User:Laj-NJITWILL

RE: Growth of Extinction

Mr. Lipuma,

Forests are large wooded areas which are primarily made up of trees that make up an ecosystem. There are several variations of forests and in general, these ecosystems are home to two-thirds of the planets species that inhabit land (Nature Conservancy). Experts predict that species that exist in forests are becoming extinct at a rate 1000 times higher than natural factors. As of 2010, 7.5 million acres of forest are lost to deforestation (Messanger, Stephen). Forests not only provide habitats for the organisms living in them, but provide clean air and water for the rest of the world.

The existing definition of Forests on Wikipedia reads:

A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending on various cultural definitions, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have different classifications according to how and what of the forest is composed.[1][vague] These plant communities cover approximately 9.4 percent of the Earth's surface (or 30 percent of total land area), though they once covered much more (about 50 percent of total land area), in many different regions and function as habitats for organisms, hydrologic flow modulators, and soil conservers, constituting one of the most important aspects of the biosphere. Although forests are classified primarily by trees, the concept of a forest ecosystem includes additional species (such as smaller plants, fungi,[2] bacteria, and animals) as well as physical and chemical processes such as energy flow and nutrient cycling.

A typical forest is composed of the overstory (canopy or upper tree layer) and the understory. The understory is further subdivided into the shrub layer, herb layer, and also the moss layer and soil microbes. In some complex forests, there is also a well-defined lower tree layer. Forests are central to all human life because they provide a diverse range of resources: they store carbon, aid in regulating the planetary climate, purify water and mitigate natural hazards such as floods. Forests also contain roughly 90 percent of the world's terrestrial biodiversity.

This existing definition gives you a general idea of what a forest is, but it lacks detail on their role in the environment. The definition in general lacks supporting information and references and the second paragraph does not transition to the first paragraph. The second paragraph should be an informative paragraph within the article, not the definition. To better re-write this definition, more statistics should be included to get an audience interested. I like the way that had included that today, “30% of total land area is covered by forest…” (Wikipedia). This piece of information makes an audience continue to read because it is a fact not an assumption, but is not referenced. After reading that, it makes me realize how much of the earth is covered by forest and wonder what happens if it disappears? I personally want to know the past and current status of forests. For example, if you try to look up Amelia Earhart on Wikipedia, in the first paragraph the reader can immediately find that she was the first pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean solo and then she tried to fly across the Pacific Ocean and disappeared and her body was never recovered. After reading, I, the reader, want to know more information on how she got started in aviation, how she was able to fly across the Atlantic and not the Pacific, and the detail on her missing body. If the author(s) of the “Forest” article stated more facts immediately in the definition, the reader would continue to read. In efforts to improve the existing article, I have found additional sites and articles that appeal to the definition for improvement. Two thirds of the planets species that inhabit land live in forests. This article is provided by the Nature Conservancy, an organization built to preserve forests. This site contains information on the conservation of forests, and how they reestablish, and protect them. It is obvious that the site is updated continuously because it contains features and new articles throughout. This organization also provides information on their purpose, where they can be contacted, and what the reader can do to help. This source keeps information relevant and up to date to keep the reader involved. An additional site, American Forests, is another conservation organization. They go into more detail of the importance of forests to air, water, climate, energy, wildlife, recreation, and people. For example, “The average healthy, mature tree produces roughly 260 pounds of oxygen annually. The average person consumes 386 pounds of oxygen per year. Two trees provide enough oxygen for one person per year” (American Forests). When you realize what two trees are capable of, you can only imagine what acres and acres can provide. Another source I found was an article that was displayed on an environmental interest website, or similar to a blog. The author of this site stated, “…3 million hectares (7.5 million acres) of forest loss per year…” (Messanger, Stephen). A statistic like that does not imply the author’s opinion of the decrease in forests, but it gives the reader a sense of what is occurring today. This particular article was written in 2010, which could have been subjected to change over the past two years, but it also referrers to the number of forests being destroyed from 10 years prior and compares them.

I suggest that the information I have researched should be added the definition of Forest to Wikipedia. The statistics referred to in the above paragraphs had been referred from reputable organizations. They provide useful information on the importance of forest and their existing well being. Adding these facts to the definition will keep the reader interested because the author is stating the truth as opposed to making a observation or assumption. If acceptable, I would like to abide by Wikipedia rules, and help improve the existing definition to help readers better understand that forests are more than just a cluster of trees and what they contain before the article goes into the detail and the geography behind them. I can be reached at my Wikipedia ID at laj-NJITWILL or by email at laj2@njit.edu. Thank-you

References: [http://www.americanforests.org/learn-more/forest-facts/air/ American Forests. “Forest Facts: Air”. American Forests. 2012. < http://www.americanforests.org/learn-more/forest-facts/air/>American Forests.” Forests & Wildlife Habitat”. American Forests. 2012. ] [http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/rate-of-forest-loss-has-decreased-but-were-not-out-of-the-woods-yet.html Messanger, Stephen. “Rate of Forest Loss had decreased, but we’re not out of the woods yet. TreeHuger. March 29, 2010. http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/rate-of-forest-loss-has-decreased-but-were-not-out-of-the-woods-yet.html The Nature Conservancy. "Forest of Life for people, water, and wildlife”. The Nature Conservancy. 2012. rvancy. ] Wikipedia. “Amelia Earhart”. Wikipedia. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Earhart> Wikipedia. “Forest”. Wikipedia. August 2011. 