Loss of habitat: A microcosm of tropical deforestation and human activities from the 1970s to the 21st century

Loss of habitat: A microcosm of tropical deforestation and human activities from the 1970s to the 21st century

The deforestation of tropical forests accelerated in the second half of the 20th century and further expanded in the 21st century. In Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, demand for palm oil became the biggest factor in deforestation, and forests in Borneo and Sumatra were converted to plantations. As a result, orangutans, Sumatran tigers, and other large mammals were deprived of their habitats and faced extinction. Forests were fragmented and populations were forced to shrink and isolate themselves. In the 1970s, the Green Revolution and the expansion of international markets led to a surge in demand for vegetable oil, beef, and pulp and paper, which consumed forests as a "resource. Furthermore, the use of biofuels by Western countries paradoxically accelerated the destruction of tropical forests. Meanwhile, in England, the mechanization of agriculture and the spread of chemical fertilizers in the 20th century have resulted in the disappearance of grasslands
and the shrinking of habitats for insects and birds. The loss of habitat is not limited to the tropics, but also extends to rural areas in the temperate zones, showing the history of the loss of diversity as humans have prioritized their livelihoods. Lost habitats cannot be easily restored, and this threatens the future of human society itself.