| Rainforests most productive ecosystems on the planet |
| Written by UN Food and Agriculture Organisation | |
| Monday, 04 June 2007 | |
 © 2007 Jonathan Tan Rainforests are the most productive and most complex ecosystems on Earth. Forests are the repository of the great bulk of terrestrial biodiversity - as much as 90 percent. 
An endangered Mouse Deer photographed at the Wildlife Friends of Thailand rescue centre in Phetchaburi province Thailand. © 2007 Adam Oswell Commercial hunting is decimating wildlife populations across the tropics and may be one of the gravest threats presently facing rainforests. Research reveals that large-scale loss of wildlife is already affecting forest health and regeneration. 
© 2007 Adam Oswell The illegal trade in wildlife threatens the viability of ecosystems. We now understand that tropical forests are key to regulating our planet’s atmosphere and depend upon healthy wildlife populations. A sustainable wildlife resource base is vital to ensure biodiversity, human health and food security. |