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Tropical Deforestation

Land-cover change, like deforestation, can affect weather cycles limiting water resources, creating and spreading wildfires, and producing unpredictable storms. Deforestation around the world can affect global rainfall by increasing it in some areas while decreasing it in others. In fact, the areas affected by deforestation may be across the world from where the problem is occurring. It is important to consider this because while cutting down acres of trees may seem like an opportunity for space and resources, the effects can be seen worldwide. While greenhouse gas emissions are a major contributor to climate change, land-cover change should be as much of a concern, as, quote, “Land-cover change, depending on its nature, can either mitigate or exacerbate greenhouse warming.” Forests such as the Amazon play a key role in weather patterns and heat distribution, so by disturbing that cycle, we are risking continued change that our world may not be ready for (“Tropical Deforestation”).

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Changing Weather Patterns

Amazon Deforestation

While forests such as the Amazon have been known for their benefit to the environment, recent drought and deforestation have led them to become a problem, not a solution. As more trees are cut down, more carbon dioxide is released, which makes, as stated by Powell, “...the region to a point at which it will give off more of the greenhouse gas than it absorbs.” Not only is carbon released, but as deforestation and bare land take over the space previously and currently occupied by rainforests, moisture is being pulled away from the forests. This affects the growth of the other trees and the ecosystem they grow in. When precipitation occurs, the water doesn’t always reach the surface to be absorbed. Instead, it is pushed into the river which can cause flooding. While deforestation is a major cause of this, climate change also contributes as warmer, drying conditions may result in more droughts. Trees are dying even without being removed. Thankfully, the rate of some causes of deforestation such as logging is decreasing. While the area of our forests continues to shrink, we may be able to slow the rate they are decreasing to save our forests and ecosystems (Powell).

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