By 2050, humans may need to clear an additional 3. 35 million square kilometers of land for agriculture, would squeeze more than 17, 000 animal species from some of their lands.
Luckily, the impacts can be minimized, says conservation scientist David Williams of the University of Leeds. "We can feed the planet messing it up too badly."
To figure out , Williams and colleagues first identified habitats most likely (clear) for cropland. The team then calculated amount of food needed to sustain (维持) projected human population growth for 152 countries and (map)where crops would likely be grown in each. By 2050, the world's cropland would need to increase by 26 percent, the team found. The growth is (large) concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia.
Changing the global food system could nearly erase these biodiversity. (loss). We can improve crop yields, transition to more plant-based diets, or increase food imports for countries where agricultural (expand) threatens the most species. The world needs to feed a （grow) population, but it can be done more sustainably.
