Land use drives change in amazonian tree species

Abstract: The Amazonian rainforest has been subjected to exceptionally high rates of land use change (LUC), primarily for pasture. We present here an analysis of the impact of LUC on trees from studies made in Pará state. LUC results in drastic declines in native species richness, changes species composition and impacts community resilience and ecosystem services provided by the Amazonian rainforest. Given that secondary forests are expanding in Amazonia we argue that this regrowth forest should be taken into account when planning conservation in this region.

Key words
Amazon region; biodiversity; deforestation; land use