Southeast and East Asia are a global hotspot for oak trees, but a new report highlights that the region is home to more threatened oak species than anywhere else in the world.
Researchers examined 172 oak species found in the region, with 54 of them being either threatened or data deficient. The report found that 46 of these species faced “very high” or “high” human pressure in over 50% of their range in 2024. Expansion of agriculture, particularly wood and pulp plantations, along with oil palm and rubber plantations, represents a major threat to two-thirds of the analyzed species. Other identified threats include small population sizes, infrastructure and urban development, and climate change.
Source: Mongabay