SNC1D Science Journal

Borneo’s rainforests are some of the most biodiverse in the world. The island is home to more than 230 species of mammals, 420 bird species, 100 amphibians, 394 fish and over 15,000 plant species. “The Borneo rainforests are the richest terrestrial ecosystem in the world,” according to Borneo Futures.

 Borneo’s unique biodiversity is being threatened by several large limiting factors. Limiting factors determine a habitat’s carrying capacity, which is the maximum size of the population it can support. Deforestation is one of these factors. The raising demand for palm oil and mining materials is severely affecting the environment. The Borneo forests have been being clear cut for over 15 years to make more room for the palm oil plantations.

Human’s are also removing the space and habitat available available by cutting down the forest. Not having enough space to live is a very big limiting factor. With the jungle being wiped away, it leaves the animals with little to no habitat. Having a habitat is one of the most important resources to sustain life, with less space available for the animals to live, it effects the carrying capacity of the area. Borneo’s forest provides shelter, food resources, and a safe environment for animals to reproduce.

The human interaction of cutting down the rainforest has also caused the vegetation to change at the forest floor. The vegetation normally that grows there likes shade from the canopy. Once the trees are gone, only vegetation that likes sunlight will grow. This will cause a limiting factor of food for the animals that will only eat the original vegetation.

The list of endangered species in Borneo continue to grow and the numbers of biodiversity in the ecosystems continue to shrink. Animals like the Sabah rhino, the clouded leopard, and the orangutans are struggling. These endangered species play a major role in the food webs in the ecosystems. If they were to go extinct, the food web would be severely affected and may not recover.  

With the island’s primary producers and habitats being wiped out, animals will continue to die off. This severely impacts the amount of biodiversity an ecosystem can sustain.

References:

ttps://rainforests.mongabay.com/borneo/ 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palmoil-deforestation-study-idUKKBN1W41HD

https://www.sustainability-times.com/environmental-protection/indigenous-people-on-borneo-seek-to-save-their-forests-from-loggers/

PS – I was unable to put in a feature image. I tried several different images, and it said all were unable to insert.