3.3. Consequences of deforestation
WHAT IS DEFORESTATION?
The permanent removal of tropical forests is known as deforestation.
Reasons for deforestation
Unstainable cutting down of trees for wood
Clearance of forest for
mining
agriculture
aquaculture
Enhanced greenhouse effect
o Deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it as a carbon. When the trees are cut, the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere.
o Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases which traps heat leading to an increase in global temperatures.
o Increased temperatures can cause ice caps to melt, resulting in the rise in sea levels and flooding. Low-lying islands such as Kiribati and Vanuatu located in the Pacific Ocean may be submerged and disappear into the sea.
Let's look at how deforestation impact on the Xingu tribe in the Amazon: