Estimating biodiversity impacts without field surveys: A case study in northern Borneo

Kitzes, Justin; Shirley, Rebekah

doi:10.1007/s13280-015-0683-3

Cited by 14 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The construction of conventional dams and megadams for generating electricity to attract energy-intensive industry and stimulate local productivity in the world’s most biodiverse river basins—the Amazon, Congo, and Mekong—also poses a severe threat to local primate persistence ( 27 ). For example, the development of 12 megadams in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, is expected to result in the loss of at least 2425 km 2 of forest cover, affecting populations of the Endangered Müller’s gibbon ( Hylobates muelleri ) ( 28 ). …”

Section: Factors That Threaten Primate Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impending extinction crisis of the world’s primates: Why primates matter

et al. 2017

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Section: Factors That Threaten Primate Populationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impending extinction crisis of the world’s primates: Why primates matter

et al. 2017

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“…Habitat inundation due to hydroelectric dams may also risk wide spread mammal extinctions in the region, as has occurred in parts of the lowland Amazonia forest area due to a hydroelectric dam project [24]. It is estimated that only three dams-Bakun, Murum and Baram-in the region would inundate habitat of three million birds, 110 million mammals, and 900 million trees [57].…”

Section: Borneo's Biodiversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging challenges for sustainable development and forest conservation in Sarawak, Borneo

et al. 2020

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The forests of Borneo-the third largest island on the planet-sustain some of the highest biodiversity and carbon storage in the world. The forests also provide vital ecosystem services and livelihood support for millions of people in the region, including many indigenous communities. The Pan-Borneo Highway and several hydroelectric dams are planned or already under construction in Sarawak, a Malaysian state comprising part of the Borneo. This development seeks to enhance economic growth and regional connectivity, support community access to services, and promote industrial development. However, the implications of the development of highway and dams for forest integrity, biodiversity and ecosystem services remained largely unreported. We assessed these development projects using fine-scale biophysical and environmental data and found several environmental and socioeconomic risks associated with the projects. The highway and hydroelectric dam projects will impact 32 protected areas including numerous key habitats of threatened species such as the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus), Sarawak surili (Presbytis chrysomelas), Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) and tufted ground squirrel (Rheithrosciurus macrotis). Under its slated development trajectory, the local and trans-national forest connectivity between Malaysian Borneo and Indonesian Borneo would also be substantially diminished. Nearly~161 km of the Pan-Borneo Highway in Sarawak will traverse forested landscapes and~55 km will traverse carbon-rich peatlands. The 13 hydroelectric dam projects will collectively impact~1.7 million ha of forest in Sarawak. The consequences of planned highway and hydroelectric dams construction will increase the carbon footprint of development in the region. Moreover, many new road segments and hydroelectric dams would be built on steep slopes in high-rainfall zones and forested areas, increasing both construction and ongoing maintenance costs. The projects would also alter livelihood activities of downstream communities, risking their long-term sustainability. Overall, our findings identify major economic, social and environmental risks for several planned road segments in Sarawak-such as those between Telok Melano and Kuching; Sibu and Bintulu; and in the Lambir, Limbang and Lawas regions-and dam projects-such as Tutoh, Limbang, Lawas, Baram, Linau, Ulu Air and Baleh dams. Such projects need to be reviewed to ensure they reflect Borneo's PLOS ONE

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“…These emissions contribute to climate change and the related temperature increase can accelerate the extinction of species 21 . Because of all these potential impacts, future hydropower development may interfere with SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation) and SDG 15 (Life on land) 22 , as it may contribute to local species extinctions 23 , of fish and macroinvertebrate species 19 , 24 , as well as terrestrial flora and fauna 25 , 26 . As human-well-being ultimately relies on biodiversity and their ecosystem services 27 , conservation of biodiversity has been identified as a key parameter for sustainable development 3 , 28 – 31 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Controlling biodiversity impacts of future global hydropower reservoirs by strategic site selection

Dorber

Arvesen

Gernaat

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Further reservoir-based hydropower development can contribute to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) on affordable and clean energy, and climate action. However, hydropower reservoir operation can lead to biodiversity impacts, thus interfering with the SDGs on clean water and life on land. We combine a high-resolution, location-specific, technical assessment with newly developed life cycle impact assessment models, to assess potential biodiversity impacts of possible future hydropower reservoirs, resulting from land occupation, water consumption and methane emissions. We show that careful selection of hydropower reservoirs has a large potential to limit biodiversity impacts, as for example, 0.3% of the global hydropower potential accounts for 25% of the terrestrial biodiversity impact. Local variations, e.g. species richness, are the dominant explanatory factors of the variance in the quantified biodiversity impact and not the mere amount of water consumed, or land occupied per kWh. The biodiversity impacts are mainly caused by land occupation and water consumption, with methane emissions being much less important. Further, we indicate a trade-off risk between terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity impacts, as due to the weak correlation between terrestrial and aquatic impacts, reservoirs with small aquatic biodiversity impacts tend to have larger terrestrial impacts and vice versa.

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Estimating biodiversity impacts without field surveys: A case study in northern Borneo

Cited by 14 publications

References 42 publications

Impending extinction crisis of the world’s primates: Why primates matter

Impending extinction crisis of the world’s primates: Why primates matter

Emerging challenges for sustainable development and forest conservation in Sarawak, Borneo

Controlling biodiversity impacts of future global hydropower reservoirs by strategic site selection

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