11.3.2 Palm Oil
The palm oil industry was criticized due its harmful impact on the environment,
particularly on lowland tropical rainforest. The biggest cause of deforestation in
Southeast Asia is linked to expansion of palm oil plantations, which threatened
animal habitat (Klara 2011) and triggered biodiversity loss (Wilcove and Koh 2010).
In a recent study, it was found that monoculture oil palm plantations converted
natural forest, thereby decreasing overall diversity of plant and animal species,
which count on the natural forest for their existence (Aratrakorn et al. 2006; Maddox
2007; Carlson et al. 2012). Research conducted by (Vijay et al. 2016) analyzed
trends of total planted palm oil area from 1989–2013 in distinct regions; only
Southeast Asia (Indonesia and Malaysia) deforestation patterns with skewed perspective occurred, but, in the future this might be continual. Furthermore, based on
data, Southeast Asia is rapidly expanding in oil palm planted areas, and expansion
has occurred in other regions. For Malaysia, 39% of vulnerable forest saw deforestation and conversion to palm oil plantation. Palm plantation as the main direct cause
of deforestation was hard to quantify, since there was land-cover change was
lacking, as were subnational patterns, incomplete understanding of the complex
causes and a changing definition of forest (Fitzherbert et al. 2008). Another study
categorized the palm oil plant as forest and therefore not a contributor to deforestation (Sheil et al. 2009). Moreover, half of all palm oil expansion comes at the
expense of primary and secondary forest while the rest is owed to the previous
conversion of cropland (into rubber plantations, for instance). Klara (2011) showed a
large portion of Malaysian deforestation was a result of oil palm expansion in 1990
and 2007.
11.3.3 Primate Extinction
Deforestation has another negative impact: As stated by Whitmore and Sayer (1992),
species extinction might depend on the distribution of the species in the area of the
forest and on disturbances such as change in biomass and structures. Every country
has reserve forest land on which the number of species in the region can be studied.
Establishment of a reserve area protects species from extinction. Ecosystem fragmentation, normally the result of human disturbances like deforestation, has caused
species extinction. Changes in forest landscapes impact animal life and biodiversity
(Turner 1996).
11.3.4 Importance of Sustainable Plantations
In Malaysia, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) includes oil palm
growers, retailing outlets and NGOs, who participate in solving issues and setting up
basic practices for sustainable palm oil production. According to Nikoloyuk et al.
180
A. Omran and O. Schwarz-Herion
The palm oil industry was criticized due its harmful impact on the environment,
particularly on lowland tropical rainforest. The biggest cause of deforestation in
Southeast Asia is linked to expansion of palm oil plantations, which threatened
animal habitat (Klara 2011) and triggered biodiversity loss (Wilcove and Koh 2010).
In a recent study, it was found that monoculture oil palm plantations converted
natural forest, thereby decreasing overall diversity of plant and animal species,
which count on the natural forest for their existence (Aratrakorn et al. 2006; Maddox
2007; Carlson et al. 2012). Research conducted by (Vijay et al. 2016) analyzed
trends of total planted palm oil area from 1989–2013 in distinct regions; only
Southeast Asia (Indonesia and Malaysia) deforestation patterns with skewed perspective occurred, but, in the future this might be continual. Furthermore, based on
data, Southeast Asia is rapidly expanding in oil palm planted areas, and expansion
has occurred in other regions. For Malaysia, 39% of vulnerable forest saw deforestation and conversion to palm oil plantation. Palm plantation as the main direct cause
of deforestation was hard to quantify, since there was land-cover change was
lacking, as were subnational patterns, incomplete understanding of the complex
causes and a changing definition of forest (Fitzherbert et al. 2008). Another study
categorized the palm oil plant as forest and therefore not a contributor to deforestation (Sheil et al. 2009). Moreover, half of all palm oil expansion comes at the
expense of primary and secondary forest while the rest is owed to the previous
conversion of cropland (into rubber plantations, for instance). Klara (2011) showed a
large portion of Malaysian deforestation was a result of oil palm expansion in 1990
and 2007.
11.3.3 Primate Extinction
Deforestation has another negative impact: As stated by Whitmore and Sayer (1992),
species extinction might depend on the distribution of the species in the area of the
forest and on disturbances such as change in biomass and structures. Every country
has reserve forest land on which the number of species in the region can be studied.
Establishment of a reserve area protects species from extinction. Ecosystem fragmentation, normally the result of human disturbances like deforestation, has caused
species extinction. Changes in forest landscapes impact animal life and biodiversity
(Turner 1996).
11.3.4 Importance of Sustainable Plantations
In Malaysia, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) includes oil palm
growers, retailing outlets and NGOs, who participate in solving issues and setting up
basic practices for sustainable palm oil production. According to Nikoloyuk et al.
180
A. Omran and O. Schwarz-Herion