Researchers Find Roads Shatter the Earth's Surface Into 600,000 Fragments (phys.org)

An international team of conservation scientists have released a new global map of roadless areas that shows that the Earth's surface is shattered by roads into more than 600,000 fragments. While roads allow humans to travel to nearly every region in the world, they severely reduce the ability of ecosystems to function effectively. Phys.Org reports: Recent research carried out by an international team of conservation scientists and published in the journal Science used a dataset of 36 million kilometers of roads across the landscapes of the earth. They are dividing them into more than 600,000 pieces that are not directly affected by roads. Of these remaining roadless areas only 7 percent are larger than 100 km2. The largest tracts are to be found in the tundra and the boreal forests of North America and Eurasia, as well as some tropical areas of Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. Only 9 percent of these areas undisturbed by roads are protected. Roads introduce many problems to nature. For instance, they interrupt gene flow in animal populations, facilitate the spread of pests and diseases, and increase soil erosion and the contamination of rivers and wetlands. Then there is the free movement of people made possible by road development in previously remote areas, which has opened these areas up to severe problems such as illegal logging, poaching and deforestation. Most importantly, roads trigger the construction of further roads and the subsequent conversion of natural landscapes, a phenomenon the study labels "contagious development."

Comments

Proof that "Science" has become "Politics"

[Anonymous Coward]

When an eco-warrior manifesto worthy of the Unabomber makes into a publication like "Science," the real conclusion that should be drawn is that the scientific publishing establishment has been overtaken by propagandists with a political agenda.

Typical enviro extremism

[Raisey-raison]

We have close to 7.5 billion people on the planet. Without roads people would be living in poverty. Unless you have a reasonable alternative you cannot complain. Should we just have huge no go areas 200 km by 200 km? Should we just not farm the earth and allow humankind to starve? And there is already not enough homes for the current population. It's easy to be an environmentalist when you are wealthy and have a beautiful and large home. Articles like this don't consider the human dimension. Why is Slashdot so biased?

It Gets Worse

[JimSadler]

Building roads generates an endless need to build even more roads. Roads eliminate trees and animal life as do roof tops. It all points to the same issue. We must limit births in all nations. Almost all of our serious issues are simply due to excessive reproduction. And again, forced birth control is not a topic that any politician dare mention. Further, the way our economic systems work if population does not grow poverty increases.