1. What is deforestation and what are its
Consequences o?
Answers
Answer:
What is Deforestation?
Deforestation can be defined as the large-scale removal of trees from forests (or other lands) for the facilitation of human activities. It is a serious environmental concern since it can result in the loss of biodiversity, damage to natural habitats, disturbances in the water cycle, and soil erosion. Deforestation is also a contributor to climate change and global warming.
Causes of Deforestation
What are the Human Activities that Cause Deforestation?
The primary anthropogenic activities (human activities) that contribute to deforestation include:
Agriculture – small-scale and large scale farming
Logging – cutting of trees for use as raw material
Mining and urban expansion – clearing of forest area for the construction of infrastructure.
According to the secretariat of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), agriculture is the root cause of 80% of deforestation. Logging accounts for another 14% and the cutting of trees for use as wood fuel account for
Slash-and-burn agriculture is one of the most destructive forms of agriculture that results in large-scale deforestation. It involves the burning of a large area of forest land and the subsequent plantation of crops in the same soil (which is now fertilized by the ashes of the burnt trees). Despite the practice being abandoned by several developed countries, it is still followed in some Southeast Asian countries.
What are the Secondary Factors that Contribute to Deforestation?
Illegal logging, which accounts for approximately 80% of all logging activities, involves the harvesting and sale of timber in violation of the law. Corrupt government officials may accept bribes from illegal loggers and offer access to protected forest areas in return. Therefore, corruption can be viewed as an indirect cause of deforestation.
Overpopulation and population growth increase the requirement for several resources such as food and infrastructure. These requirements can, directly or indirectly, result in deforestation. For example, a huge explosion in the population of a city can result in the deforestation of the surrounding area for:
The construction of homes and other buildings.
Agriculture (to meet the increased demand for food).
The construction of roads, dams, and other infrastructure.
Military conflicts among humans can also result in deforestation. For example, the U.S. military made extensive use of Agent Orange (a defoliant that causes the leaves of trees to wither and fall off) during the Vietnam War (1955 – 1975).
Explanation:
Hope it helps you out......
Answer:
deforestation means cutting down of a large amount of tree
consequences:
- loss of nutrients in the soil that are derived from breakdown of tree leaves.
- increase in soil erosion
- increased flooding due to a lack of water absorption by trees