What our paper shows quite clearly is that this process is happening in small parts of the forest. What you end up with . . . is perhaps fewer trees by the time all these weeding-out processes have gone on, but there is a more diverse collection of trees.

If you damage a forest a little bit, the forest can recover. Even damaged ecosystems can be restored to their former diversity through natural processes if they are allowed to do so.

Since then the paper became aware of fresh allegations that suggest quite clearly these incidents were not isolated. So there's a serious question over it . . . and it becomes a public interest matter.

Ecologists have debated for decades over whether there is something of ecological value to species diversity. We found that in forests throughout the New and Old World tropics, older trees are more diverse than younger ones. In other words, diversity is actually selected for as each of the forests matures. This means diversity does indeed matter and is an essential property of these complex ecosystems.

They really are a very forgiving system, but if you come in and chop everything down and turn it into parking lots or shopping centers, then of course all bets are off.

Ecologists have debated for decades whether there is ecological value to species diversity. We found that in forests throughout the New and Old World tropics, older trees are more diverse than younger ones. In other words, diversity is actually selected for as each of the forests matures. This means diversity does indeed matter and is an essential property of these complex ecosystems.