Introduction of impact of deforestion on human life
Answers
Deforestation by definition refers to the activity of clearing the forest cover or trees on a larger extent without replacements. The result of this exercise often leads to the destruction of the quality of land, weather and even climate. The primary culprits in the deforestation exercise are loggers who are acting on legal and illegal instructions. Research studies indicate that the world has had approximately half of the tropical forests cleared through loggings where no new trees have been planted.
That can be translated into 18 million acres of land and it represents such a great loss to the environment. However, tree harvesting is not a criminal act, but the policy of environmental sustenance necessitates that when trees are cut down, they ought to be replaced with the new planted ones. There are several consequences of deforestation. Here is a detailed discussion of how deforestation affects climate change, animals and humans.
According to National Geographic,
“Deforestation is clearing Earth’s forests on a massive scale, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land. Forests still cover about 30 percent of the world’s land area, but swaths the size of Panama are lost each and every year. The world’s rain forests could completely vanish in a hundred years at the current rate of deforestation.”
It Reduces Soil Moisture and Leads to Desertification
In normal circumstances, the soil contains moisture. The moisture needs to be conserved and this can only be done successfully if there is forest cover. The crucial role that the trees play is that they cover the soil and prevent the soil from losing the water vapor. When the soil is heated, vapor is lost but when the tree canopies are present; no excess vapor is lost.
But with the continued acts of deforestation, water vapor is lost and the water cycle is broken. In return, no rainfall will take place because of the absence of trees. The whole process may end up in the emergence of a desert. Some of the worst desert conversion rates in sub-Saharan Africa have been associated with deforestation in west and central African forests.
Increase of the Greenhouse Effect
In the normal circumstances, trees are always significant in the absorption of the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen and many others. A research by the Global Forest Research Assessment revealed that deforestation resulted in the release of approximately a billion ton of carbon dioxide in 2010. With the cutting of trees which results in the depletion of the forest cover, the concentration of the greenhouse gases increase the rate of global warming.
This leads to the inevitable climate change and adverse weather patterns such as severe flooding or drought. Some of the adverse greenhouse effects are the increased incidences of La Nina and El Nino. Increase of the greenhouse effect also raises the levels of evaporation and evapotranspiration and the higher temperatures cause extended dry spell periods and the exacerbation of drought conditions.
Melting of the Icebergs
Deforestation in the cold Polar Regions also lead to the disturbance of the ice caps. Eventually, there is increased melting which further leads to the rise in the ocean or sea level. Climatic change is also a consequence of this activity. When such trees are cut and the ice begin to melt, there is that alteration in the weather pattern which also extend to the change in the climatic conditions in the Polar Regions. With the melting of the icebergs, there is the rise of sea levels which might give rise to intense flooding.
The deforestation causes include many factors. The destruction of the forests is occurring due to various reasons, one of the main reasons being the short-term economic benefits. ... The cutting down of trees for lumber that is used for building materials, furniture, and paper products have a major impact on forest life.