Biomes - causes, impacts and solutions to rainforest deforestation

Causes - agricultural expansion

More land and demand for agriculture is needed to grow crops so trees are cut down

Causes - logging

Industry wants trees to help create furniture and paper etc

Causes - what can unsuitable logging practices cause?

The removal of an entire tree species and disrupt local ecosystems - this causes further deforestation

Causes - infrastructure development

Deforestation leads to new infrastructure and areas created for construction

Causes - what can new infrastructure cause?

Fragment forests, isolation of wildlife, increase vulnerability to poaching and destruction of habitats

Causes - mining activities

The extraction of minerals and ores (such as gold) come from rainforest areas, therefore this increases the rate of deforestation

Causes - what can mining activities lead to?

Significant landscape alterations and pollution which affects the flora and fauna region

Causes - climate change

Climate change indirectly causes temperature rises which can lead to wildfires

Impacts - loss of biodiversity

Half the worlds plant and animal species live in the rainforest and deforestation destroys habitats, endangers species and causes extinction

Impacts - climate change

Deforestation releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and significantly contributes to global warming

Impacts - disruption of indigenous cultures

Many indigenous communities rely on rainforests for culture and identity so deforestation threatens their way of life and often forces them to relocate and leads to cultural erosion

Impacts - soil erosion

When trees are removed soil becomes vulnerable to erosion, decreases fertility, and increases sedimentation in rivers which affects water quality

Impact - altered weather patterns

Rainforests contribute to regional weather patterns so deforestation can lead to droughts and increase flooding

Solutions - sustainable logging

Reducing environmental impacts of timber extraction by harvesting trees without cutting in vast areas and preserving surrounding ecosystems

Solutions - rainforest initiatives

Encourage planting of native trees in deforested areas can restore habitats and combat climate change

Solutions - community-based conservation

Empowering indigenous communities to manage forests can lead to better sustainability practices - this helps protect biodiversity

Solutions - support of eco-friendly products

Raising awareness for environmentally friendly products can reduce the pressure on rainforests

Solutions - legal frameworks and enforcement

Strengthening laws against illegal logging and land conservation can reduce deforestation rates

Solutions - global cooperation

International partnership are essential for combating deforestation - eg UN Strategic Plan for forests 2030