Only 3 per cent of world surface is ecologically intact, research suggests
Researchers suggest ‘targeted reintroductions of species’ to improve situation
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Only 3 per cent of the world’s land remains ecologically intact, according to a new study which suggests damage to species’ habitats on a far greater scale than previously thought.
Researchers said there are “few areas” across the planet that can still be classed as having “outstanding ecological integrity”, despite wilderness being “increasingly recognised as important for biodiversity conservation”.
Only 2.8 per cent of the world’s land surface is “functionally intact”, meaning there has been no loss of species to a point that would affect the healthy functioning of an ecosystem. This was 10 times lower than previous estimates.
The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, also estimated estimated around 2.9 per cent of the world’s land surface can be considered “faunally intact” without any loss of animal specials.
“We know intact habitat is increasingly being lost and the values of intact habitat have been demonstrated for both biodiversity and people,” Dr Andrew Plumptre from the Key Biodiversity Areas Secretariat in Cambridge and lead author of the study said.
“But this study found that much of what we consider as intact habitat is missing species that have been hunted by people, or lost because of invasive species or disease.”
Areas identified by the study as functionally intact included east Siberia and northern Canada, parts of the Amazon and Congo basin tropical forests, and the Sahara desert.
The paper, published on Thursday, noted many ecologically intact areas are managed by indigieous communities who “have played a vital role in maintaining the ecological integrity of these areas”.
Dr Plumptre said the findings showed it may be possible to increase areas with ecological intactness up to 20 per cent “through the targeted reintroductions of species that have been lost in areas where human impact is still low”.
This is “provided the threats to their survival can be addressed and numbers rebuilt to a level where they fulfil their functional role”, he added.
Earlier this year, one professor predicted the Amazon rainforest - one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems - could be on course within the next 50 years to turn into an inhospitable dry plain.
Meanwhile, other research has found land ecosytems are fast approaching a “temperature tipping point”, beyond which they could begin releasing CO2 into the atmosphere.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments