#13 Animal Life and Forests: A Case for Forest Conservation

In the cycle of life on earth, extinction has been a natural phenomenon.

However, the mega forest fires of recent years are causing apocalyptic extinction events for animal life in forests that is unprecedented in the history of the planet. Global warming and forest degradation is causing a cataclysm for the animal kingdom.

It is important to understand animal life in forests to fully comprehend what our planet and we as humans stand to lose from wildfires and deforestation.

Facts to Know

Earth’s biodiversity depends on the world’s forests

The conservation of global biodiversity is utterly dependent on the way in which we interact with and use forests, according to The State of the World’s Forests report.

On the International Day for Biological Diversity (22nd May), the report shows that urgent solutions are needed to safeguard the forests’ biodiversity amid alarming rates of deforestation and degradation.

Since 1990, some 420 million hectares of forest have been lost through conversion to other land uses, although the rate of deforestation has decreased over the past three decades. Some 10 million hectares are still being lost each year.

Forests cover almost a third of the global land.

• Most of the Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity is in its forests.
• Forests contain 60,000 different tree species,
• 80 percent of amphibian species,
• 75 percent of bird species, and
• 68 percent of the world's mammal species.

Forest Gives Life

ca. 6,700 animal species,

ca. 4,700 species of plants

A forest provides animals with:

• spots for breeding and nesting
• protection against the weather and animals of prey
• food
• ambush for animals of prey

A forest provides the environment with:

• water reservoirs
• protection for the soil
• climate protection, “air filter”
• oxygen production

Forest Layers

A forest is not just trees. It is like a building with four floors or so-called "layers":

1. Tree layer

Mainly birds live in the tree layer and have their nesting and breeding places there. In this area they are optimally protected against animals of prey that are living on the ground.

Yet, also mammals such as the squirrel or the pine marten climb up that high. The squirrel even builds its nest up there, which is called “drey”.

2. Shrub layer (up to 16 feet or 5 meters)

Shrubs protect deer from bad weather and animals of prey. Birds use shrubs to hide in them, build nests and pick tasty fruits (such as rowan berries, sloes, raspberries).

Many shrubs have thorns, which protect the birds from animals of prey.

3. Herbaceous layer (up to 5 feet or 1.5 meters)

Mainly insects live between the grasses and ferns of the herbaceous layer. The plants provide protection and food as well. The more sunlight reaches the layer through the canopy of leaves, the more plants grow and thrive in the herbaceous layer. If there is not much sunlight, the vegetation is also rather sparse.

4. Forest floor (directly on the ground)

Mosses, lichens, mushrooms and foliage cover the ground of the forest. Insects, spiders and reptiles can be found there, but also mammals such as mice and hedgehogs. The nutritious soil provides food for many animals. For animals that dig little holes and tunnels into the ground, it also offers some hide-away.

Interesting Facts about Trees in the Forest:

Forests are usually named after their types of trees, e.g.:

• Broadleaf forest: elms, willows, alder trees, birches
• Conifer forest: pines, spruces
• Mixed forest: mix of broadleaf and conifer forest

Forests are also named according to their geographic location, climate or composition. The mountain forest is obviously located in mountain regions. The swamp forest is rather wet and humid and can be found in swamp areas. The South-American rain forest is known for its particularly humid climate. A forest that is not cultivated by humans is called primary forest or old-growth forest. An alluvial forest is located next to creeks and rivers.

An Overview of animal extinction?

The UN Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) conducted one of the most comprehensive checks on the state of the planet in 2019 and it found that human activity is having a devastating impact on the environment. The insatiable human hunger for food and energy is primarily to blame and that has caused nature to decline at a rate never previously seen.

The following infographic provides an overview of the species at risk of extinction as detailed in the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Plants, amphibians and corals are especially at risk, with 40, 35 and 30 percent of assessed species considered to be threatened with extinction, respectively.

?The Animal Kingdom Under Fire

Increased environmental pollution and the ongoing destruction of the world's natural habitats of a wide variety of animal species like rainforests and coral reefs have led to more than 10,000 out of roughly 74,000 known vertebrate species being endangered. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List , 17,000 animal species face extinction in 2022, an increase of roughly 9,000 compared to 15 years ago.

While this increase can be attributed to more and more species being assessed over the years - 4,863 mammal species in 2007 versus 5,973 in 2022 -, this week's Racing Bar puts the numbers into perspective by showing the share of threatened species in overall assessed animal species and grouping them by class. Fish, insects, mollusks and other crustaceans are excluded since, according to the IUCN,velopment.

An Expanding Red List

In addition to species changing status, The IUCN Red List grows larger with each update as newly described species and species from the less well-known groups are assessed for the first time (Figure below). IUCN and its partners are working to expand the number of taxonomic groups that have full and complete Red List assessments in order to improve our knowledge of the status of the world's biodiversity; see the Barometer of Life page for more information about this work.

Global Wildlife Populations Suffer Catastrophic Collapse

Infographic: Charting the world's sixth mass extinction

Why Forests and Wildlife Matter

There is an absolute need to save our flora and fauna in the forests for the following reasons:

• It is all about breathing: Without oxygen, no living organisms can survive. Roughly 20.9% of earth’s gases consist of oxygen and dependence on oxygen is higher, hence plants are essential.
• It plays a specific and significant role in the carbon cycle by absorbing carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
• It is home for different species: Modernization has caused deforestation. This has led many animals to become homeless, leading to the death of these animals in most cases because of unfavorable conditions.
• Provides employment: Forests provide a source of livelihood to millions around the world. Raw materials that can later be sold come from these forests.
• Forests provide wood: Wood serves as an important raw material for manufacturing industries as well as commercial purposes not only animals and plants, millions of people still live in the forests and in its vicinity. They survive from the abundant resources that forests have to offer.
• Rescue during natural disasters: Vegetation in forests helps during floods as they seep in and absorb all the water, thereby preventing damage to infrastructure.
• Helps regulate climatic conditions: Forests play a key role in bringing about a balance in the atmospheric temperature.
• Biodiversity at its best: To get a closer view of life, visit a forest. Forests, as we know, are home to thousands of species.
• Forests also provide great scope for exploration for science enthusiasts.
• Entertainment: Forest areas these days have been turned into adventure spots to help people get a first-hand experience of wildlife.

Conservation of Forest and Wildlife

• Deforestation also referred to as degradation or loss of forests needs to be controlled or hopefully stopped.
• Fuelwood and timber should be used wisely and not wasted.
• Forest fire needs to be monitored and damage control measures need to be taken at the right time. Every year, lakhs of trees are destroyed because of forest fires. 2018 saw one of the deadliest wildfires ever in the history of California causing severe damage to property and life.
• Measures and interest need to be channelled towards regrowing trees and increasing the land cover for forests. Reforestation and afforestation need to be promoted throughout the world.
• Proper forest management bodies need to be enforced to monitor wildlife actions and update on the latest.
• Care and habitation need to be provided to extinct species and efforts need to be taken to save them from becoming extinct.

7 Ways Wildlife Supports Healthy Trees & Forests

1. Trees depend on wildlife to disperse their seeds.

When it comes to spreading their genetic material, trees definitely get creative. From hardy Mangrove propagules that can live up to a year at sea to explosive Sandbox capsules that launch seeds at speeds of up to 160 mph, it’s clear that they put a lot of energy into dispersal. To that end, many species have successfully lured other life forms into fulfilling their reproductive aspirations. One striking example of this can be found in Southeast Asia, where Orangutans aid dispersal by eating fruits whole, then expelling the seeds in their droppings. In one study, scientists found 828 seeds in one fecal sample! And because droppings create a nice, moist environment for the digested seeds, successful germination is much more likely. Clearly, they’ve earned their title “man of the forest.”

2. Trees depend on wildlife to keep herbivores in check.

In recent decades, scientists have found that large predators play an essential role in protecting the ecosystems they call home. How do they do this? By keeping voracious herbivores in check! Consider the story of the wolves in Yellowstone National Park: in 1920, they disappeared completely due to aggressive hunting, and the entire ecosystem suffered. For 70 years, Elk herds increased their numbers exponentially by consuming the aspens, willows, and cottonwoods that lined streams. Vegetation declined and other wildlife species left. When the wolves were finally reintroduced, they kept the Elks on the move and as a result, the trees were able to recover. When the trees recovered, their roots stabilized stream banks and slowed the flow of water through the ecosystem. Then, the other animals came back. All of this was made possible by returning the wolves to their rightful place home.?

3. Trees depend on wildlife to control insects.

Because trees can live for centuries, they spend their lives in the slow lane. This allows them to grow strong and steady, developing thick bark and intricate root systems and storing massive amounts of carbon. It also leaves them vulnerable to voracious insects who work their way up their trunks, into their bark, and to the tips of branches where leaves stretch towards the sun. Thankfully, birds often step in to help, in a symbiotic relationship that fills their bellies with much-needed protein and saves trees from being eaten by species like leafhoppers, caterpillars, and grasshoppers. Some birds, like chickadees, can consume up to 1,000 bugs a day! How’s that for natural pest control?

4. Trees depend on wildlife for pollination.

We’re all familiar with how vital bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are to pollination—and, therefore, our entire food supply. So important, in fact, that engineers have created mechanical bees as a safeguard against the total collapse of bee populations. But did you know that in some forests, 4-legged creatures have taken on this vital role? In Australia, adorable mouse-sized Honey Possums drink the nectar of Banksia and Eucalyptus flowers. Their long noses get dusted with pollen while they feed, which is then passed on to the next flower they visit. Does that give new meaning to the phrase “sticking your nose in other people’s business,” or what??

5. Trees depend on wildlife to thin their ranks.?

While this may sound counterintuitive, sometimes eating trees is the best thing that an animal can do for a forest. In central Africa, Forest Elephants eat thinner, faster-growing trees, making room for their slower, denser counterparts to grow and thrive. In turn, these slower, denser trees store massive amounts of carbon and provide other ecosystem services with less competition for resources from other plants. We don’t know about you, but eating an entire tree, even if it is “small,” sounds like a tall order. Luckily, African Elephants are more than up to the task!

6. Some wildlife species actually germinate seeds while they digest?

In Japan, Bears help Cherry trees by eating their fruit, germinating the pits inside their digestive systems, and then conveniently depositing them in piles of fresh fertilizer. How does this work? Their stomach acids and digestive enzymes wear down the cherry’s hard seed coats without harming the seeds, making them more permeable to water and, therefore, easier to sprout. Talk about giving back!

7. Trees depend on wildlife to fix carbon and absorb nutrients.?

Trees everywhere depend on mutualistic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi. In return for protection within special mycorrhizal roots, the fungi procure scarce nutrients like phosphate and nitrogen and transfer them to their host tree. This, in turn, helps the trees to pull carbon from the atmosphere and transform it into sugars (energy) and oxygen. One well-studied species, Laccaria bicolor can be found in the birch, fir, and pine forests of North America. Without fungi, 85% of terrestrial ecosystems would be in serious trouble!

Steps for Conservation of Forest and Wildlife Resources

Project Tiger:?

Project Tiger came into existence in 1973 by realizing the decrease in tiger population had dwindled to 1,827 from an estimated 55,000 at the turn of the century. The threats to the tiger population are numerous, like poaching for trade, shrinking habitat, growing human population, depletion of prey base species, – etc. People killed many tigers for skin bones and traditional medicines, especially in the Asian countries that left the tiger population on the verge of extinction.

Sacred Groves:?

The old tribal people believed the forests had gods and goddesses. The local people have left these patches of forest or parts of large forests untouched, and any interference with them is banned. The Mundas and the Santhal of Chota Nagpur region worship mahua (Bassia latifolia), and the tribals of Odisha and Bihar worship the tamarind (Tamarindus indica), kadamba (Anthocephalus cadamba) trees, and mango (Mangifera indica) trees during weddings. To many of us, banyan and peepal trees are considered sacred.

Chipko Movement:?

The Chipko movement was started by many women hugging the trees around. This movement greatly saved forests from deforestation in the Himalayas, and afforestation came into existence with various species. Adapting the traditional methods can save both forests and wildlife.

Contributions of Bishnoi Community:?

Bishnois are a community from my state of Haryana in India and they are a model for the nurturing and protection of animal life.

The Bishnoi community are India’s original eco-warriors.

Members of the Hindu sect - which has more than 1.5 million devotees - have been fighting to protect the environment for more than 500 years.

The community believes in the sanctity of all life,?shunning meat ?and avoiding felling living?trees .

Spread mostly in hamlets across the state of Rajasthan, members draw inspiration from Amrita Devi, a Bishnoi woman killed in 1730 while trying to protect a grove of khejari?trees .

Resources:

?Animals of the Forest

Forest Biodiversity: Integrating Indigenous and Local Knowledge Systems into Conservation Policies in Southwestern Nigeria (longdom)

WildLife Management (longdom)

Wildlife (cbd)

Life of Animals in Forest Habitats (environmentbuddy)

Forest Animals: 9 Animals Adapted To Forest Life (woodlandtrust)

Living among the trees: Five animals that depend on forests (worldwildlife)

Forests (worldwildlife)

What is a Forest Habitat? (twinkl)

Animals are key to restoring the world's forests (sciencedaily)

Animals and Plants of the RainForest (arborday)

Plant and animal life (britannica)

Forest and Wildlife Resources (ncert)

What are Biodiversity and Forest and Wildlife Resources? (embibe)

We Need To Safeguard Our Forests (wwf.panda)

What is Flora and Fauna: Importance and Various Examples (conserve-energy-future)

New Study Finds Animals Play Key Role in Restoring Forests (environment.yale.edu)

Benefits for Wildlife (nwf) ??

The Benefits Of Forest For Animals (wcfpd)

Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’; Species Extinction Rates ‘Accelerating’??

Chart: Threatened With Extinction | Statista ?

Chart: The Animal Kingdom Under Fire | Statista ?

Forest Animals Habitat & List | Animals that Live in the Forest - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com ?

An Overview On Conservation of Forest and Wildlife ?

7 Ways Wildlife Supports Healthy Trees & Forests

Forests and Wildlife – Meaning, Effects & Protection ??

News and Reports:

IUCN Red List ?

Teaching About Endangered Animals (Reading Passages, Graphic, Video) | by Goalbook | Innovating Instruction | Medium ?

Chart: Global Wildlife Populations Suffer Catastrophic Collapse | Statista ?

Infographic: Charting the world's sixth mass extinction

Discover the Largest Forest in Maine (And What Lives Within It) (a-z-animals)

5 things you didn’t know about rainforests (weforum)

Science, not emotions, is needed in managing wildlife (newindianexpress)

Wildfires threaten animal life in Chile (israelhayom)

Despite efforts and funds, human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand is not contained (india.mongabay)

Amazon mammals threatened by climate change (sciencedaily)

Bioma Token will be launched as a preserver of Amazon Forest (einnews)

This is what happens to rainforests when there’s not enough rain (themalaysianreserve)

FOREST INK: The Age of Nature (wltribune)

Floating through the dreamscape of Victoria’s underwater forests (theage)

USDA Forest Service plans prescribed burns in these Alabama national forests (whnt)

5 Pressing Environmental Issues in Canada in 2023 (earth)

Earth’s biodiversity depends on the world’s forests - UNEP-WCMC ?

Bodies & Organizations?

Woodlandtrust (woodlandtrust)

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

Onetreeplanted (onetreeplanted)

The Arbor Day Foundation (arborday)

The National Wildlife Federation (nwf)

Project Learning Tree (PLT)

Fauna & Flora International? (fauna-flora)

American Tree Farm System (treefarmsystem)

Pacific Forest Trust (pacificforest)

Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)

Nurture Nature Center (NNC)

UN Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES )?

Wildlife SOS (wildlifesos)

Prepared for ForestSAT AS by Ajay Goyal & Chiara Quaresmini

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