Habitat Loss, Modern Exploitation Of Amazonia

"The latest period period of Amazonian occupation is marked by a wide range of industrial, commerical, and agricultural activities.  Some of these activities are officially sponsored government projects for agricultural colonization, mining, logging, and cattle ranching.  Others are sponsored developments, in which small farmers, ranchers, and miners migrated independently from other regions to eploit Amazonia's resources....The modern exploitation of Amazonia has created the greatest changes in the areas of soil, water, vegetation, and the numbers and habitats of biological species. "