Carbon Costs and Bushmeat Benefits of Hunting in Tropical Forests

Background

Overhunting in tropical forests depletes frugivorous animals that play a vital role in seed dispersal. This loss alters tree species composition and reduces forest carbon storage. While bushmeat hunting remains an important source of protein and income for local communities, its long-term impact on carbon stocks remains poorly understood. This study investigates the trade-offs between the economic benefits of bushmeat hunting and the potential carbon costs of defaunation-driven biomass loss. Understanding these dynamics is essential for integrating hunting management into climate mitigation strategies such as REDD+.

Goals and Methods

The study quantifies the economic value of bushmeat hunting relative to the revenue loss from reduced carbon stocks caused by hunting-induced defaunation. Using a bioeconomic model, the author analyzes the conditions under which hunting significantly reduces forest carbon and compares the profits from bushmeat with potential earnings from carbon credits. The model incorporates frugivore population dynamics, seed dispersal functions, and forest biomass changes, along with economic variables such as hunting effort, bushmeat prices, and carbon pricing.

Conclusion

The study finds that defaunation can reduce carbon stocks by 2–12% in Latin America and Africa, and up to 38% in parts of the Amazon. However, bushmeat revenue peaks at low hunting levels, indicating that overhunting diminishes long-term economic gains. The ability of other species to compensate for lost seed dispersers significantly influences carbon outcomes. In areas where large frugivores face intense hunting pressure, forests risk losing substantial carbon storage capacity. The study concludes that regulating hunting and linking it to carbon finance mechanisms could offer a path to align conservation goals with local livelihoods.