Deforestation in Australia & its Impact on Koalas
Deforestation in Australia has severely detrimental impacts on the koala population.
Section I - Introduction
- Where in Australia is deforestation most rampant?
- What animal species are most severely impacted by deforestation in Australia?
- How is deforestation impacting wildlife in Australia?
Research Questions:
I am researching how deforestation in Australia affects the koala population. Deforestation is not only detrimental to the environment but also impacts the wildlife in that area. Koalas live in the forests of Australia and therefore are highly affected by deforestation.
The primary issue I have found is that deforestation leads to mass habitat and food loss for koalas. Koalas live in gum trees, also commonly known as eucalyptus trees. These trees are not only the koalas' primary habitat but are also their main source of food.
I choose to focus on this topic because I am passionate about the environment and love animals. Growing up, I always found koalas adorable and thought it would be interesting to learn about them now. I also have always wanted to travel to Australia and thought this would be an excellent opportunity to educate myself on the country.
Section II - Annotations
Tree-clearing - WWF-australia. WWF. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.wwf.org.au/what-we-do/species/tree-clearing#gs.gqblm0.
This source is about the impacts tree-clearing has on Australia. Most deforestation is caused by tree-clearing, with minimal being from natural events such as forest fires. Deforestation is a leading threat to 964 plants and 286 animals in Australia alone. When trees are cut down, they release carbon and have a negative impact on the environment. The article goes on to discuss how tree-clearing negatively impacts soil health and can lead to erosion and water pollution from runoff.
This source contributes to my research because it gives me a good overview of deforestation in Australia and its impact on the environment. The data on the animals that deforestation impacts was highly beneficial to me. I learned that deforestation affects hundreds of species in Australia and the different ways it impacts the environment. I did not know the impacts tree-clearing had on soil and water before reading this article and found these facts to be very interesting.
Habitat loss and the decline of koalas. National Parks Association of NSW. (2017, March 16). Retrieved from https://npansw.org.au/campaigns-2/great-koala-national-park/habitat-loss-and-the-decline-of-koalas/.
This source talks about habitat trees and how vital they are to koalas. These trees are extremely wide and tall, making them appealing to loggers. These trees are often cut down, leading to habitat loss. Habitat trees are becoming increasingly scarce in Australia because of tree clearing. These trees are not only crucial to koalas from housing but also for food. Koalas rely on a diet of mainly plants and primarily eat leaves from these trees. This source goes on to argue that tree clearing must be halted because it is cheaper to stop it now than try and repair these forests in the future.
This source contributes to my research because it discusses the clearing of a specific tree that is essential to koalas. I learned about the term "habitat trees" from this article and their importance. I did not know there was a specific term for these trees or how large they were. The video gave me a great perspective of just how large these trees are and why loggers so highly demand them.
Cox, L. (2019, January 12). Australia the only developed nation on world list of deforestation hotspots. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/13/australia-the-only-developed-nation-on-world-list-of-deforestation-hotspots.
This source discusses how Australia is a hotspot for deforestation. Australia is the only developed country to be on the deforestation hotspot list. A significant drive for tree clearing is the cattle industry in Australia. Cattle require large amounts of land and are a massive industry. The article states cattle pastures are the number one cause for deforestation, with logging being the second driver. The article ends with the author discussing how important it is for the Australian government to step in on illegal tree clearing and enforce the policies.
This article is beneficial to my research because it goes into detail about how Australia is a deforestation hotspot and what drives deforestation. I learned about how the cattle industry is a significant driver of deforestation in Australia. I did not know how large the cattle industry is in Australia or that it is a reason for tree clearing. I also learned about how Australia is the only developed country categorized as a deforestation hotspot.
Evans Megan C. (2016) Deforestation in Australia: drivers, trends and policy responses. Pacific Conservation Biology 22, 130-150.
This source is an academic peer-reviewed journal. It discusses what drives deforestation as well as the policies and trends around it. The author goes into detail about what has occurred in the past 40 years in regards to deforestation in Australia. The author's point is to inform the reader about how deforestation is impacting Australia and how it has changed over the years. The author also goes into detail about future possibilities to decrease and reverse the negative implications of deforestation in Australia. I learned about where deforestation is most concentrated in Australia. This information about the location is extremely beneficial to my research. I also learned about how deforestation has evolved in Australia over the past 40 years. It is very interesting to read about how the policies have changed and been reformed over the years and compare them to the ones in place today.
I learned about where deforestation is most concentrated in Australia. This information about the location is extremely beneficial to my research. I also learned about how deforestation has evolved in Australia over the past 40 years. It is very interesting to read about how the policies have changed and been reformed over the years and compare them to the ones in place today.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (2018, October 31). How Australia became one of the worst deforesters in the world. ABC. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/how-australia-became-one-of-the-worst-deforesters-in-the-world/10452336.
This source discusses specific areas in Australia where deforestation is most rampant. It also goes into detail about how much land is cleared in various regions. The article also states that many other animals are being impacted and killed because of deforestation. At the rate trees are being cleared in Australia right now, many may be extinct.
I learned about just how many hectares of land are being cleared in Australia. This information is important to my research because it gives me a better perspective on how detrimental deforestation is to the country. The majority of deforestation is occurring in Queensland, Australia. The article goes on to discuss the changes in deforestation laws in Australia and how those caused an increase in tree clearing.
Readfearn, G. (2019, December 11). Almost a quarter of eucalypt trees found to be threatened with extinction. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/dec/11/almost-a-quarter-of-eucalypt-trees-found-to-be-threatened-with-extinction.
This source is about the deforestation of eucalyptus trees in Australia. There are 826 known species of eucalypt trees, and 812 are only known to grow in Australia. Almost 25% of these tree species are threatened by extinction. The article goes into further detail about how the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed 198 eucalyptus trees species as endangered in Australia.
This source contributes to my research because eucalyptus trees are the primary source of habitat and food for koalas. Without these trees, koalas face habitat loss and possible starvation. This source taught me about the various species of eucalyptus trees and just how many of those species are threatened by possible extinction.
Koala Facts & Threats. Bush Heritage Australia. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/koalas.
This source is an independent not-for-profit organization that buys and manages land to help protect it and its native species. The article is about general information about the koala species and how the organization is trying to stop deforestation of their land. The organization has koalas at two of their reservations in Australia in hopes of saving them from extinction.
This article contributes to my research because of the information it states about the koala species that I did not know before my research. I also had not heard about koala reservations in Australia before and found this information very interesting and beneficial to my research. A fascinating fact I learned from this source is that a single koala needs approximately 100 trees.
Section III - Interpretation and Conclusion
Having now completed my research, I have learned just how detrimental deforestation is to Australia and its wildlife and what drives deforestation. Deforestation is relevant to the theme of the environment and the effects humans have on it. I can claim that deforestation is a human-caused event that is highly detrimental to Australia's environment and wildlife.
