Logged Forests Thrive, While Palm Oil Leaves Little Alive

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Research: Logged Forests Can Thrive, While Palm Oil Leaves Little Alive | A comprehensive study by the University of Oxford reveals that while selective logging alters tropical forest structures, converting these areas into oil palm plantations inflicts more severe and cumulative environmental damage, particularly to biodiversity. The landmark research underscores the importance of preserving and restoring logged forests instead of repurposing them for palm oil cultivation.

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University of Oxford. (2025, January 9). Don’t write off logged tropical forests – converting to oil palm plantations has even wider effects on ecosystems. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 17, 2025, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250109141136.htm

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A recent study led by the University of Oxford has provided the most extensive assessment to date of how logging and subsequent conversion to oil palm plantations impact tropical forest ecosystems. The findings, published on 10 January 2025 in Science, indicate that while selective logging primarily affects forest structure, the conversion to oil palm plantations leads to more profound and cumulative environmental consequences, especially concerning biodiversity.

The research team evaluated over 80 metrics encompassing various aspects of tropical forest ecosystems, including soil nutrients, carbon storage, photosynthesis rates, and species diversity among birds, bats, dung beetles, trees, vines, and soil microorganisms. The study sites, located in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, comprised undisturbed old-growth forests, moderately to heavily logged forests, and former logged forests now converted to oil palm plantations.

The analysis revealed that selective logging predominantly impacts factors related to forest structure and environment. In tropical regions, logging is typically selective, targeting specific commercially valuable trees. The removal of older, larger trees creates canopy gaps, allowing fast-growing species with different characteristics—such as less dense wood and thinner, more herbivore-susceptible leaves—to proliferate.

In contrast, converting logged forests into oil palm plantations has a more detrimental effect on biodiversity. The study observed significant reductions in the abundance and diversity of various species groups within plantations compared to logged forests. This decline is attributed to substantial changes in plant food resources and the transition to hotter, drier microclimates under the simplified canopy structure of oil palm plantations.

Professor Andrew Hector of Oxford’s Department of Biology, the study’s senior author, stated, “One of the key messages of the study is that selective logging and conversion differ in how they impact the forest ecosystem, meaning that conversion to plantations brings new impacts that add to those of logging alone.”

The researchers emphasise that logged forests still hold significant value for maintaining biodiversity and should not be hastily converted into oil palm plantations. Professor Ed Turner of the University of Cambridge, co-leader of the study, noted, “Old growth, intact forests are unique, but secondary logged forests are also valuable and important in terms of their biodiversity and ecosystem functioning relative to the much-reduced levels seen in oil palm plantations.”

Lead author Dr. Charlie Marsh, formerly of Oxford’s Department of Biology and now at the National University of Singapore, highlighted the variability in ecosystem responses, stating, “Our study demonstrates that focusing on any single component of the ecosystem may lead to an incomplete understanding of how the ecosystem responds as a whole.”

This research underscores the critical need for informed land-use decisions that prioritise the conservation and restoration of logged forests to preserve biodiversity and maintain ecosystem functions.

For a detailed exploration of the study, read more.

University of Oxford. (2025, January 9). Don’t write off logged tropical forests – converting to oil palm plantations has even wider effects on ecosystems. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 17, 2025, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250109141136.htm

ENDS

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Read more about deforestation and ecocide in the palm oil industry

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