Global warming has been in effect for quite a few years now, and we certainly can feel that summers are becoming more destructive and unbearable with each passing year. We always saw that coming, but how did we accelerate the impact? Deforestation is the most practical answer to this question. Cutting down trees or losing them for natural causes absolutely disrupts the ecosystem, harming the flora and fauna.
However, the environmental consequences of deforestation show that in no time will our beautiful mother earth become inhabitable.
In this informative piece, we are going to learn about the many direct causes of deforestation and the consequences of such a phenomenon. We will also explore some ideas about how we can slow down and eventually stop deforestation in the quest to ensure a sustainable and healthy planet. Keep up with us!
6 Main Causes of Deforestation
Deforestation is caused by both natural and human factors. However, you should note that about 80% of the deforestation worldwide is caused by human activity. Here are 6 leading reasons behind deforestation:
Agriculture
According to the FAO, agriculture is the primary cause of deforestation, contributing around 80% of the total. This is achieved by combining commercial or industrial agriculture with subsistence farming. Subsistence farming is common among local peasant populations.
Approximately 40% of the loss of forests is attributed to commercial agriculture. It involves the large-scale production of crops and cattle. 14% of the world’s deforestation is a result of cattle production alone. This is because raising cattle and growing their feed requires significant land.
New Constructions
Deforestation is also a result of human infrastructure construction. More precisely, creating new infrastructure for the four primary purposes of transportation, transformation, and energy production accounts for 10% of deforestation.
Roads, trains, ports, and airports have all been constructed to transport a wide range of commodities. From fruits and cereals to spices, minerals, and fossil fuels, these are transported either straight to trading hubs or to locations of transformation. Thus, highways were developed to transport produce to other areas quickly.
Although certain items were and still are harvested by hand, others—like coal, oil, natural gas, biomass, meat, dairy, and spirits—required the development of substantial infrastructure for their extraction, transportation, and transformation.
Forest Fires
In some areas, forest fires are a natural occurrence. For ages, native groups have utilized managed flames to make limited spaces suitable for cultivation. Yet, forest fires are occurring more often and in a more powerful manner these days. As wet woods turn arid, they are beginning to appear in new locations. The remaining forest areas are more vulnerable to wildfires because climate change is making the weather drier and hotter. It facilitates the spread and initiation of fires. Russia had its worst fire season in 2021, with 18.13 million hectares of forest burned.
Mining
Large-scale mining operations occur in forests in about 44% of cases. Experts predict that there can be thousands of square kilometers of extra deforestation if Brazil’s president grants new mining licenses in the Amazon’s protected regions. Between 2001 and 2014, 40,000 hectares of forest were destroyed by illegal mining for gold in Peru’s Tambopata National Reserve.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is found in everyday objects, such as processed foods and household goods. It’s present in about half of the grocery store’s merchandise. Businesses use palm oil to extend the shelf life of their goods.
The issue is that producing palm oil damages our rainforests and the wildlife that calls them home. Large tracts of rich forests are cleared to create space for plantations that produce palm oil. Because their habitats are being destroyed, animals like orangutans, pygmy elephants, and Sumatran rhinoceroses are at risk of extinction.
The best course of action is to avoid items containing palm oil altogether. Yet, some companies are making an effort to be more cautious. By taking this action, we may contribute to preserving our rainforests and their inhabitants. The Rainforest Action Network is an excellent resource for finding environmentally friendly products.
Urbanization
The process of more people living in cities due to migration from rural areas is known as “urbanization.” Cities attract people with better job opportunities, in the very primary sense. As the population grows in the cities, they require more infrastructures.
Because builders need metal and wood to construct buildings for all the people living in cities, more metal is mined, and more trees are cut down. Also, those who move to cities consume more processed foods and meat. Large farmers clear forests to build fields and produce all the required food. All in all, the trees may suffer from this building and eating.
The Environmental Consequences of Deforestation
Cutting down trees affects nature a lot. Significant environmental effects of deforestation include altered soil, water cycles, biodiversity, climate, and general ecosystem health. Let’s discuss below:
Global Warming and Climate Changes
Deforestation causes massive tree destruction, which contributes to global warming. The most important contribution of trees to humanity is to absorb the carbon dioxide (CO2) we exhale. With the number of trees going down each year, the concentration of CO2 is getting higher and thus warming up our atmosphere.
The Earth gets warmer due to greenhouse gases like CO2 trapping solar heat. We refer to this as the greenhouse effect. Thus, removing trees increases the greenhouse effect, which raises global temperatures.
Soil Pollution
Deforestation results in removing trees, which leaves the soil without tree roots to hold it together. Therefore, the soil becomes loose when it rains and is easily carried away by the rain.
The top layer of soil is ideal for most plants. However, when this top layer is washed away, a complex and less fruitful layer appears beneath. This sort of soil is not conducive to plant growth. Thus, arable land becomes a desert, and we refer to this process as desertification.
Water Cycle
The water cycle depends heavily on trees. Through their leaves and blooms, they release the water their roots have taken from the Earth into the atmosphere. Additionally, the holes their roots create underneath the land allow water to seep deeper. As a result, the soil may hold more water. Deforestation reduces the amount of water in the atmosphere, reducing the amount of rain that falls in that area.
Furthermore, less water seeps into the ground during dry spells. The groundwater level decreases as a result. Droughts can result from minimal rainfall over an extended period, which leaves insufficient water on the surface or below ground.
Loss of Biodiversity
Forest clearing negatively impacts a wide range of flora and fauna. When trees are destroyed, animals lack food, and many of them perish as a result. Deforestation causes the extinction of about 50,000 species of plants, animals, and insects annually. This might upset the entire food chain and lead to severe issues for the natural world.
Effects on Human Health
Many infectious diseases have the potential to spread through deforestation. Recently, the Nipah virus spread in Malaysia due to the bat population’s geographic shift brought on by deforestation. The disintegration of the soil resulting from deforestation might lead to the formation of stagnant water pools. These ponds serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which promotes the spread of pathogens causing yellow fever and digestive illnesses.
Effects on Food Security
Deforestation significantly impacts food security by reducing biodiversity. The removal of trees makes it more difficult for forest-dwelling animals and Indigenous communities to achieve sustenance. Additionally, it deteriorates the soil and weather, making the production of crops more difficult.
The most brutal hits are obtained by the people who live close to tropical forests. Since a large part of them depend on farming, deforestation negatively impacts them. Research has indicated that removing trees from the Amazon increases the difficulty of raising animals for sustenance by 39%. For example, with a loss of roughly 25% in over half of the Amazon and a massive 60% decline in a third, growing soybeans has become more difficult.
Natural Catastrophes
Deforestation worsens floods when it rains heavily. Trees allow some rainwater to seep into the ground through their roots. This prevents floods caused by excessive water entering streams all at once.
Yet, less water can seep into the soil when trees are cut down. Then floods result from extra rainwater flowing into waterways. Additionally, deforestation reduces the soil’s capacity to keep water, raising the risk of flooding overall.
Forest fires may also result from forest clearing. This occurs at locations with less humidity and rain. The dead plant materials on the ground, including the branches and leaves, dry up easily and can catch fire when they become heated.
How Can We Stop Deforestation?
Scientists are alerting us to the possibility of serious issues if we continue to cut down trees. This could result in the permanent disappearance of many animals and plants, which would be detrimental to present and future generations. We must start planting new trees and stop clearing forests to prevent this from happening. By taking this action, we may contribute to lowering the air pollution levels that are warming the planet.
However, planting new trees is not the only thing to do. We must also maintain the woods that we already have. This entails ensuring the woodlands’ flora and fauna have a secure habitat. Scientists recommend that at least half of the planet’s land and seas remain unaltered to maintain the diversity of life on Earth.
Thus, leaders must ensure that we stop destroying forests and instead begin to care for them. We may contribute to preserving our planet and all living things this way. Governments should also restore Native Americans’ land rights to protect forests.
Some businesses promise to stop cutting trees but don’t follow through. They are unreliable. Governments must take action against such businesses to protect forests and ensure their growth again.
Summing Up
The effects of deforestation on the environment are one of the most prominent topics in the extensive field of environmental concerns. As we have shown, the impact goes far beyond just destroying nature. The damage to our world is immense, ranging from increased carbon emissions to disturbed water cycles and decreased species. But hope exists despite these difficulties. We can reduce the harm and even reverse some of its impacts if we work together.
We at Dynasty Tree Experts are dedicated to this cause and provide excellent services that enhance landscapes while aiding in the preservation of the environment. Join us in preserving our planet for future generations.