest and therefore the deforestation rate has increased. Along with the construction of new roads, dams have been built at areas of the Amazon rainforest for hydro electricity. The constructions of structures as such have led to the flooding of the rainforest floor which not only affects the species living on the forest floor but also affects the species living in the water. [WEB3]

Figure 3: Deforestation at the Amazon Rainforest. [IMG3]

Figure 2: Cattle grazing in a part of the deforested area of the Amazon Rainforest. [IMG4]

Another major issue behind the clearance of the Amazon rainforest is logging companies. Logging companies cut down trees to sell to developed countries. Not only are the trees cut, but no initiatives are taken to replant the trees. Other problems that are related to the deforestation in the Amazon rainforest are the mining companies who cut down trees in search of raw minerals such as iron ores. This problem relates back to the construction of roads since mining companies are building new roads to reach the deposits of the minerals. One last reason why the Amazon rainforest is being cleared is because of the increasing population in the region. In the last 40 years, the population of the Amazon rainforest has increased by approximately 40 million people. Thus, more of the forest is being cleared in order to build new towns and houses for the increasing population. [BK4] [WEB3]

As you can notice, the deforestation rate at the Amazon rainforest is very critical. The major issue that might not make much difference to us at this moment but might affect us badly in the future is the loss of diversity. As the clearance rate of the forest is increasing, the amount of plants and animals getting extinct has risen enormously. It has been recorded by a certain UN report that about 26 animal and plant species in the Amazon rainforest have disappeared. This will eventually affect the food chain and therefore will affect every bits included in the food chain. [WEB4] [WEB1]

One environmental issue that will be faced through the destruction of the Amazon rainforest is the world climate change. As we all know, the Amazon rainforest can be referred as the lungs of the Earth. It produces 40% of the Earth’s oxygen and at the same time contains 20% of the fresh water of the world along with the high amount of storage of carbon within itself. The Amazon Basin water is recycled within the Amazon and the rainfall returns back to the atmosphere through a process known as evapo-transpiration. This leads to the cooling of the area acting as an immense regional air conditioner. Therefore the deforestation is definitely going to affect the climate. The burnt air is going to reach the air and therefore create a moist air which will eventually warm the climate down and lead to global warming all around the world. This has not only affected the temperature but also affected the climate in Brazil. The amount of rainfall has decreased and drought has increased in some parts of Brazil. Gradually, this could affect the climate around other parts of the world. [BK3]

One of the social impacts of deforestation and the clearing of lands in the Amazon rainforest is that large populations of the tribal people living in the area, Amerindians, have disappeared. Many of the people of the Amerindian tribe have been forced out of the place for land to make new developments. Therefore, their culture and way of life is forcefully being taken away from them which is making their traditional culture disappear. By taking their land away and taking their traditional culture away from them, the number of Amerindians have reduced enormously. Their population has dropped down from approximately 6 million to about only 200,000 people. [BK4]

Figure 4: Tropical Rainforest Food Chain [IMG2]

In the process of researching for this topic, we went to a trip to Tioman which is located by the South China Sea. Tioman Island is one of the most beautiful islands of Malaysia. The place is about 39 km in length and about 12 km in width. Tioman is best known for its sundry marine life with plentiful coral reefs. Along with its vast marine life, the island is also covered with a local rainforest which is about 12383 hectares in size. The rainforest is a reserve of the island and has a lot of protected species living inside it which includes the long-tailed macaques, the giant black squirrel, the brush tailed porcupine, etc. Tioman also has some endemic species living within it such as the soft-shelled turtles and the Tioman walking catfish which can be seen along the rainforest trails. [WEB8]

As Tioman is a barely touched island with a small population and almost no human impact, the number of tourists is growing steadily. But now the Malaysian government and some local developers on the island want to build a new airport on the island so that more tourists come. According to some of the locals, the construction of a new airport could have a positive effect on the economy of the island. Tourists will help bring foreign currencies into the island which will lead to the development of the island. Some locals also say that with one airport on the island which is located in Tekek, the island only benefits from business during the monsoon season but if one more airport is built, the locals will benefit from business during all seasons. Tourists in the island believe that the building of an airport will make travel into the island much easier. Alternatively, some locals have a very different perspective into what may happen if one more airport is built on the island. When tourists come to visit the island, they take some of the belongings of the island and make money out of it (i.e. taking shells from the sea shores). This is not only affecting the species living in it but also affecting the whole ecosystem. According to news articles, the building of new airports could also lead to the destruction of rainforests. As more tourists will enter the island, more places will be built in order to provide sufficient service to the tourists. This will lead to the deforestation of the rainforests and at the end, the result will be the loss of habitat for both people and the species living in the rainforest. [INT1] [INT2] [INT3] [INT4] [WEB7]

The building of an airport on the island can lead to economical benefits and in some ways, social benefits since the locals will be receiving more money and varieties of foreign currency. But in contrast, we can notice how these social and economic benefits can lead to the destruction of local traditions and even the destruction of local habitats. Recycling in Tioman is a big problem since they don’t have the access to the recycling services and need to pay a lot of money to get rid of the waste by calling in services from the mainland. As tourists come into the island, the amount of pollution increases along with them. Numerous amounts of pollution can be seen along the rainforest trails. This is hazardous to the rainforest and the species living in it since many species start feeding on leftovers from soda cans, beer bottles, packets of chips, etc. This changes their food

Figure 5: A map of Tioman Island [IMG5]

habit and this can lead to the entrance of species such as monkeys into the local area where people live.

Some of the environmental effects of human intervention in rainforests are that both ecosystems suffer from human

intervention. The Amazon rainforest suffers from the loss of land and the loss of habitat through deforestation which as a result affects the food chain. Tioman, on the other hand suffers from pollution as human intervention takes place in the ecosystem. This firstly affects the plants and animals living in the area and then as a result affects the people living in the local area.

As human intervention takes place, we should consider the positive impacts of the process. The local area/ country receive more money out of the human intervention. In the Amazon rainforest, deforestation for land for grazing helps the government profit enormously due to the export of beef. Meanwhile, the building of an airport in Tioman will help the locals by providing them with more jobs and a higher economy.

As humans are damaging the ecosystem, humans are also finding solutions for the environmental damage. Many people have found solutions to save the Amazon Rainforest. People have found solutions such as replanting trees in the deforested areas. Some locals have thought of finding rehabilitation for the species of plants and animals which are getting extinct. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature has reported that through the help of rehabilitation projects, a lot of species have recovered. Tioman, on the other hand, has strict law enforcement about deforestation and environmental damage which is actually helping the ecosystem. [WEB9] [WEB5]

Some of the social factors that are affected through human interference in ecosystems are the loss of tradition. Human intervention in the Amazon rainforest has led to the disappearance of a local tribe of the rainforest. This is leading to the extinction of that tribe and at the end; the result will be the total disappearance of the tribe. On the other hand, Tioman hasn’t faced any social impact on the rainforests as of yet but however the tourists that are coming into the island are damaging the place through pollution.

Economic development has had a positive impact on both Tioman and Amazon rainforest. It has helped in shaping both the locations in terms of roads, foreign currencies, etc. It is allowing tourists to come and see the cultures of the location. However by allowing the tourists, cultures are also being changed. Therefore, undergoing human interference isn’t necessarily good. [WEB2]

The political decisions which are being taken by both the governments of Tioman and Amazon do not necessarily have a negative impact on the people of the ecosystems. The government of Brazil has decided to let large scale companies to deforest trees for land to graze animals on them for export to the US and Japan for money. The Malaysian government is also in the process of constructing a new airport which will bring a lot of money to the place. We still have to consider the negative impacts of the impacts such as the loss of habitat and the end result will be the extinction of plants, animals and mainly, the ecosystem.

Figure 6: Getting rid of waste is a big problem in Tioman [IMG6]

I would like to start my conclusion by saying that the information which I have gathered are what I expected. Human interference in ecosystems is very damaging but are not always damaging. Human interference leads to the economic developments of ecosystems. As I compare both the locations- Amazon Rainforest and Tioman Island, benefit from human interference as they benefit from certain developments. But at the same time, both of the locations suffer from environmental factors such as loss of habitat and the extinction of many species which, as a result affects the whole world.

I think that the governments should come up with solutions or alternatives for the issues being caused through the impact on the ecosystem. The Brazilian government should try to make an effort to replant the trees that are being cut so that the habitat can grow back. If that doesn’t work out, the government should come up with strict law enforcement so that the locals are intimidated to cut the trees off. Investing in new technologies could also benefit the locations such as fertilizers which increase the growth rate. Therefore I think that even if deforestation takes place, it is important to afforest since after a while there will be a void of trees in the area due to the deforestation. The government needs to make sure that it is vital to afforest after the cutting down of trees. The government could also provide education to people who are cutting down the trees so that they are aware of the consequences that are followed by deforestation. [BK1]

Bibliography:

Books:

1) Bishop, Victoria, Robert Prosser, and Collins Insight. "If we use forests, must      we destroy them? ." The Environment . Ed. Kate Harris, Nicole Lagneau, and      Ela Ginalska. London: Collins Educational, 1998. 44,45,46,48,50. Print. [BK1]

2) Goudie, Andrew. "The Tropics- 7.6: Tropical Rainforest." The Nature of the      Environment. By Andrew Goudie. 4th ed. 1984. Great Britain: Blackwell,      2001. 250,253,255. Rpt. in The Nature of the Environment. N.p.: n.p., n.d.      N. pag. Print. [BK2]

3) Waugh, David. "Forestry in Ethiopia, Amazonia and Malaysia." Geography- An      Integrated Approach. 2nd ed. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1995. 472.      Print. [BK3]

4) Waugh, David, and Tony Bushell. "Deforestation- the destruction of the      ecosystem." The New Wider World. Ed. Katherine James. Cheltenham : Nelson      Thornes, 2001. 186,187. Print. [BK4]

Interviews:

1) Yogeshwaran, Yogeshwaran. Personal interview. 22 Oct. 2010 [INT1]2) Zayd, Zayd. Personal interview. 22 Oct. 2010. [INT2]3) Hafiz, Hafiz. Personal Interview. 28 Oct. 2010. [INT3]4) Tim, Tim. Personal Interview. 28 Oct. 2010. [INT4]

Websites:

1) Team 26993, Robert, and Yolene Team 26993. Save- The Earth's Future. Thinkquest,      1999. Web. 13 Nov. 2010. <http://library.thinkquest.org/26993/      amazon.htm>. [WEB1]

2) BBC GCSE Bitesize. "Positive Impacts of Human intervention ." BBC GCSE Bitesize.      BBC, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/      geography/ecosystems/human_rainrev2.shtml>. [WEB2]

3) Buttler, Rhett. The Trans Amazonian Highway. Mongabay.com, 2005. Web. 13 Nov.      2010. <http://www.mongabay.com/08highway.htm>. [WEB3]

4) XINHUA. "Amazon deforestation caused extinction of 26 species." Exit Stage      Right. N.p., 4 Mar. 2009. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.      <http://exitstageright.wordpress.com/2009/03/04/      amazon-deforestation-caused-extinction-of-26-species/>. [WEB4]

5) Sartore, Joel. "Clear-cut swaths of the Amazon rain forest in Quiandeua, Brazil,      are often planted with manioc, or cassava, a shrub grown for its starchy      root. Farmers slash-and-burn large parcels of forest every year to create      grazing and crop lands, but the forest's nutrient-poor soil often renders      the land ill-suited for agriculture, and within a year or two, the farmers      move on." National Geographic. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.      <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/      rainforest-threats/>. [WEB5]

6) Nichols, MIchael K. "Amazon Cattle Pressure ." Rain Forest Deforestation.      National Geographic , n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.      <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photos/      rainforest-deforestation/#/cattle-graze_108_600x450.jpg>. [WEB6]

7) Rivers, Dan. "Eco-paradise caught between development and the deep blue sea."      CNN. CNN, 1 Nov. 2010. Web. 13 Nov. 2010. <http://edition.cnn.com/      2010/WORLD/asiapcf/10/29/malaysia.eco.tioman/>. [WEB7]

8) Anonymous. "Malaysia Tioman Islands project Analysis." 29 May 2009. DocShare.      Web. 13 Nov. 2010. <http://www.docshare.com/doc/127640/      Malaysia-Tioman-Islands-project-Analysis>. [WEB8]

9) Buttler, Rhett A. " Amazon Conservation: How to Save the Amazon Rainforest."      Mongabay . Mongabay, 2010. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.      <http://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/amazon_conservation.html>. [WEB9]

Images:

1) Deforestation and its Effects on the Amazon Region . Map. Deforestation and its      Effects on the Amazon Region. Segue , n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.      <https://segue.atlas.uiuc.edu/      index.php?&site=achawla2&section=4079&page=13392&action=site>.[IMG1]

2) Race, Bob. Cartoon. Moon Handbooks Costa Rica: n. pag. Print. Moon Handbooks      Costa Rica. Ed. CentralAmerica.com. [IMG2]

3) Sartore, Joel. "Clear-cut swaths of the Amazon rain forest in Quiandeua, Brazil,      are often planted with manioc, or cassava, a shrub grown for its starchy      root. Farmers slash-and-burn large parcels of forest every year to create      grazing and crop lands, but the forest's nutrient-poor soil often renders      the land ill-suited for agriculture, and within a year or two, the farmers      move on." National Geographic. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.      <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/      rainforest-threats/>. [IMG3]

4) Nichols, MIchael K. "Amazon Cattle Pressure ." Rain Forest Deforestation.      National Geographic , n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.      <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photos/      rainforest-deforestation/#/cattle-graze_108_600x450.jpg>. [IMG4]

5) "Tioman Island." Chart. Beaches of Pahang- Tioman Island. Pahang Tourism, 2003.      Web. 13 Nov. 2010. <http://www.pahangtourism.com.my/beaches/attractions/      Tioman/imejjpg/tioman.gif>. [IMG5]