There was no comment today from environmental authorities in the Brazilian government. Environment Minister Jose Sarney Filho was in Paris and unavailable for comment, his office said. Eduardo Martins, head of Brazil's environmental protection agency, said he had not seen the study and declined to comment. The findings trouble some scientists and environmentalists because perhaps a third of the world's plant and animal species live in the rain forest. The researchers also worry about huge quantities of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere from the fires and rotting wood left by loggers.
Carbon dioxide is thought to cause global warming.
Also, some scientists fear that damage to the rain forest, which gives off enormous amounts of water vapor and keeps the ground from drying out, could throw the Earth's climate out of balance. The researchers called for more judicious logging, more prevention of accidental fires, and curbs on roads, power grids and water systems. But some experts are doubtful about the prospects of controlling development in the rain forest, where the law of the jungle often prevails. Copyright 1999 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.