In Chapter 9 Kolbert discusses environment-related specialization and how a small change in an environment can have devastating consequences for beings living in that environment because they may not be able to adapt fast enough. Kolbert visits Reserve 1202 which is an island in the center of the Amazon rainforest. These reserves were founded by Tom Lovejoy who wanted a way to protect certain rainforest areas from farmers cutting down trees. Lovejoy’s research involves making comparisons between the tiny reserves and the main rainforest area. When Kolbert goes to Reserve 1202 with an ornithologist named Mario Cohn-Haft she learns that there has been a decline in the diversity of bird species as she is shown through the bird calls made late at night. On page 179 Cohn Haft states “ there wasn’t just suddenly this new equilibrium with fewer species. There was this steady degradation in diversity over time” which shows that this was a process which didn’t occur at once. It happened steadily as the trees were being cut down. This is another example of the magnitude of the effects of human activity on the natural world. This relates to the theme that management of common resources is essential because if humans were to not take advantage of various natural resources then situations like the birds would not happen as often and as fast as it is.
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