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Explora: Environment
and Resource COVID-19 impact on forest biodiversity attitudes

which leads to biodiversity loss. Based on the above force for plant conservation with their expertise, tools,
arguments, it is expected that deforestation has a direct facilities, and network locations.
and positive impact on biodiversity loss concerning bird
extinctions, mammal extinctions, and plant extinctions: 2.2.2. Bird species
H1: Deforestation is positively and significantly associated Bird species are seriously threatened by human activity,
with bird extinction. especially when it comes to hydropower dam construction
H2: Deforestation is positively and significantly associated and tropical agriculture. According to Birben, while
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with mammal extinction. these activities contribute to biodiversity loss, they also
H3: Deforestation is positively and significantly associated offer chances for conservation. The Hulu Terengganu
with plant extinction. Hydroelectric Dam project research by Nasruddin-
Roshidi et al. demonstrates the intricacy of the link
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2.2. Perception of species and biodiversity loss between habitat disturbance and bird species richness.
The degradation of biodiversity, a result of different human The results imply that even with habitat recovery, pre-
activities, has become a serious environmental problem. disturbance levels of bird species resurgence might not be
This review investigates how people see the decline in achieved. Scientists are actively studying the impacts of
land-based species richness, with a particular emphasis projects on tropical agriculture and hydroelectric dams.
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on plants, birds, and mammals. Warudkar et al. analysis Birben argues that even though tropical agriculture is a
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of global assessments in 2014 and 2021 shows increasing primary driver of biodiversity loss, it offers conservation
threats to species, one-third of which are now at risk of opportunities, particularly in regions with insufficiently
extinction. Tropical and subtropical marine coastal waters protected areas. An investigation into the long-term
are at high risk of depletion, highlighting the urgent need biodiversity capacity of agricultural landscapes in Costa
for focused conservation efforts in these areas. This study Rica, conducted between 1999 and 2010, examined bird
focuses only on the general view of the loss of biodiversity populations in sun coffee plantations, riparian corridors,
on Earth, especially the extinction of plants, birds, and secondary forests, forest fragments, and primary forest
mammals. reserves. The study reported that more bird populations
were declining than those remaining stable or increasing,
2.2.1. Plants species with the most significant declines observed in resident,
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Despite their ecological and cultural importance, insectivorous, and specialized species. Data showed
extinction of rare plant species is a major problem. The that about half of bird species favored forest to coffee
important role of botanical gardens in plant conservation plantations, about 40% preferred coffee plantations to the
has been highlighted by Chen et al. With their established forest, and about 10% used both habitats, showing that
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infrastructure and horticultural expertise, these institutions coffee plantations have some conservation importance.
play an important role in inland conservation. 2.2.3. Mammal species
As demonstrated by a study by Westwood et al., botanic It is commonly known that knowledge, awareness, and
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gardens can be powerful agents for plant conservation by attitudes toward conserving biodiversity are related.
leveraging their knowledge, resources, and network of sites. The studies highlighted the beneficial influence of
Plant conservation is currently done through botanical environmental knowledge on attitudes. 28-30 According
gardens, with networks of botanic gardens assisting in to Ferguson et al., there are differences depending on
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the work. Botanic gardens first began to play an active stakeholder histories, stakeholder gender, stakeholder
role in conservation in 1923 and 1931 at the International education, and stakeholder income. Geng et al. and
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Congress for the Conservation of Nature. Botanic gardens Baranovskis et al. provide insights into the impact of
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are ideal sites for plant conservation because they already economic considerations and community engagement
have infrastructure such as greenhouses and irrigation, on conservation views. Small and Maseyk’s study from
and horticulturists have the appropriate expertise for site 2022 emphasizes the necessity for focused initiatives to
conservation. 25 improve farmers’ comprehension of practices that promote
It was reported that over one-fifth of plant species are biodiversity.
threatened with extinction, with the sixth global mass The study of the extinction-risk paradigm contrasting
extinction event happening. In response to this disaster, models of extinction risk across diverse trophic groups
gardens are gradually positioning the conservation of of birds, mammals, and reptiles found that body size was
plant diversity at the center of their purposes. Therefore, a noteworthy feature that affected the risk of extinction.
Westwood et al. suggest gardens as the most significant Herbivores, particularly herbivorous reptiles, and large-
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Volume 1 Issue 1 (2024) 4 doi: 10.36922/eer.3615