Work

The pantropical biodiversity footprint of oil palm

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Oil palm is one of the main drivers of tropical deforestation, yet there is a lack of spatial evidence of species‐specific habitat loss driven by oil palm plantations. Using an unprecedented high‐resolution global oil palm map, we assessed all the vertebrate species whose habitats overlapped with oil palm plantations globally. We find that 4.5% of forest‐dependent species lost more than 1% of their potential habitats to oil palm. Indonesia exhibited the highest total biodiversity footprint for mammals, birds, and reptiles, while Malaysia ranked highest for amphibians. São Tomé and Príncipe and Sri Lanka presented high biodiversity footprints per hectare. Biodiversity footprints were led by industrial plantations that account for large habitat loss proportions and present significantly higher footprint intensity than smallholder plantations for mammals and amphibians. Our findings demonstrate the pantropical biodiversity footprint of oil palm plantations and call for measures to ensure oil palm sustainable production beyond Southeast Asia.

Source: Conservation Science and Practice

DOI: 10.1111/csp2.70394

Authors: Yingtong Zhu, Jacqueline Choo, Cong Xia, Luis Roman Carrasco

Institutions: National University of Singapore, China University of Geosciences

Language: English

Topic: Oil Palm Production and Sustainability

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,240