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Oil palm plantation research. Workers analysing the soil at an oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantation, in Sumatra, Indonesia. The fruit of the oil palm contains oils that are used in many food products and non-food household products. It is also potentially useful for the production of biodiesel. Though native to West Africa, this species of palm has been successfully introduced to many tropical regions. In Indonesia, the cultivation of oil palms has led to a significant loss of rainforest and decrease in biodiversity, however this plantation is attempting to operate in a sustainable and ethical way. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/MATTEIS/LOOK AT SCIENCES/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY)