Mastodawn

Meat-Stinking Giant Flower Has A Delectable Aroma For Pollinators

The Titan Arum, more commonly known as the ‘Corpse Flower’ is famous for its repulsive meat smell. Designed to repel humans, in contrast pollinators find the putrid aromas irresistible in the plant’s native environment. The Corpse Flower Titan Arum lives deep inside of Sumatra’s imperilled rainforests. endangered by palm oil and mining deforestation. Now researchers have gained greater insight into how the plant warms itself up before blooming – known as thermogenesis and have discovered a new compound called ‘putrescine’ which gives the plant its strong aroma. Help these rare stinking beauties to survive when you #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

The gigantic Titan Arum #plant better known as the ‘Corpse Flower’ stinks like rotting flesh. They live deep in #Sumatra’s #rainforest. Endangered by #palmoil #deforestation, learn how to protect them! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴👎🛢️⛔ @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9bK

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Corpse #Flowers are unusual 🌸 as they emit heat before flowering. Scientists have found the smelly compound causing their aroma: ‘Putrescine’. They’re #endangered by #palmoil #deforestation. Take action! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🔥❌ @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://wp.me/pcFhgU-9bK

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Alveena Zulfiqar, Beenish J Azhar, Samina N Shakeel, William Thives Santos, Theresa D Barry, Dana Ozimek, Kim DeLong, Ruthie Angelovici, Kathleen M Greenham, Craig A Schenck, G Eric Schaller. Molecular basis for thermogenesis and volatile production in the titan arum. PNAS Nexus, 2024; DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae492

The Titan Arum, more commonly known as the ‘Corpse Flower’, is famous for its repulsive meat smell. While designed to repel humans, this putrid aroma irresistibly attracts pollinators in its native environment—the imperilled rainforests of Sumatra, now under threat from palm oil plantations and mining activities. Researchers have recently uncovered how the plant generates heat before blooming, a process known as thermogenesis, and have identified a new compound called ‘putrescine’, which contributes to its potent stench.

A study led by G. Eric Schaller, Professor of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth College, explored the genetic and biological mechanisms behind the Titan Arum’s remarkable heating and scent production. The research relied on tissue samples from ‘Morphy’, Dartmouth’s 21-year-old Corpse Flower, to analyse RNA sequences. This allowed scientists to pinpoint which genes are active during the phases of heating and scent release.

The Titan Arum is not a single flower but a cluster of tiny flowers hidden within a massive central stalk, known as the spadix, which can reach up to 12 feet in height. It blooms rarely—typically once every 5 to 7 years—and only for a brief period. “The blooms are rare and also short-lived, so we only get a small window to study these phenomena,” Schaller explains.

During blooming, the spadix heats up, raising its temperature by as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit above the surrounding air. This thermogenic phase coincides with the emission of its signature scent, a mixture of sulphur-based compounds designed to attract flies and carrion beetles, which play a vital role in the plant’s pollination.

The RNA analysis revealed that genes associated with alternative oxidases—plant equivalents of animal uncoupling proteins—are highly active during the heating phase, especially in the spadix’s appendix. Additionally, genes involved in sulphur transport and metabolism were expressed, driving the production of the odour. Among these compounds, researchers identified putrescine, an organic chemical not previously recognised as part of the Corpse Flower’s scent profile.

This research sheds light on the evolutionary adaptations of the Titan Arum while highlighting the urgent need to conserve its natural habitat. Protecting the rainforests of Sumatra from deforestation caused by palm oil cultivation and mining is critical for the survival of this extraordinary species. By choosing to #BoycottPalmOil and supporting campaigns such as #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop, individuals can help safeguard the delicate ecosystems these rare flowers depend on, ensuring they continue to thrive for generations to come.

Meat-Stinking Giant Flower Has A Delectable Aroma For Pollinators

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

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Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

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3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

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#biodiversity #Botany #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #CorpseFlower #deforestation #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #flowers #Indonesia #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #plant #plants #pollinator #rainforest #ReasonsToBeHopeful #Sumatra #TitanArum

Palm Oil Detectives Nov 1, 2025

Around 25% of Africa’s Land is Damaged: This is How We Fix It!

Almost 25% of all land in Africa has been damaged. Land degradation is worrying issue across the continent of Africa. This is being driven by climate change and deforestation for extractive industries like rare mineral mining and monocultures like palm oil and cocoa. Other big drivers includes invasive species and environmental pollutants and toxins. Mlungele Nsikani is a land restoration specialist and environmental scientist. He explains how ecological restoration and agroecology is a great way to reverse land degradation so that people, plants and animals can thrive. Another powerful way to make an impact is through boycotting industries destroying the world like gold mining, palm oil and the meat industry. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

25% of #land in #Africa is damaged by #climatechange #mining and #palmoil #deforestation. Yet strong policies for #agroecology would restore land for people, plants and animals to thrive #BoycottPalmOil #ClimateActionNow #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-90N

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Written by Mlungele M. Nsikani, Senior scientist, South African National Biodiversity Institute. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

https://youtu.be/obON0prYOGw

What’s driving land degradation on the continent?

Africa is one of the most degraded continents in the world. About 23% of the surface of Africa, or over 700 million hectares of land, is already degraded. Another three million hectares is being further degraded annually.

Degraded land is land that has lost some of its natural productivity through processes caused by humans. It’s estimated that up to 40% of the planet’s land is degraded.

The “big five” drivers of land degradation globally and in Africa are:

biological invasions, where plant species have spread outside their indigenous area and disrupted the services provided by ecosystems
climate change driven events, such as intense droughts and severe fires
extractive activities, such as mining and over-harvesting
habitat transformation or fragmentation, including deforestation and poor agricultural practices
pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, and eutrophication – where algae and other plants take over plant life.

Factors that have made the situation worse in Africa include: development demands; a high dependency on natural resources at the household level (such as the use of firewood for cooking); agricultural practices (including clearing indigenous plants to grow cash crops); weak governance; insecure land tenure; pervasive poverty; and population growth.

What is ecological restoration?

Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or destroyed. Removing invasive plants and reintroducing indigenous species is one way to reverse damage. Ecological restoration is about helping to create conditions in which plants, animals and microorganisms can carry out the work of recovery themselves.

Assisting recovery can be as complex as altering landforms (intentionally changing aspects of the landscape), planting vegetation, changing the hydrology (water flow), and reintroducing wildlife. It can also be as simple as removing an invasive species or reintroducing a lost plant species to the land.

For example more than 8,750 plant species have found their way to South Africa. Over 785 species have made the country their permanent home on a significant scale and have had negative impacts. These include at least 14 Australian Acacia tree species which are invasive across South Africa. These cover about 554,000 hectares of the country.

They use up water resources and reduce grazing land. They also change soil microbial community structure, diversity and function. Invasive Acacia trees have established extensive woodlands that compete against native species, leaving little room for native plants and trees to grow. This costs more than R4 billion annually (about US$214 million) – the combined cost of clearing invasive species and the value of reduced ecosystem services in invaded areas.

The fynbos biome, which covers large parts of South Africa’s Western Cape province, has been the most affected. Since 1995, the publicly funded Working for Water programme has cleared invasive species, leaving ecosystems to recover naturally. The Greater Cape Town Water Fund has also funded the removal of thousands of thirsty invasive trees in mountain areas in a bid to save water and restore indigenous fynbos. This is known as passive restoration.

Planting native vegetation (often done through seed) – active restoration – has also helped the land recover. However, it has been applied at a smaller scale than passive restoration because it is more expensive. Planting native vegetation after clearing invasive species is often a more effective way to help native species recover in the restoration site, particularly if the native soil seedbanks have been depleted by the long duration of invasion.

How can people help?

Anyone can contribute to the restoration of ecosystems. The first thing is to advocate for and actively engage in the conservation of intact ecosystems. As the old adage goes, prevention is better than cure.

Ecological restoration is a great tool to tackle land degradation. But it’s not a quick fix. It’s still necessary to protect and conserve natural ecosystems.

Secondly, everyone should get involved in ecological restoration efforts, no matter how small. We can help remove invasive species or plant native species where we live. We can donate or be part of organisations that are involved in ecological restoration.

Above all, we should continue to spread the ecological restoration message and show that we are #GenerationRestoration!

The need for ecological restoration on the continent is great. Only functioning landscapes can provide affordable food, water and energy. These are the cornerstones of economic development. Ecological restoration can protect and enhance environmental assets and natural resources, provide employment, and help national development, security and social stability.

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Read more about conservation and reasons to be hopeful

Around 25% of Africa’s Land is Damaged: This is How We Fix It!

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Palm Oil Detectives Jan 20, 2024

Food Without Agriculture

In an article published in Nature Sustainability, researchers write that food production can be more sustainable by focusing less on traditional agriculture and more on alternative methods, like chemical and biological processes.

The article highlights a specific example where dietary fats can be produced with significantly lower CO2 emissions compared to current methods used in palm oil production in Brazil or Indonesia. While acknowledging challenges like potential impacts on agricultural economies and the need for consumer acceptance, the abstract suggests that these new methods could greatly reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, especially in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, land, and water use in the next decade.

Davis, S.J., Alexander, K., Moreno-Cruz, J. et al. Food without agriculture. Nat Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01241-2

#Research paper in @Nature Sustainability: Dietary #fats can be produced in a lab with significantly lower #CO2 emissions/#climate impact compared to current #palmoil production in #Brazil and #Indonesia #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/01/21/food-without-agriculture/

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#Research in @Nature finds switching to lab-produced #palmoil has enormous potential to reduce #GHG emissions, #deforestation, water use. Reducing the climate impact of #agriculture over the decades #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2024/01/21/food-without-agriculture/

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https://youtu.be/M1sArNV-ENM

Davis, S.J., Alexander, K., Moreno-Cruz, J. et al. Food without agriculture. Nat Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01241-2

Abstract

Efforts to make food systems more sustainable have emphasized reducing adverse environmental impacts of agriculture. In contrast, chemical and biological processes that could produce food without agriculture have received comparatively little attention or resources. Although there is a possibility that someday a wide array of attractive foods could be produced chemosynthetically, here we show that dietary fats could be synthesized with <0.8 g CO2-eq kcal−1, which is much less than the >1.5 g CO2-eq kcal−1 now emitted to produce palm oil in Brazil or Indonesia. Although scaling up such synthesis could disrupt agricultural economies and depend on consumer acceptance, the enormous potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as well as in land and water use represent a realistic possibility for mitigating the environmental footprint of agriculture over the coming decade. Read original

Plain English Summary of Results

Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates can be made without traditional agriculture by using different carbon sources and a variety of chemical and biological methods. This article compares how much energy each process uses, with some details still uncertain. The processes vary in their continuous or batched nature. The article also discusses the challenge chemical methods face in distinguishing between molecular forms, unlike bioenzymatic methods which are more precise but limited to conditions suitable for life. The focus is on fats because they are simpler to make, have been produced at scale in the past, are a basic calorie source in many foods, and the production of oil crops like soy and palm has a huge environmental impact.

Synthesizing fats from natural gas or air-captured carbon using renewable energy could greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional agriculture. Finally, the potential environmental benefits of synthetic fats are highlighted, showing that replacing a portion of soy and palm oil with synthetic alternatives could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and land use, particularly in countries where these crops are intensively farmed.

Plain English Summary of Discussion Notes

Producing macronutrients without traditional agriculture can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and land use, especially for dietary fats. Even using coal-based electricity for production can be more climate-friendly than some current agricultural methods. Beyond environmental benefits, such as reduced water use and pollution, synthetic foods can improve food security and lessen the need for labor-intensive farming jobs. This opens up possibilities for reforestation and biodiversity improvements.

However, there are challenges. The estimates are based on data that might not capture all relevant factors, and more detailed analysis is needed. The cost of synthetic foods could be higher than agricultural products, and social acceptance is a major hurdle, given the public’s skepticism about synthetic foods and potential unforeseen environmental impacts. The shift to synthetic foods could also impact the global labor force, especially smallholder farmers in the global South, as agriculture employs a significant portion of the world’s workforce.

Synthetic food production could lead to a smaller environmental footprint for agriculture, requiring much less water and can be produced anywhere with the right resources. This could make food systems more resilient but might also create new dependencies. Sustainable synthetic food production would ideally use renewable energy and atmospheric carbon.

Finally, the move towards synthesized foods prompts a reevaluation of humanity’s relationship with nature. The domestication of plants and the Haber-Bosch process for nitrogen fixation were pivotal in human history. Now, with the majority of habitable land and water used for agriculture, synthetic food offers a path to reduce the environmental burdens of agriculture and align food security with ecosystem restoration.

Read original

Davis, S.J., Alexander, K., Moreno-Cruz, J. et al. Food without agriculture. Nat Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01241-2

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Read more about deforestation and ecocide in the palm oil industry

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#Agriculture #biotechnology #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #Brazil #Climate #climateChange #CO2 #deforestation #fats #food #GHG #Indonesia #industrialAgriculture #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #ReasonsToBeHopeful #research

Palm Oil Detectives Nov 22, 2022

Do humans really need other species?

Do humans need other #species? Yes! millions of organisms are needed to keep #ecosystems in balance and ensure everyone can survive. Most importantly, #research shows other species make us happy! Be 🐱🐷🐎🐕🐠 #Vegan for the animals 🍅🥦 #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Do humans need other #species? Yes! millions of organisms are needed to keep #ecosystems in balance and ensure everyone can survive. Most importantly, #research shows other species make us happy! 🐱🐷🐎🐕🐠 #Vegan for the animals 🍅🥦 #Boycott4Wildlife https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/11/23/do-humans-really-need-other-species/

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1. Humans are happier around other species

Research shows that people are healthier and more content when they are around other species of plants and animals. They need to experience the sights, sounds, smells, feel and taste of other organisms for mental and physical health. This drive is called “biophilia,” meaning love of living things.

For example, seeing and hearing birds creates positive feelings. Two recent studies in Canada and Germany found that the more species of birds in a neighborhood, the happier people are. This may be due to experiencing the birds themselves, or due to a healthy environment, as indicated by the presence of birds

[Pictured] Painting of a Vogelkop Superb Bird of Paradise in Papua New Guinea by Szabolcs Kókay

In a different Canadian experiment, researchers played birdsong from hidden speakers along hiking trails. People reported that they felt more restored and were more satisfied about the hike when they heard a diversity of birds species than when they heard few or none.

Today, more than half the world’s population lives in cities instead of the countryside. So urban planners and landscape architects are exploring ways to include more green spaces and green infrastructure in cities.

Research shows that when a city has diverse wildlife, ample open green space and vegetation along streets and on buildings, people are more active, less stressed, healthier and happier. These conditions provide opportunities for people to experience and interact with other organisms, as well as benefit from the other things that plants, animals and microbes do to make the environment healthy and pleasant.

Curious by Mustafa Ozturk on Getty Imageswoman on a wildlife viewing trek by Blue Orange Studios on Getty Images

Scientists now know that it takes thousands of species to support human life. Yet we are only just beginning to understand the important roles different species play in ecosystems, including urban ones. We still need to learn much more about why and how other species are necessary for human survival. And if people are to successfully travel for long periods in space or establish space colonies, we will have to understand what species we need to take along with us to survive and prosper.

2. Humans need other species to produce food

First, without other species people would have nothing to eat.

Humans and all organisms require food for energy and the materials to build their bodies and reproduce. Only some microorganisms and plants have a way to use energy from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to make the basic molecules that provide that food. This process is called photosynthesis.

Without these organisms, humans wouldn’t have food to eat. Almost everything we eat is either a plant or other photosynthetic organism.

Algae salad by Lunamarina for Getty Images

Chemists have discovered ways to use various sources of energy to make molecules that could be used for food. Molecules produced this way are called “synthetic.” However, these processes are so difficult and expensive that it is currently impossible to feed people with these synthetic foods.

Production of synthetic food using genetically modified bacteria or cultured cell lines is growing in importance. In the future, the human diet may become a little less dependent on consuming plants and animals. Still, living organisms will remain a core component of these foods.

Adopting vegan diet ensures that wild animals have the best chance for survival. It also means you are not contributing to an unbearably cruel global industry.

It takes countless different organisms – big, small and microscopic – to create healthy soil and breathable air. To break down and recycle waste. To purify water and prevent erosion. To break down toxic chemicals into harmless forms, and convert other chemicals into sources of nourishment that other organisms need to grow and thrive.

And many of our food plants – over 1,200 species – depend on pollinators to produce the fruit or seed that humans and other animals eat. Pollination, the process that allows plants to reproduce, happens when animals carry pollen from one plant to another. Bees are the main pollinators, but many other insects, birds, bats and other animals also transport pollen between plants.

Birds and other animals fertilize plants by transporting pollen between them – enabling them to produce fruits and seeds that humans eat. krisanapong detraphiphat/Moment via Getty Images

Animals of all sizes, from tiny ants to enormous elephants, also move seeds, spreading plants that make for healthy and productive ecosystems. Diverse species, from tiny microbes to huge vultures and sharks, break down dead organisms into chemicals that can be used to grow more food.

The number of species that contribute to creating each bite of the average meal is mind-boggling.

3. Human bodies need other species to stay healthy

Many functions of the human body itself rely on a complex and highly diverse ecosystem of microbial species that live on the skin and in the respiratory, digestive and reproductive systems. These bacteria, fungi and other microbes are called a “microbiome.”

Each person has a unique personal microbiome to protect against infection, digest and extract nutrients in food and synthesize vitamins.

For example, the gut microbiome is important for breaking down food into usable energy and nutrients, and converting other indigestible or toxic substances into forms that can be excreted.

This microbiome changes over people’s lifetimes based on what they eat, what’s around them, where they live and how healthy they are. In fact, human bodies are made up of more bacterial cells than human cells.

Diet and drugs strongly affect the 300 to 500 bacteria species that are the core of a healthy gut ecosystem.

The microbiome also plays an important role in preventing infection. Many diseases are associated with microbial communities that are dominated by just a few species. Some physicians transplant poop from healthy to ill people to establish a healthy community of microbes and hopefully cure the disease.

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Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

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#animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalIntelligence #animalRights #animals #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #conservation #ecosystems #plantBasedDiet #pollination #pollinator #psychology #ReasonsToBeHopeful #research #SeedDispersers #species #vegan #veganism

Palm Oil Detectives Jan 18, 2025

Dung Beetles Are Rainforests’ Diligent Regrowth Soldiers

Unsung heroes of the Amazon jungle, the dung beetle may eat and nest in poop, but their role in nature is anything but humble. These hard-shelled scarabs live on every continent of the world except Antarctica, recycling feces and suppressing parasites that could otherwise harm people and animals. Dung beetles also spread both seeds and nutrients into the soil, helping to maintain a healthy ecosystem. Help them every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #BoycottGold and #Boycott4Wildlife

Written by Filipe França, Researcher, Tropical Ecology, Federal University of Pará and Joice Ferreira, Researcher in Ecology, Federal University of Pará. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Dung #beetles 🪲🦗🐛 are unsung heroes of ecosystems. If both drought and fire kill off dung beetles, then the Amazon #rainforest is in serious trouble. Help them to survive by going #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔☠️🤮⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-4IZ

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Conversely, dung beetles suffer when an ecological system is struggling. In tropical forests, for example, stress caused by environmental disturbances causes dung beetles to gain body fat and work less. Species diversity declines.

That’s why, as Amazon researchers, we use the marvelous, hard-working dung beetle to measure the ecological health of the world’s largest rainforest. Since 2010, we have collected and studied over 14,000 dung beetles from 98 different species in the vast and still wild interior of Brazil’s Santarém region, a remote corner of the Amazon forest – part of a long-term project with the Sustainable Amazon Network.

Most recently, we studied dung beetles to assess the Amazon’s recovery from the intense drought and forest fires of 2015 and 2016, extreme climatic events brought on by the most severe El Niño on record.

Stressed beetles take less crap

Some forests in our 10,586-square-mile research area were burned in the El Niño fires, which scorched 4,000 square miles of the Amazon. These climate-triggered fires are not to be confused with last year’s Amazon fire crisis, which was deforestation-related. Other Amazonian forests in our study experienced extreme drought but not fire.

We knew going into this project that Amazonian fauna are particularly sensitive to fire – unlike animals in Australia, which have a long history of fire adaptation. But our study, which was published in the scientific journal Biotropica in February 2020, reveals that both forest fires and drought are far more damaging than previously thought.

Dung beetles are captured in traps baited with – what else? – human and pig poop. There we count and physically examine them. To assess their activity level, we trick dung beetles into dispersing seeds by building a small arena filled with a mix of dung and artificial seeds on the forest floor.

Researchers measuring beetles’ dung-removal and seed-dispersal services. Marizilda Cuppre/ RAS Network, Author provided

Comparing our catches before and after the El Niño forest fires, we learned that almost 70% of dung beetles had disappeared. We believe that’s because most dung beetles nest in shallow soil depths of between zero to 6 inches, so fire heat is likely to kill them.

The El Niño droughts likewise decimated the Amazonian dung beetle populations. Their populations dropped by about 60% in forests affected only by drought, not fire.

Author Filipe França with an Amazonian dung beetle. Marizilda Cuppre/RAS Network, Author provided

Together, extreme drought and forest fires in the Amazon had severely diminished the beetles’ ability to remove dung and spread seeds, which declined by 67% and 22%, respectively, in comparison to data recorded in 2010 – before El Niño. This reduced haul is probably the result of population loss.

Both the reduction in the number of dung beetles captured and their diminished waste disposal functions persisted even two years after El Niño. While dung beetle populations recover quickly in fire-dependent ecosystems, insect recovery from fire disturbance in tropical forests can take many years.

Tropical beetles: If both drought and fire kill off dung beetles, the Amazon forests are in serious trouble

In damaged forests, most regrowth depends on seed dispersal by animals. Dung beetles disperse the seeds that promote revegetation and spread nutrients in the soil, helping seedlings survive.

They aren’t the only animals that play this critical ecological function. Tapirs, monkeys, ants, bee beetles and even wasps also spread the seeds that aid vegetation regrowth.

But many studies show that dung beetle responses to environmental stress are similar to those suffered by other seed-spreading animals necessary to tropical forest health. And climate change is likewise causing the collapse of these insect populations, killing off ants, bees, butterflies and wasps.

Without these important tropical animals, forests damaged by fire and drought will recover much more slowly. That means they may barely begin their regrowth before the next disaster. And with climate change projected to bring the tropics more intense and frequent droughts, along with hotter and dry global temperatures, such disasters will likely come ever more quickly.

From our field sites deep in the Amazon, we are rooting for all the little creeping and crawling creatures that keep the world running – with, admittedly, some particular affection and concern for the humble dung beetle.

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Five things dung beetles do with a piece of poo

Dung beetles have been cleaning up the planet for at least 65 million years. The 6000 species across the world have adapted to a life at the back end of the food chain in the most remarkable ways.

The Conversation

Palm Oil Detectives Dec 27, 2022

Humble Algae: The Solution to Palm Oil Ecocide

Consumers, businesses and researchers have shown growing interest in microalgae in recent years. Use of Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) as a food supplement is one example. Others include how microalgae can be used as crop support tools, bioplastics or biofuels. Take action for your health and be #vegan and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

#Agriculture is destroying the planet – #algae is a #climatechange resilient answer needing no land to grow, it has a superb nutrients for human #health and more 🌱🍃🥕🥦 #Boycottpalmoil go #vegan 🌴🔥❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/12/28/soy-and-palm-oil-agriculture-is-destroying-the-planet-algae-is-the-answer/

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Agriculture is destroying the planet: algae is the answer

The emerging and predicted impacts on agriculture and food supplies are stark, according to the panel. For instance, heat waves, drought and increasing rainfall variability could adversely affect crop yields and livestock productivity. This, in turn, could cause problems with food availability and nutritional quality, as well as risks of malnutrition and hunger.

Written by Jules Siedenburg, Research fellow, School of International Development, University of East Anglia. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Some parts of the world disproportionately bear this burden: over three billion people are currently deemed highly vulnerable to climate change, most of them in Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Small-scale farmers and pastoralists are particularly at risk.

The need for climate action is now evident, but finding viable pathways can be challenging. Yet effective climate actions can reduce climate-related risks while fostering sustainability. “Climate smart” agricultural technologies offer various proven climate actions, such as agroforestry or drought-tolerant seeds. Such technologies can potentially raise farm productivity while also mitigating (that is, combating) climate change or helping farmers adapt to it, or both.

Growing interest in microalgae

Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Maryna Lahereva/Shutterstock

Microalgae are a diverse group of microscopic aquatic organisms. Like plants, they typically generate energy from sunlight through photosynthesis. But they differ from plants in basic ways. For instance, they grow in water instead of on land and absorb nutrients directly instead of via roots. While some microalgae are seen as harmful, others provide useful products.

One question that has remained largely unexamined, however, is whether “agri-food” applications of microalgae might offer promising options to mitigate or adapt to climate change.

A new academic paper set out to provide provisional answers. It reviewed the available evidence on microalgae as food supplements, livestock feeds, biofertilisers, biostimulants and biochar feedstocks. It then assessed the potential of these five microalgae applications to serve as the basis for climate actions.

Agri-food applications and climate action

Microalgae have been used as traditional foods in various countries where suitable species occur naturally, such as Mexico and Chad.

Nowadays microalgae food supplements are principally eaten by health-conscious consumers. Yet they can also be used to address malnutrition and to improve health in places where diet is poor. As foods, microalgae can be potent sources of nutrients, including high-quality proteins, lipids and vitamins.

Microalgae production has characteristics that clearly distinguish it from plant or animal production.
It doesn’t require fertile land.
It is largely independent of local weather patterns and could potentially recycle water.
It has elevated productivity and scope for continuous harvests.

Microalgae is climate resilient

This technological profile is well suited to coping with climatic shocks, so microalgae production can be climate resilient. The delivery of microalgal biomass for use as a food or for other applications can thus also be climate resilient.

Novel feeds like microalgae, seaweed and insects offer options to improve the sustainability of livestock production by providing protein-rich complements to staple feeds like grasses and feed crops. Microalgae feeds have been tested on cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry and fish. The results have typically included improved productivity, better nutritional quality of products, or both. Microalgae could also provide a secure source of feeds in places where livestock deaths linked to climate change are a growing concern.

Green algae by Wichit on Getty Images

Global crop production continues to rely heavily on chemical fertilisers to boost crop productivity. However, such products can sometimes undermine agricultural sustainability or not cope well with climate change impacts.

Biofertilisers and biostimulants are natural alternative options for boosting crop production. Biofertilisers provide nutrients to plants. Biostimulants promote plant growth by stimulating biological or chemical processes in plants or microbes associated with roots.

Early studies of microalgae-based biofertilisers and biostimulants suggest they can boost productivity while also building the resilience of crops to climate-related stresses like elevated temperatures, water scarcity and soil salinity. Treated maize plants, for example, showed more developed roots than untreated plants. This resulted in better resistance to drought.

Microalgae could also support crop production

by using algal biomass to make biochar, or charred biomass. Applying biochar to fields can improve soil fertility and enhance soil’s capacity to hold water. Such effects could help crops cope with climate change impacts like erratic rainfall and extreme weather events.

Biochar was a traditional soil management tool in some cultures, and treated fields sometimes remain distinct. For instance, fields treated many centuries ago in South America were found to contain up to 9% carbon compared with 0.5% on neighbouring fields. Moreover, their productivity was twice as high as that of untreated fields. Early studies on biochar made from microalgae have suggested it could be an effective soil amendment.

Mitigating and adapting to climate change

Taken together, these five agri-food applications of microalgae could be seen as possible ways to enhance the climate resilience of food production, and hence as climate change adaptation measures. Concretely, they offer options to help secure both food supplies and agricultural livelihoods despite climate change.

These five applications were also found to offer possible ways to mitigate climate change, whether by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or transforming these gases into physical form. One example is partially replacing an imported livestock feed like soymeal – associated with transport emissions and tropical deforestation – with microalgae-based feeds that need comparatively little land and could be locally sourced. Another example is using microalgae-based biochar to build up soil organic carbon in stable form.

In future, such mitigation measures could perhaps be supported by the carbon markets. These markets offer mechanisms to pay for projects that mitigate climate change. In theory this could provide cash flows to participating stakeholders, including farmers. Such projects might moreover be attractive to potential participants given sharp rises in carbon credit prices in recent years, even if these initiatives have sometimes proven disappointing in the past. Several institutional developments would, however, be needed to make this possible.

Agri-food applications of microalgae can help mitigate and adapt to climate change. Dr Jules Siedenburg

The five microalgae applications examined clearly hold promise, both as avenues for fostering climate resilient food production and as climate change mitigation measures. These applications could thus be framed as climate actions. But more research is needed to explore and verify this potential, and to examine issues like consumer acceptance and managing possible contamination risks.

In the meantime, these five microalgae technologies merit greater attention from consumers, farmers and governments as timely and hopeful innovations.

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Palm Oil Detectives Nov 8, 2022

Palm oil substitutes can offer beleaguered rainforests a fighting chance

Palm oil is a versatile substance used in a wide range of products from foods to cosmetics. The trouble with it is that the cultivation of oil palm trees has caused massive enviromental harm, especially in Malaysia and Indonesia, which together account for 85% of palm oil production in the world.

But scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Malaya in Malaysia say they have an answer as to how we can wean ourselves off palm oil.

#Algae #biotech 🌱🥬 is a healthy replacement for the #ecocide of #palmoil and offers hope that rainforests, rare #plants and #animals could be saved from #extinction. Take action when you shop #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🩸☠️⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/11/09/palm-oil-substitutes-can-offer-beleaguered-rainforests-a-fighting-chance/

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Article written by Daniel T. Cross and originally published in Sustainability Times under a Creative Commons licence.

But scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Malaya in Malaysia say they have an answer as to how we can wean ourselves off palm oil.

The researchers have extracted edible oils from a common strain of microalgae that have similar properties to palm oil but contain fewer saturated fatty acids. That feature will have health benefits as saturated fats raise levels of LDL cholesterol in our blood, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease.

Better yet: these microalgae can be cultivated at scale, obviating the need for further deforestation to plant yet more oil palms.

Better yet: these microalgae can be cultivated at scale, obviating the need for further deforestation to plant yet more oil palms.

[Pictured] Spirulina algae by Madeleine Steinback on Getty Images

At the same time, the researchers have developed a relatively simple technique to replace the microalgae culture medium with fermented soybean residues while improving microalgae biomass yields. After two weeks the cultured microalgae is washed and dried before being treated with methanol to break down the bonds between the oils and the algae protein. That enables the oils to be extracted through an environmentally friendly processing technology also devised by the scientists.

For a standard 100-gram bar of chocolate, for instance, 160 grams of microalgae would suffice in providing the oil, the scientists say.

“Uncovering this as a potential human food source is an opportunity to lessen the impact the food supply chain has on our planet,” stresses William Chen, director of NTU’s Food Science and Technology Program and head of the research team, who published their findings in a study.

“Our solution is a three-pronged approach to solving three pressing issues. We are capitalising on the concept of establishing a circular economy, finding uses for would-be waste products and re-injecting them into the food chain, Chen explains.

“In this case, we rely on one of nature’s key processes, fermentation, to convert that organic matter into nutrient-rich solutions, which could be used to cultivate algae, which not only reduces our reliance on palm oil, but keeps carbon out of the atmosphere,” the scientist adds.

The reseachers are working on fine-tuning their methods to improve the yield and quality of oils extracted from microalgae and are expecting their inventions to become commercially viable in a couple of years.

Such initiatives aimed at replacing palm oil with greener substitutes cannot come soon enough as deforestation in Sumatra, Borneo and elsewhere in Indonesia and Malaysia have reached massive proportions with huge environmental costs. Critically endangered endemic species such as orangutans and Sumatran rhinos have been pushed by habitat loss to the very edge of extinction.

“If the current destruction of the rainforest continues, then I have absolutely no hope that any orangutans will remain in the wild,” warns Alan Knight, chief executive of the conservationist group International Animal Rescue. “I would probably say 10 years if we cannot stop the destruction. I think the Sumatran [orangutan] will go before then if they don’t sort out the situation they are in.”

Although orangutan populations in the interiors of remaining forests have remained stable, they have been declining to varying degrees in patches of forest interspersed by oil palm plantations, which are a primary source of revenue for Malaysia.

At the same time, Indonesia, the world’s top palm oil producer, is stepping up its plans to ship millions of tons of crude palm oil and its derivatives after a self-imposed three-week ban on exports in May to tackle domestic shortages. As the global market continues being flooded by palm oil, rainforests in Indonesia and Malaysia remain at grave risk of being fragmented further.

In order to give these remaining forests and rare, endangered forest-dwelling species of plants and animals a fighting chance at survival, we’ll need to find eco-friendly substitutes to palm oil as soon as possible.

Here are more Reasons to be Hopeful

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Why Pangolins Are So Special

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Protecting Peru’s Grasslands Vital for Spectacled Bears

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Javan Rhinos Not Safe from Poachers

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Palm Oil Detectives Oct 4, 2022

Seaweed is high in vitamins and minerals – but that’s not the only reason westerners should eat more of it

Now

This article was written by Rochelle Embling, a PhD researcher in psychology at Swansea University, and Laura Wilkinson, a senior lecturer in psychology at Swansea University. It is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Edible seaweeds and algae – or sea vegetables – are a group of aquatic plants that are found in the ocean. Kelp, dulse, wakame and sea grapes are all types of seaweeds that are used in seaweed-based dishes.

Algae has a yum ‘umami’ flavour and a superb nutrient profile, especially for #vegans. It doesn’t cause #deforestation either! Replacing #palmoil with #algae makes sense for rainforests #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife #Together4Forests @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/10/05/seaweed-is-high-in-vitamins-and-minerals-but-thats-not-the-only-reason-westerners-should-eat-more-of-it/

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Though eating seaweed is mostly common in Asian countries, today seaweeds are widely growing in popularity as an ingredient in a range of food and beverages. This notably includes sushi, where nori seaweed is used as an edible wrap for vegetable, fish, and rice-based fillings.

Our research suggests that people in the UK, like consumers in other western countries, are less familiar with seaweed as an ingredient. This is important because food neophobia (wanting to avoid novel foods) may prevent consumers from trying new products.

And for seaweeds in particular, first impressions may be less appealing when associated with the plant washed up on our beaches. For example, many participants in our research imagined seaweed to be “smelly”, “salty”, and “slimy” when asked.

Despite it being considered an Asian staple, people have been eating seaweed in Europe as well for centuries

Many European countries have a history of consuming seaweeds. This includes laverbread, a savoury puree made from laver seaweed, which is eaten alongside other seafood as part of Welsh cuisine. A sweet alternative is carrageen pudding, a jelly-like dessert made from carrageen seaweed (otherwise known as Irish moss).

Spirulina algae by Madeleine Steinback on Getty Images

However, this traditional consumption of seaweed remains somewhat niche today. And with the exception of sushi, seaweed consumption is relatively low in most western countries.

In a recent study, we explored how consumers rate seaweeds and potential food products (that could be supplemented with seaweed) when thinking about eating them. We found that people expected seaweed food products (such as seaweed burgers) to be more appealing than seaweed as a general food source.

Notably, as participants already expected seaweed products to be healthy and sustainable, these attributes were less important to their acceptance of seaweed. Taste and familiarity were the two factors that had the greatest influence on participants’ willingness to try and buy seaweed-based foods.

Seaweed: a superb way to get nutrients as a vegan

Seaweeds are a highly versatile and nutritious food source that can benefit our diet. Seaweeds are often rich in fibre and high in vitamins and minerals. This includes iodine and vitamin B12, which can be lacking in vegetarian and vegan diets.

Submerged algae and seaweed Lucas B Bracht on Getty Images

Has a super tasty ‘umami’ flavour, despite its reputation for being a stinky plant of the sea

And seaweeds can be added to a range of products for their taste as well as how they can be used to thicken soups or stabilise the texture of ice cream. As seaweeds have a umami flavour, many chefs also favour seaweeds as a way to enhance the depth of flavour in their dishes.

A climate-friendly and forest-friendly food

Thinking about what we eat has become an important environment-related talking point. As more of us try to eat less meat and dairy, we have seen a rise in the consumption of plant-based products (including burger patties, nuggets, and sausages), plant-based milk (soya, almond, rice, and oat milk), and other dairy alternatives (such as dairy-free yoghurt and cheese).Kelp recipes.

In the current market, plant-based “meat” is typically made from soya, with other plant-based proteins including peas, mushrooms, and wheat.

High in protein, low in salt

Importantly, seaweeds and algae could be worthy additions to this list. Though the protein content of seaweed differs between species (particularly as it goes through the production process), protein can account for up to 25% of the dry weight for green seaweeds, and 47% for red seaweeds.

This means that seaweeds could be used to supplement the nutritional content of protein alternatives. In particular, seaweeds are often low in sodium. As the salt content of plant-based meat products can be higher than similar products, seaweeds could be used as an alternative seasoning to salt, helping to improve the healthiness of these items while enhancing taste

Seaweeds also have the potential for sustainable farming along the UK coastline. When compared to other plant-based alternatives, this means they stand out for their ability to grow without freshwater or fertilisers and do not compete for land space.

Seaweed needs ‘taste profiling’ on the packaging (like wines do) for consumers to appreciate it more

Our research also suggests that including more taste-focused language on packaging (delicious, warm, rich) and providing recipe ideas to consumers (serve seaweed as a side dish) may be an important marketing strategy if future seaweed products are to find new audiences.

We need to make seaweed cheaper so everyone can enjoy it

There are some additional barriers that we need to consider. For example, like other plant-based alternative foods, seaweed can be more expensive, and high street availability is limited compared to online. Also, as the nutrients in seaweeds are affected by the waters they grow in, eating too much or consuming seaweeds from unregulated sources can affect food safety.

Overall, however, there are plenty of reasons why seaweed is a great food for the future.

Here are more Reasons to be Hopeful

Amazing Animal Adaptations

Tapanuli Orangutan Faces Extinction From Forest Protection Rollback

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Palm Oil Detectives Feb 14, 2021

Borneo’s bearded pig: forest gardener and eocosysem protector!

Borneo – fourth-largest island in the world, home to more than 20 million people. With so many well known species on the island like elephants, rhinos and orangutans, one species continues to fly under the radar. Sus barbatus AKA the Borneo Bearded Pig should be the most emblematic animal on the island. This wild boar owes its name to an abundant tuft of upward- and forward-pointing bristles covering its cheeks and lower jaw. The bearded pig is a tireless migrator, either alone or in large herds. It often travels hundreds of kilometres to obtain its preferred foods. In doing so, it plays a crucial role as the gardener of the forests of Borneo. Help them to survive when you shop, make sure you #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.

The underestimated #Borneo Bearded Pig 🐗🫶😍 is a timeless forest gardener and protector of ecosystems in 🇮🇩🇲🇾 Hunting and #palmoil #deforestation are major threats. Help them each time you shop #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🩸🔥⛔️ @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/14/bornean-bearded-pig-gardener/

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https://youtu.be/1e8Ws7Kyc7M

A fragile landscape

The 743,330km2 island is home to the largest area of forest in Asia. But Borneo is one of the world’s most intensively deforested regions. At the beginning of the 1970s, its forest area was around 56 million hectares. In 45 years 20 million of that has been cut down. Intensive logging, open-pit mining, rapid expansion of agro-industrial plantations – oil palms in particular – and hazardous peatland development all endanger Borneo’s forests.

The migration of the rural poor from the overpopulated islands of Madura, Java and Bali is constitute another threat over the forest. Used to a land-intensive style of farming, they clear the forest to grow crops. At times they come into conflict with the native populations, which can turn violent.

Large wildfires, sparked by droughts caused by the El Niño phenomenon, further destroy the forest.

The bearded boar, one of the most emblematic animals of the Malay archipelago. Rufus46/Wikipedia, CC BYForest clear-cutting prior to the creation of a palm-oil plantation. Borneo (Indonesia), 2009. Rainforest Action Network/Flickr, CC BY-NC

Orangutan, clouded leopard and … the bearded pig

Borneo is rich in its biodiversity and home to many unique species. Its unique plants include carnivorous nepenthes as well as Rafflesia arnoldii, which produces the largest flower in the world with the smell of rotting flesh. Animals such as the orangutan, Borneo pygmy elephant, clouded leopard, long-nosed proboscis monkey and tufted ground squirrel call it home.

One species that is rarely mentioned is the bearded pig, Sus barbatus, despite the hog being the most emblematic animal of the island. This wild boar owes its name to an abundant tuft of upward- and forward-pointing bristles covering its cheeks and lower jaw. There are two subspecies: S. barbatus oi, present only in Sumatra, and S. barbatus barbatus, present on the Malay Peninsula and Borneo.

The bearded pig is a tireless migrator, either alone or in large herds. It often travels hundreds of kilometres to obtain its preferred foods. In doing so, it plays a crucial role as the gardener of the forests of Borneo.

Tireless gardener of Dipterocarpaceae

To understand this function of the wild boar, it is necessary to evoke the singular feature of Borneo’s forest: the predominance of a family of trees, the Dipterocarpaceae. These tall evergreens, mainly located in low-altitude forests, are easily recognisable by their “crown shyness” – the crowns of mature trees do not touch each other.

Most of the wood species exploited by the forest industry come from this family alone, thus increasing the sensitivity of the Borneo forest to unsustainable logging.

At irregular intervals of 2-15 years, a unique phenomenon occurs: all the Dipterocarpaceae species – as well as several species of Fagaceae associated with them and which produce lipid-rich acorns – dispense their fruits all at once within a short period, which does not exceed a few weeks.

Sometimes up to 90% of similar trees in one portion of the forest will bear fruit at the same time. From an evolutionary biology point of view, such mast fruiting, concentrated in space and time, aims to overwhelm potential predators, a strategy renown as “predator satiation”.

Because the phenomenon occurs in a staggered manner within the forest mosaic, animals that seek these nutritious fruits – first and foremost the bearded pig – must migrate from one fruiting zone to the next. In so doing, they perform an essential function for the dipterocarp trees, dispersing their seeds over vast distances.

A tireless forager, the bearded pig also reshapes the soil surface and accelerates the decomposition of organic matter. It browses and cleans the undergrowth, improving the access of tree roots to soil nutrients.

Dipterocarpaceae forest. Edmond Dounias/IRD, CC BY

A mediator with the spirit world

As it evolved, the bearded pig has adapted to the unpredictable pattern of dipterocarp mast fruiting.

It is omnivorous and can live off alternative food sources when dipterocarp trees aren’t producing fruit, periods that can last several years.

When abundant food is available, the boar’s efficient metabolism allows it to stock fat that will help it survive during the lean times.

Its physical attributes also reinforce its ability to survive: it’s highly fertile, reproduces early and can live in either small or large groups. Its long legs are adapted to extensive migrations through dense forests, and it’s an adept swimmer, too. All the better to maximise access to coveted resources.

The bearded pig is also the favourite game of the peoples of Borneo: it represents 97% of the bushmeat volume consumed by the Punan hunter-gatherers.

Bearded boar hunting, a millennial practice in Borneo. Charles Hose, Author provided

The hunting of wild boar, a practice attested to go back more than 35,000 years, justifies the prominent position of this animal in the culture of Borneo dwellers. They attribute to it a symbolic role as mediator between men and the spirits that regulate access to forest resources.

The rarefaction of the wild boar or the discovery of dead individuals in the forest are thus all bad omens. The Punan interpret these as expressions of the wrath of supernatural forces against them, signalling a need to restore harmony through frugal behaviour and the intervention of a shaman.

Through its interactions with other forest wildlife – birds, monkeys, barking deer – the bearded boar reveals the relationship that the peoples of Borneo have with their forests, their concern for a sane cohabitation with all the living creatures of the forest and a reasonable use of its resources. For the inhabitants of Borneo, this mammal is much more than just game. https://www.youtube.com/embed/XCktNumO8kY?wmode=transparent&start=0 Wild boar hunting by the Punan (2000).

Ecological and cultural keystone

Although its omnivorous diet and adaptability allow it to survive in even the most degraded environments and keep it away from the verge of extinction, the bearded pig is nevertheless classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. This is an undeniable indicator of the severe degradation of the forests of Borneo.

More efficiently than the most eminent ecologists, wild-boar hunters are in the front line of detecting the slightest behavioural change in their most charismatic resource. Sentinels of their environment, they can be incomparable partners for the international scientific community in monitoring and understanding the various drivers of change, including climate change, that affect their forests.

An ecological and cultural keystone species, the bearded pig is a strange mammal that nonetheless bears witness to the fact that no sustainable preservation of forests is conceivable without the decisive contribution of indigenous knowledge, and without recognition of the indigenous peoples’ specific vision of the world.

Edmond Dounias, Directeur de recherche, interactions bioculturelles, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD) This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Palm Oil Detectives Feb 14, 2021

Opinion: Seven strategies that offer hope for rainforests

Company policies, new technologies, innovative financing and more are brightening prospects for the tropical rainforests — but time is short.

February 18, 2020 — This piece was excerpted from Rainforest:Dispatches From Earth’s Most Vital Frontlines by Tony Juniper, Copyright © Tony Juniper. Reproduced by permission of Island Press, Washington, D.C.

The continuing clearance and degradation of tropical rainforests is not inevitable: It can be stopped and reversed. What follows is a description of seven strategies that have been shown to work.

1. Multiple Stakeholders

In the Amani Forest of Tanzania, “islands” of vegetation have been likened to the Galápagos Islands because of the exceptionally rich wildlife they support.

In the 1970s some conservationists believed it to be doomed by logging, farming and the expansion of tea plantations. In 1997, however, the forest was protected in the Amani Nature Reserve. Today it hosts a thriving research station.

The Amani Forest’s remarkable turnaround shows the benefits of multiple stakeholders being involved — in its case, local communities, the national government, scientific bodies, conservation groups and the international aid community.

2. Company (and Country) Policy

A number of multinational companies have adopted zero deforestation policies, often influenced by consumers. They include Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive, Krispy Kreme, Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonald’s, Nestlé. Hershey’s and Mars.

These commitments might end the anonymous purchase of ingredients from globalized markets, instead sourcing on the basis of where and how they are produced. And more than 60 countries are implementing programs under the auspices of REDD, with partnerships building between governments, companies, local communities and conservation and development groups.

3. New Technologies

New technologies are increasingly able to reveal change in forest cover in near-real-time, a helpful tool to fight corruption.

One of the key technology initiatives is Global Forest Watch, led by the World Resources Institute. In the past 10 years its capability has been transformed by access to the entire NASA Landsat archive, Europe’s Sentinel satellite program and Google’s computing cloud.

The main Global Forest Watch map reveals where deforestation has been most intense. Organizations can use the information for conservation purposes, including Interpol to crack down on shipments of illegally cut timber. Campaigners can use it to put pressure on companies, governments and international agencies.

4. Restoration for Social Good

Under the Bonn Challenge, countries and others signed up to goals to protect remaining forests and to increase forest cover by 3.5 million square kilometers (1.4 million square miles) by 2030. Although these are ambitious goals, progress is being made.

Importantly, the Bonn Challenge has been established not only as a vehicle for the recovery of forests but also to promote national development. This is for most tropical countries an essential frame for action. It is a fact of political life that poverty reduction generally trumps environmental priorities, so explicitly pursuing forest conservation and restoration because it is good for economic and social reasons is vital.

5. Protect and Conserve

The establishment of national parks, ecological reserves, indigenous territories and other designations aimed at the conservation of forests has over the decades made a huge positive difference.

Disputes and conflicts have sometimes accompanied their designation, for example, in curtailing local people’s rights of access. Thoughtful and inclusive planning can resolve at least some such conflicts. Enforcement of existing rules, including those to prevent poaching and maintain the integrity of protected areas, is also key.

6. Carbon Offsets

The world will be flying more in the decades ahead — and flights are for many in the developed world the largest part of an individual’s (and often a business’s) carbon footprint. If aviation is going to contribute to meeting global carbon reduction goals, there is also going to be a need for offsets.

Carbon held in natural systems, including tropical rainforests and the peat beneath them, is vital. Might it be possible to use money from a carbon charge on flight tickets to pay for rainforest protection and restoration? It seems to me that it has to be considered, even if a workable scheme won’t be perfect.

7. Innovative Financing

Long-term finance could come from investments in sustainable supply chains from multinational companies, including those behind global chocolate and coffee brands. Trust funds built up from royalties paid to governments by mining companies exploiting valuable ore bodies in or near rainforests could help. Small levies on ecotourism would be another source. Lottery money could make a difference, as could fines charged through crackdowns on illegal activities. There could be payments for ecosystem services — for example, from water companies receiving pure water from intact forests.

These and other sources of finance could add up to far more than the profits involved in destroying the forest. And such sums devoted to forest conservation would be money well spent, considering the wide range of benefits that would result.

The Road Ahead

The fact that I can paint this relatively optimistic picture of the road ahead says a great deal about how far the world has come in a very short time. When I began my campaign work for the rainforests back in 1990 I wouldn’t have thought such progress would be possible. Today, however, the case for the rainforests has been successfully made and action is being taken. A corner is being turned.

The new road ahead is a long one. Going down it as quickly as we can will be vital for protecting tropical rainforests and people. Should we drive hard and fast, we could secure the bargain of the century — climatic stability, water security, energy and food security, reduced social and political chaos and misery, the very future of life on Earth.

We know all we need to know to do this. What it requires now is for all of us to join in with this historic task. This is not only a call to action for company executives and government ministers, but all of us, in looking carefully at who we vote for, what we eat and consume. After all, there’s no reason we must continue to watch the inexorable decline of the tropical rainforests. We can save most of what is left and put back much of what’s gone, if we want to. Read more

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