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Megalopods, which are closely related to the palm tree, have

Feb. 28, 2018 by James Ashley

Megalopods, which are closely related to the palm tree, have about 60 percent of the world's palm oil, but are still found in the tropics around the world. In some countries, there are currently no palm oil plantations in Indonesia because the palm trees are so small.

The new study, which was funded by the Office of Marine Resources in Washington, D.C., is based on a review of the literature. According to the research, this could change dramatically. In the past, it's not unusual to see palm trees growing in tropical regions. But for the most part, the researchers found that when palm oil cultivation is expanded to include more palms, the impact on these trees is much less.

The study also suggests some potential for deforestation in Africa. The authors state that with a huge expansion in the palm plantations, there's the chance that there could be widespread or even irreversible damage to native biodiversity and ecosystems.

In the present paper, the researchers look at the extent to which this risk is already present in the region. The authors point out that these palm oil plantations can grow anywhere from 10,000 to 10,000 hectares, depending on where the palm is grown and where the palm is transported. They show that the area where these plantations are spread around is also the area of most of the continent where the forests are now located.

The researchers then take into account the effects that may be expected during the next few decades of palm oil expansion.

One potential scenario in which this impacts could be ecological impacts. The researchers note that with more palm oil, plantations may become increasingly reliant on land-based transport.