Beyond Urbanization

Abstract

recorded. Despite its well-known and acknowledged significance in terms of biodiversity, Southeast Asia has observed the highest rate of deforestation on the planet in past decade. Almost 15% forest cover was lost in the last 15 years for a progressive increase in the size and populations of its cities. More than 50% of South East Asian urban areas got developed within highly diverse ecoregions that have adversely impacted the protected areas within hotspots of biodiversity. An assessment of urbanization and its impact on biodiversity levels clearly indicates that cities support far fewer species of birds and plants as compared to similar un-urbanized regions. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources documents 91,520 species on the IUCN Red List, a list that identifies species that need targeted recovery efforts with special focus on the conservation. The list identifies more than 25,820 species are threatened with extinction globally that include 41% of amphibians, 34% of conifers, 33% of reef-building corals, 25% of mammals and 13% of birds, however, the trend reveals a worrying concentration of Critically Endangered species in southeast Asian hotspots. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species showed that Southeast Asia had by far the highest concentration of species on the edge of extinction of any region in the world as per the comprehensive Global Mammal Assessment, 2008. The region is considered as world’s most threatened region for mammals with some parts of the region to lose 98% of the remaining forests in next decade. Similarly, Southeast Asia that supports the highest mean proportion of endemic (national level) bird species, also has the highest mean proportion of threatened bird species of all tropical regions. Deforestation is the most likely major cause of avian losses in Southeast Asia though avifauna of Southeast Asia remains one of the least studied in the tropics.