Over the past 50 years, South-East Asia has suffered the greatest losses of biodiversity of any tropical region in the world.

A study, published today in the journal ‘Nature‘, involves research from the Environment Institute’s Professor Corey Bradshaw and Professor Barry Brook, University of Adelaide.

The study highlights the importance of natural forests undisturbed by humans – known as ‘primary forests’ – in sustaining tropical wildlife.

The study compares human impacts on biodiversity across the world’s key tropical forested regions, and the conclusion is very clear: “undisturbed primary forests are the only ones in which a full complement of species can thrive,” says
Professor Corey Bradshaw.

“Much has been made in recent years of the potential conservation value of disturbed and degraded forests – what we call ‘secondary forests’ “, says co-author Professor Barry Brook.

For the full media release, click here.