Borneo's location on a world map (press play)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Wallpaper-world-map-2006-large.JPG
The island of Borneo is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. Located on the equator, Borneo is part of the Malay Archipelago, between mainland Southeast Asian and Australia.
Map showing modern areas that were once part of Sundaland (CEPF) http://www.cepf.net/where_we_work/regions/asia_pacific/ sundaland/Pages/default.aspx |
During the Pleistocene
glacial period, Borneo was part of a larger landmass called Sundaland, which
encompassed other islands such as Java and Sumatra. About 12,000 years ago, ice near the equator began to melt,
submersing much of Sundaland and creating isolated areas of land. Although Borneo shares plant and animal
species with surrounding islands and the Asian mainland, its isolation has
caused many species to develop unique evolutionary paths (McGinley & Hogan).
Lowland rainforests dominate Borneo
The majority of Borneo, about 60%, is comprised of lowland tropical rainforest. Characterized by year-round warm temperatures, and average monthly rainfall exceeding 200 millimeters, the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) estimates that Borneo’s lowland rainforests are home to over 15,000 species of plants and animals, many of which are endemic.
A map showing the different ecoregions of Borneo (WWF) http://worldwildlife.org/science/wildfinder/ |
Montane rainforests are found in high altitudes
Central Borneo, which is much more mountainous than the surrounding lowland, is covered in montane rainforests. Comprising a total of about 7% of Borneo, these forests are found at elevations above 1,000 meters (WWF, Broadleaf Forests).
Central Borneo, which is much more mountainous than the surrounding lowland, is covered in montane rainforests. Comprising a total of about 7% of Borneo, these forests are found at elevations above 1,000 meters (WWF, Broadleaf Forests).
Trees in montane forests are
much shorter than in lowland forests, with a canopy that reaches between 10 and
20 meters. Montane forests don’t
contain the massive Dipterocarps found in the lowlands, but rather, contain
trees that are more slender, and have smaller leaves. Borneo’s montane forests also contain a large number of oak
and chestnut trees, as well as a wide variety of animals including many endemic
birds.
Top: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/borneo/klum-photography
Bottom: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/dec/06/climate-change-tropical-forest-greater
Borneo's rainforests laid untouched for thousands of years
Borneo was once covered with
dense tropical rainforest, which went largely undisturbed for thousands of
years. Inhabited by native Dayak
tribes, the Dayak practiced subsistence and mid-scale agriculture, preserving
much of the rainforest ecosystem ("Dayak People"). Before widespread unsustainable land-conversion, forest fires were not a
concern in Bornean rainforests, as the dampness under the canopy, as well as
the lack of abundant flammable material on the forest floor (because it
decomposes so quickly) prevented fires from starting/spreading.
Forest cover in Borneo - Past, Present, and Future (WWF) http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/borneo_forests/borneo_deforestation/ |
It was not until the 20th
century that widespread deforestation in the lowland tropical rainforests
began. Rubber plantations were
established early in the century, and although they didn’t have a huge impact
initially, they grew in size over time.
By the 1970’s, Malaysia was turning to its forests in Borneo for wood,
and logging began on a large scale.
Logging increased exponentially in the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s, and Borneo
quickly became one of the world’s largest exporters of wood for paper, plywood,
and fuelwood.
Borneo's montane forests are more remote and difficult to navigate than lowland areas, and therefore have not been subject to the same level of degradation. Although Borneo's montane rainforests do experience some logging, agriculture, and mining activity, it is on a much smaller scale. It is estimated that 10-30% of Borneo's montane forests have been cleared, as opposed to over 50% of Borneo's lowland forests (WWF).
Borneo's forests are currently being cleared at alarming rates
A study conducted by Yale biologist Lisa Curran estimates
that during the 1980’s and 90’s, more than 50% of Borneo’s lowland tropical forest were cleared, exporting more timber than Latin America and Africa combined.
Although the governments in Borneo have
attempted to limit logging practices, reports by the UN suggest that over 70%
of the logging in Borneo is done illegally, much of it in national parks (UNEP).
What the rainforests covering Borneo once looked like |
In the past 15 years, oil
palm plantations have become an additional threat to Borneo’s rainforests. Cultivated for food and biofuel, oil
palm plantations in Borneo have grown from only 60,000 hectares in 1960, to
over 3 million hectares in 2001 (Butler). A Stanford University study published in the journal Nature
Climate Change estimates that the
future expansion of oil palm plantations in Borneo will not only cause
deforestation, but will also emit more than 550 million metric tons of carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere by 2020 (Carlson et al., 2012).
What an increasing number of Borneo's forests
look like today (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008
/11/borneo/klum-photography) |
Borneo's future is grim
http://www.mongabay.com/borneo.html |
There are currently efforts being made to slow and possibly reverse some of the damage being done to Borneo’s rainforests. In February 2007 the three governments of Borneo (Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia) signed the Heart of Borneo Declaration, promising their determination and willingness to cooperate with one another in an effort to conserve Borneo’s wildlife (WWF). These governments should seek to increase the amount of protected forest areas, as well as crack down on illegal loggers, miners, and poachers. The Indonesian, Malaysian, and Bruneian governments also need to work with outside governments, NGO’s, and private companies to raise funds for conservation. With more money readily available, these governments could increase their ability to monitor and enforce logging restrictions, fund research, restore degraded areas with native trees, and offer subsidies to sustainable companies and farmers as incentives. Although projections of Borneo’s future look grim, with determination and cooperation, the long-term ecological success of Borneo’s lowland and montane rainforests can be ensured.
Works Cited
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