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This Research in Action article was provided to LiveScience in partnership with the National Science Foundation .
Despite improved preservation efforts , the Amazon pelting wood face environmental threats from disforestation .
From river to forest to sky: The Amazon’s trees are the link that holds the fragile ecosystem together, sucking water through their roots and releasing it back into the atmosphere.
Researchers are investigating deforestation activities and the role played by building roads in the region — regain the answer is no simple task and take first - handwriting exploration of the Amazon forests and the road themselves .
Up for the challenge are the collaborating researchersRobert Walkerof Michigan State University , project leaderEugenio Arima(who at the clock time was an assistant prof of Environmental Studies at Hobart William and Smith Colleges , and is now moving to the University of Texas at Austin ) , and Ritaumaria Pereira , a doctorial prospect in Geography at Michigan State University .
With support from the National Science Foundation , the squad journeyed along the " Trans - Amazon Highway , " one of the longest highways in Brazil , to search for loggers and go over connexion between timber debasement and development ( see video below ) .
From river to forest to sky: The Amazon’s trees are the link that holds the fragile ecosystem together, sucking water through their roots and releasing it back into the atmosphere.
Before embarking on the highway , the team satisfy with the local Kayapó Indians who provided fundamental information about logging activity in the humble Amazon catchment basin . The Kayapó once allow loggers on their land , but after negative consequences , such as land harm and tribal dispute , the Kayapó now defend effort to conserve country .
The 850 - mile journey along the Trans - Amazon Highway began at the village of Santarém , where the researchers rented a jeep and headed western United States to the terminus , the town of Labrea . Along the way , the researchers observed a concourse of wildlife , including a " macaw city " where numerous rarefied bluish macaws buzz around the researchers .
Deep in the wood , the researchers found an alive gold mine , plagued with malaria . The barren landscape of the mine was dry with sandlike crevices dispersed throughout — a reminder of what the rain forest could become if it was completely veer down .
Along the Aripuanã River , the team found what they initially set out to discover — evidence of the active log manufacture . legion logging trucks carrying sawed wood appear to be come from the direction of the nearby frontier town of Vila Santo Antonio Matupi . The squad attempted to question the feller , but such a undertaking is not so elementary , as lumberman are often armed and suspicious of alien . Although the loggers were not open to discourse , the team go for to develop alternative strategies to question them in the hereafter .
The team continued their journey along the last reaching of the Trans - Amazon , which essay to be the most hard . Walker explained that the road conditions were particularly wet and stranded . If you were to get stuck , you would have to make trusted the window were shut while you log Z’s , or else jaguars might ante up a visit .
Despite the challenges , after nine days the squad safely complete their trip . Through their journey , the squad located the " logging frontier " in Brazil and learned about the group that are involved in farming development , such as settlers , ranchers and local authorities .
They also investigated how sprawling road construction fragments the forest as well .
From those findings , the team find out that certain patterns of fragmentation are peculiarly sustainable . The " fishbone " figure , for instance , which resembles the osseous tissue structure of a Pisces , offers a result that combine sustainable development with forest sustenance . In that traffic pattern , the " pearl - like " formations stand for roads and the infinite between each road , or " bone , " provides space for fauna crusade and a web of connected ecosystems . That configuration of forest fragmentation countenance for sustainable growing if in good order planned , and safeguard .
To read more about these finding , check out anNSF " Discovery " articleand aMSU Alumni Magazine articleabout the squad ’s trip to the Amazon .
Any opinions , finding , and conclusion or testimonial expressed in this stuff are those of the generator and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation . See theResearch in Action archive .
