How many miles of roads are built in the Amazon rainforest?
More Than 30,000 Miles of Roads Built in Amazon in 3 Years. A road cut through the Amazon rain forest. Such roads contribute to deforestation, with potential impacts for the local ecocsystem.
Do road projects in the Amazon rainforest have environmental or economic impacts?
A team of researchers from the U.S., Bolivia, Brazil, Sweden, Peru and Colombia has found that most of the road projects currently planned for the Amazon rainforest have not been assessed for environmental or economic impacts.
Can mapping road construction help save the Brazilian rainforest?
This rampant road-building may be a major contributor to deforestation and habitat loss in one of planet Earth's most biologically diverse regions. But by mapping road construction, researchers think they can aid future efforts to stop destruction of the Brazilian rain forest.
How long does it take to build a road through the Amazon?
How long does it take to build a little more than 30,000 miles (50,000 kilometers) of new roads through the rain forest? A new study finds that, in the Brazilian Amazon, such development can happen in just three years.
Why are roads being built in the rainforest?
In this area, companies practice selective logging where only the most valuable tree species are cut, which usually results in cutting one tree per hectare on average. In order to harvest this timber though, the companies must build roads, usually unpaved, that allow the trucks to drive deep into the forest.
Are there roads in the Amazon rainforest?
It is 4,000 km long, making it the third longest highway in Brazil. It runs through the Amazon forest and the Brazilian states of Paraíba, Ceará, Piauí, Maranhão, Tocantins, Pará and Amazonas, from the proximities of Saboeiro up until the town of Lábrea. Trans-Amazonian highway within the city of Pombal, Paraíba.
Why have new roads been built in the Amazon?
Significance. In the next 5 y, more than 10 thousand kilometers of roads will be built or improved in the Amazon. Well-designed projects can increase employment opportunities, reduce transport costs, and support regional development.
How does road construction cause deforestation?
Roads can also cause habitat fragmentation by breaking up tracts of forest into smaller areas. Habitat fragmentation can lead to forest die-off by altering forest conditions like humidity levels, wind, temperature, and exposure to invasive species and fire.
How does building roads affect the environment?
Some of the major ecological effects of roads in rural landscapes include: • Destruction of habitat, including fragmentation of plant and animal populations. Traffic disturbance, including animal-vehicle collisions that reduce populations and/or habitat quality to the point of causing local extinctions.
How does building roads in the rainforest affect the climate?
Highway paving facilitates migration and population growth in communities, which can result in forest clearing and conflicts over natural resources. Highway paving has left the Amazon rainforest more vulnerable to clearing with fire, which results in carbon emissions.
What is the reason for building the road?
Roads are designed and built for primary use by vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Storm drainage and environmental considerations are a major concern. Erosion and sediment controls are constructed to prevent detrimental effects.
Why are roads a threat to the Amazon?
The road network in the Amazon compromises forest connectivity and increases threats to the native wildlife, such as this snake killed in a vehicle strike on the BR-319 Manaus-Porto Velho highway, one of the main official roads crossing the Amazon biome.
Why roads should not be built in rainforests?
Road building has a range of direct impacts on rainforest ecology. In wet tropical environments, the cut-and-fill operations associated with road construction can impede streams, increase forest flooding, and drastically increase soil erosion.
How do roads affect forests?
However, careless logging and road building are the main causes for the environmental degradation of most forest regions. In particular, road building can produce severe negative effects on soil stability, water regime, landscape quality and game population.
How does road construction affect animals?
The impacts of roads in the ecological landscape include habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. These interrupt and modify natural processes altering community structures and in the longer term, population dynamics. The large number of fauna fatalities each year from road traffic accidents is also of concern.
What is the disadvantage of constructing roads through forests?
Infrastructure is a necessary part of the development associated with a growing human population, but it can also have devastating impacts on the environment. The road through the rainforest may fragment habitat or cut off the migration route for an endangered species.
Are there roads in the rainforest?
The issue is especially important in the Amazon rainforest, where an estimated 160,000 miles of road already exist. “Very little research has been done on how these roads could affect wildlife,” says Saenz.
Can you drive through the Amazon?
And all in the middle of nowhere. The BR-319, which connects Porto Vehlo to Manaus in the Amazon in northern Brazil, is one of the most epic drives in the world. While technically a numbered highway, the BR-319 is known as 540 miles (870 km) of travel torture (or driving adventure, depending on your POV).
Is there a lost city in the Amazon rainforest?
Perched in a helicopter some 650 feet up, scientists used light-based remote sensing technology (lidar) to digitally deforest the canopy and identify the ancient ruins of a vast urban settlement around Llanos de Mojos in the Bolivian Amazon that was abandoned some 600 years ago.
Are there bridges in the Amazon rainforest?
The Amazon has a vast jungle basin, breathtaking waterfalls, and the world's largest river dolphins, but it might be more remarkable for something it doesn't have: a single bridge. That's right, the Amazon is the world's longest river not crossed by any bridges.
How much would the Amazon rainforest gain if roads were built?
The researchers also ranked the roads by degree of environmental (and social) impact and found that if road planners approved those with the least impact and cut the others, they would see a net gain of $4 billion while cutting the amount of rainforest loss to just 10% of original projections. They conclude that proper assessments of road building projects in the Amazon could reduce the amount of forest cut down and the costs involved.
What percentage of the projects are in violation of environmental regulations?
Seventeen percent of the projects are in violation of either environmental regulations or Indigenous rights. They also found that the money spent to build many of the roads would not result in economic gain—instead, almost half of them would experience losses. They found that canceling the ones that they project to experience losses would prevent ...
Which countries are planning to build roads in the Amazon rainforest?
A team of researchers from the U.S., Bolivia, Brazil, Sweden, Peru and Colombia has found that most of the road projects currently planned for the Amazon rainforest have not been assessed for environmental or economic impacts.
What are the stakeholders in the Pucallpa-Cruzeiro do Sul road?
A stakeholder is a person, organization, living organism, or physical environment that is affected by the decision that is made. Some stakeholders, such as people and organizations, have a strong voice in the decision and generally are a part of the decision-making process. Other stakeholders, such as plants, animals, and the physical environment, are silent and do not have a voice in the decision or the process for making a decision. Remind students that the Pucallpa-Cruzeiro do Sul road has a real-world environmental impact and, therefore, many stakeholders will be influenced when decisions are made. Write the list of stakeholders identified on the board (Ashéninka people (indigenous communities), Amazonian ecosystem, wildlife, loggers and logging companies, residents of rural communities, international consumers).
How to promote discussion?
To promote discussion, categorize the stakeholders that are in favor of building the road and the stakeholders that are not in favor of the road. Compare and contrast the reasoning of each of the stakeholder’s groups.
What would happen to the people and other living things in the area if the road were built?
What would happen to the people and other living things in the area if the road were built? (The indigenous people, like the Ashéninka population, will have to relocate and could face threats from disease as they lack immunity to diseases from outside cultures. Canopy dwellers—like birds and monkeys—and other living things will have to relocate as their resources and water quality will be diminished.)
What interactive tool can students use to explore the geography of the Amazon Rain Forest?
Have students use MapMaker Interactive to explore the geography of the Amazon rain forest.
Where are the indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest?
Indigenous communities are scattered throughout the Amazon rain forest. The Ashéninka are one indigenous group whose territory lies at the Peru-Brazil border. They are the second largest indigenous group in the Amazon rain forest (behind the Quechua).
What are the stakeholders in decision making?
Some stakeholders, such as people and organizations, have a strong voice in the decision and generally are a part of the decision-making process. Other stakeholders, such as plants, animals, and the physical environment, are silent and do not have a voice in the decision or the process for making a decision.
How does removing mahogany trees affect the environment?
Removing these trees will release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, affecting global warming.
How do roads affect the Amazon ecosystem?
This includes changes in the temperature and humidity of air and soil and the movement of animals. Past research suggests that certain configurations of road networks in the Amazon are more sustainable than others.
What are the impacts of roads in the Amazon rainforest?
A road cut through the Amazon rain forest. Such roads contribute to deforestation, with potential impacts for the local ecocsystem. (Image credit: Dr Toby Gardner)
How long does it take for roads to develop in the Amazon?
A new study finds that, in the Brazilian Amazon, such development can happen in just three years. While roads cover only a tiny fraction of the total land surface of South America's largest nation, their effect on local ecosystems — particularly rain forests — may be huge.
What are the causes of the destruction of the Amazon?
Logging and farming also contribute to the continued destruction of the Amazon, with one expert attributing up to 90 percent of all cleared land in the region to the expansion of Brazil's cattle ranching industry.
Is the Amazon fire season getting worse?
And a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that forest fires in the Amazon are only going to get worse, as the region's annual dry season — also known as fire season — continues to extend every year.
Who is Elizabeth from Live Science?
Elizabeth is a Live Science associate editor who writes about science and technology. She graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from George Washington University. Elizabeth has traveled throughout the Americas, studying political systems and indigenous cultures and teaching English to students of all ages.
What animals are poached on logging roads?
In Africa, logging roads give access to poachers who hunt endangered wildlife as “bushmeat” or meat sold to city dwellers. Some of the poached wildlife—especially rhinos, pangolin, and tigers— goes to Asia where it is used for traditional Chinese medicine.
How does road fragmentation affect forest?
Roads can also cause habitat fragmentation by breaking up tracts of forest into smaller areas. Habitat fragmentation can lead to forest die-off by altering forest conditions like humidity levels, wind, temperature, and exposure to invasive species and fire.
Why is it important to build roads in the rainforest?
It is therefore important that when new roads are built in rainforest areas, they are carefully planned to minimize the environmental impacts. One way to reduce deforestation from road construction is to create protected areas on either side of the road.
What is the impact of road construction in the rainforest?
Road construction in the rainforest. Road and highway construction in the rainforest opens up large areas to deforestation. In Brazil, the Trans-Amazonian highway resulted in the destruction of huge areas of forest by colonists, loggers, and land speculators.
Can you use Mongabay as a source?
May I use graphics from mongabay.com for my projects? Yes, you may provided that you don't remove the mongabay label from the images. You may use information from the site for class projects and can cite mongabay as the source.
Is Mongabay credible?
Is this web site credible? Mongabay is the world's most popular source for information on tropical forests. The site is highly acclaimed by a number of the world's leading tropical scientists. See more answers at our frequently asked questions page.
Where is the Saenz study?
Saenz and his colleagues recently conducted a study on road effects on amphibians and reptiles in the Amazon rainforest at San José de Payamino, Ecuador. The study was published in Tropical Conservation Science, and led by Ross Maynard. Maynard is currently a biologist at The Biodiversity Group, but in 2014, when research for ...
How much of the world's biodiversity is in tropical forests?
Tropical forests cover about 7 percent of the Earth’s surface, and contain roughly 50 percent of the world’s species.
What genus is the glass frog?
Posted on December 1, 2016. During the course of the study, the scientists found a new species of glass frog. It belongs to the genus Hyalinobatrachium and was found away from the forest edge.
How many miles of road are there in the Amazon rainforest?
The issue is especially important in the Amazon rainforest, where an estimated 160,000 miles of road already exist. “Very little research has been done on how these roads could affect wildlife,” says Saenz.
Do unpaved roads have a smaller ecological footprint?
Unpaved roads usually have a smaller ecological footprint than paved roads. However, Saenz and his colleagues found that a relatively obscure unpaved and undrivable road had profound impacts on amphibians and reptiles. “Minimizing such disturbances will help protect local wildlife at Payamino,” says Saenz. “Native flora and fauna are closely tied to the livelihoods of indigenous peoples throughout Amazonia, including the Kichwa community of Payamino. Protecting the natural integrity of biotic communities as much as possible should be a priority.”
Where to email Daniel Saenz?
For more information, email Daniel Saenz at [email protected].
Do vines affect amphibians?
Areas with a large amount of vines tended to have fewer amphibians. Other studies have found this as well. In the tropics, vine abundance usually precedes tree decline, and also indicates that a forest has been disturbed. Vines change the structure of the forest considerably, and probably change the availability of resources, too. “These differences likely have a profound impact on amphibian distribution patterns,” says Saenz.
Why was the Trans Amazonian Highway built?
It was built to connect the Amazon to Brazil's growing farming and cattle breeding economy, and over the years, virgin forests have given way to cattle ranches, logging stations and gold mines. (Coen Wubbels) Trans-Amazonian Highway, Amazon rainforest, Brazil.
How to stay cool in the Amazon?
While basic accommodations can be found in some towns along the way, we preferred to camp along some of the many rivers in the area, taking refreshing dips to stay cool in the Amazon heat. Staying near dark water was best. The darker the water, the higher it is in acidity, which helps to ward off mosquitos and other insects. (Coen Wubbels)
Where do cowboys hang their hammocks?
Trans-Amazonian Highway, Amazon rainforest, Brazil. Cowboys often have arrangements with ranches along the road, where they hang their hammocks in an open shed and build a fire to cook. They bring live chickens or, during the drive, hunt animals such as armadillos or wild boar.
Where is the cattle drive?
Cattle drive, Trans-Amazonian Highway, Brazil. Currently, livestock is moved through the region the old fashioned way: on cattle drives that can take months to finish, with cowboys averaging some 10km a day. (Coen Wubbels) Trans-Amazonian Highway, Amazon rainforest, Brazil.
Is the Trans Amazonian Highway being paved?
Once an all-dirt track cutting into the jungle, the Trans-Amazonian Highway is being paved, transforming life in its path.
Is cattle ranching a business?
Cattle ranching is big business in Brazil – in fact, the country is the world’s largest exporter of beef. But the industry poses one of the [greatest threats](http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?newsID=20772&#.VCnNX_ldVg1) to the Amazon environment. Cattle need fields to graze, and during the dry season, many fields in the area are burned to stimulate grass growth. One day, we drove 250kms surrounded by black soil, small flames and smoke curling into the sky, stinging our eyes. When slashing and burning no longer works – the fertile layer of Amazonian soil is thin, and its nutrients get depleted quickly – ranchers abandon the terrain. We saw grassy hills for miles on end without a single cow grazing. (Coen Wubbels)
Is the eastern part of the pioneering route being paved?
Today, to keep up with Brazil’s booming economy, the eastern part of the pioneering route is in the process of being paved; a change that will make transporting goods easier and less expensive (almost all of Brazil’s goods are moved by trucks since the country has no railway system).
