From research to responsible advocacy: the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation finds common ground in Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract

[Extract] Dramatic losses of forest and biodiversity across the Asia-Pacific region are a great cause for concern. The region's tropical ecosystems are under immense pressures, be it from conversion to exotic plantations in Indonesia andMalaysia or intense demand for wildlife products inVietnam and China. The fragmentation and disturbanceof natural vegetation by proliferating road networks andother infrastructures is seriously affecting many sensitivespecies, especially those that are slow-reproducing, large-bodied or range-restricted. Such changes are already altering seed dispersal, pollination and other key forest processes, making it even more difficult to predict the future impacts of climate change.