TRIPLE: effects of deforestation

Deforestation

What are the last natural forests of the world? What is a characteristic they have?

Tropical rainforests

High biodiversity

What is deforestation?

Clearing of trees on a large scale to provide land and wood

What is deforestation a consequence of?

It is a consequence of the enormous growth of human population

Why do humans cut down trees?

For timber, provide land for farming and agriculture, building

Consequences of deforestation

• Leaching

• Soil erosion

• Water cycle disturbance

• Carbon dioxide cycle disturbance

• Exacerbating climate change

• Not in PMT or SaveMyExams but yes in textbook: destruction of habitats and reduced biodiversity

How does deforestation cause leaching?

Soil minerals are not taken up by trees and are instead washed away by rain into nearby bodies of water (then todo lo de eutrophication thingy)

How does deforestation cause soil erosion? And decrease in soil quality?

Soil is not held together by tree roots and organic matter, so is more likely to be washed and/or blown away

Less trees to return minerals to the soil when they die

How does deforestation cause the disturbance of the water cycle?

The removal of trees reduces the release of water vapour into the atmosphere by transpiration, reducing cloud formation and rainfall

How does deforestation cause a disturbance in the carbon dioxide cycle + cause global warming?

The removal of trees reduces photosynthesis, so less carbon is removed from the atmosphere and stored in plant tissues and less O2 released.

The burning of trees (slash and burn method to clear trees) after being cut down releases more CO2

How does deforestation decrease biodiversity?

Rainforests are habitat to many animals and cutting the trees destroys their homes so they don’t have shelter and die.

How can we carry out sustainable timber production and reduce deforestation?

Reforestation allowing sustainable timber production.

Replacing trees that are removed and ensuring there is no ecological damage to the environment

However tackling the problem of deforestation for farming is more complex. What could be an alternative?

To resettle the farmers and give them financial help to establish farms in other areas