Deforestation refers to the cutting of forested areas to utilize them for various purposes such as agriculture, urbanization and industrialization. Deforestation is harming humans as well as animals alike. Deforestation is having numerous negative repercussions on our environment. Our forests play an important role in keeping the environment clean and green. They provide the life giving oxygen and are a home for the wildlife. Cutting these at a rapid speed in the name of development is a cause of great concern.
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Deforestation means cutting down the forests that are home to the large chunks of oxygen giving trees, plants and numerous wild animals and birds.
Human beings are cutting down forests around the world for various purposes. One of the main purposes of cutting vast forest areas is to use the land for agriculture. With the growing population there is a need to grow more crops to satisfy the demands of the people. This can only be done if we have enough land for agriculture. In an attempt to expand the agriculture sector and meet the demands of the people, we humans are cutting the forests. Forests are also being cut to build towns and cities to accommodate people and for setting up offices and factories.
To be precise, we are damaging the beautiful natural surrounding and turning it into a concrete jungle. Causing harm to the natural surroundings means disrupting the natural processes such as water cycle, carbon cycle and eco system. Deforestation is mainly impacting our climate and biodiversity. A large number of species of plants and animals are getting extinct because of deforestation as their habitats are getting destroyed.
It is time we must mull over the harmful impacts of deforestation on our environment and put an end to it.
Introduction
Deforestation, the act of clearing the forest land to serve different purposes, is a growing concern worldwide. It has led to numerous environmental problems. Some of these include the loss of wildlife, impact on biodiversity, climate change, global warming and impact on the water cycle.
Deforestation: Leading Cause of Climate Change
Deforestation has disrupted the water cycle as well as the carbon cycle and thus attributed to climate change which in turn is causing numerous problems for humans as well as animals.
Plants and tress inhale carbon dioxide and release oxygen which is one of the essentials for the human survival. Trees also absorb other harmful gases from the atmosphere thus making it cleaner. Deforestation is leading to the loss of vast number of trees which in turn is leading to an increase in the amount of carbon and poisonous gases such as methane in the atmosphere. This has contributed a great deal to the global warming.
Forests also play a significant role in managing the water cycle. Continuous cutting of forests is leading to disruption in the water cycle which is leading to erratic rainfalls in different regions.
Deforestation: Causing Environmental Imbalance
Deforestation is also causing environmental imbalance by affecting the biodiversity adversely. Forests serve as safe habitats for a large species of flora and fauna. Clearing away the forest lands is damaging the habitat of these innocent creatures. Several species of animals and plants are dying each day due to loss of habitat and lack of food. Our planet needs to sustain rich biodiversity in order to strike environmental balance. Deforestation is thus creating an imbalance in the environment.
Conclusion
Deforestation is deteriorating our environment in many ways. It is high time we humans must realize the severity of the issue and control deforestation. If we do not stop this now, our environment will deteriorate further and the future generations will suffer heavily.
Introduction
Biodiversity, also known as biological diversity, means the importance of sustaining vast variety of flora and fauna on Earth as a whole and also in different regions and habitats. This plays an important role in the food chain and helps in striking a balance in the environment. God has created innumerable species of plants and animals that rely on each other for various needs and contribute in maintaining harmony on Earth. However, man is playing with this law of nature. Various human activities are leading to extinction of many of these species. Deforestation is one such human activity that has impacted biodiversity vastly.
Effects of Deforestation on Biodiversity
Animals and plants require a certain climate and environment to live peacefully. Forests serve as habitats for vast species of plants and animals. Clearing of forest land is resulting in clearing of the safe abode of the wild creatures that live there, thereby impacting the biodiversity. While some of them move to other places to survive, others are unable to adapt to the environmental changes and get extinct. The loss of various species of plants and animals owing to deforestation disrupts the food chain adversely. Herbivorous animals find it hard to look for food on cleared lands. They often starve to death. This in turn impacts the carnivorous animals that rely on the flesh of the herbivorous animals. With herbivorous animals going extinct or starving, the carnivorous are also unable to get the required diet. Thus, not only are these wild animals deprived of their habitat but also of food.
Wild Animals Gone Extinct due to Deforestation
Statistics reveal that forests are home for around eighty percent of animals and plants around the world. Deforestation is thus impacting a vast number of species which is affecting biodiversity badly. Researchers claim that more than a hundred species of animals are getting extinct each day. If we do not stop deforestation, around 10% of the species of animals will lose their life in the next two decades.
Conclusion
Thus, we see deforestation has affected the biodiversity to a great extent. Man is destroying the beautiful creations of God without any inhibition just to satisfy his need and make life comfortable for himself. What he isn’t realizing is that this act of his is affecting biodiversity which is creating an imbalance in the Earth’s environment. If the process of deforestation continues at this rate, our planet will not remain fit for survival of the human beings as well as other living beings in the times to come.
Introduction
Deforestation started centuries back when man stopped relying on hunting to satiate his hunger and took to agriculture. Forests were cleared to make way for agricultural land. However, it did not pose much threat to the environment back then. With time, the need for deforestation has increased manifolds owing to various reasons. The rapid increase in population is one of the main reasons for deforestation.
In order to accommodate the growing population and satisfy their needs, the forests are being cleared and turned into agricultural land and residential colonies. The advancement in technology is another reason for deforestation. More and more industries are being set up and new products are being made. Deforestation is done to make place for these industries and also to derive various plant and tree based products. The wildlife is the worst affected due to deforestation.
Impact of Deforestation on Wildlife
Here are the impacts of deforestation on wildlife:
Forests are home for a variety of flora and fauna. Clearing the forests means destroying the habitat of the wild creatures. Deforestation has taken away the habitat of several wild animals and birds. It is a pity that in an attempt to build his own home, man is destroying the habitat of the innocent animals.
Most of the animals and birds require a particular climate and place to live comfortably. They are unable to adapt to the changes in the environment and incur various illnesses if put in a different place. Due to loss of habitat, many wild animals haven’t been able to survive. Many species of animals have gone extinct and many others are struggling to survive due to deforestation.
It is unfortunate that we have lost numerous species of beautiful plants and trees that added beauty to our planet. Many species of plants grow only in a particular climate and soil in the forests. Thus, due to deforestation many such species have gone extinct.
The biodiversity has been affected badly due to deforestation. Many animals feed on particular animals, birds, insects and plants and loss of the species they survive on has led to their starvation. Many wild animals are having a hard time finding food and are starving to death.
As forests are cleared to build residential or industrial areas many wild animals move to other greener areas to live while some species of animals roam around in the neighbouring places and are often seen entering the residential areas. Thus, this has increased the incidences of conflict between humans and wildlife which is neither good for the wildlife nor humans. Each of them remains in constant fear of being attacked by the other.
Conclusion
To conclude, we can say that many species of wild animals and plants have been impacted due to deforestation. Some of them have lost their homes, others have incurred diseases and yet others have gone extinct. They are suffering at the hands of humans because of just no fault of their own. We must stop this torture on animals by controlling deforestation.
Introduction
Deforestation is the clearing of forests to satisfy various human needs. These largely include the need to expand the agricultural land, increase the number of residential colonies, set up new industries and derive various products from trees and plants. While man is indulging in deforestation to meet the demands of the growing population and to make life comfortable, this process is having several ill effects on our environment.
Ill Effects of Deforestation
Here are some of the ill effects of deforestation:
Trees are a rich source of oxygen. They exhale the life-giving oxygen and absorb the harmful gases from the environment thereby making it cleaner. They particularly balance the amount of carbon in the environment by the process of photosynthesis. Cutting more and more trees mean causing imbalance in the carbon cycle. Deforestation is resulting in lesser absorption of carbon and other harmful gases by the trees which is adding to global warming.
When vast numbers of trees that hold the soil with their roots are uprooted it results in soil erosion. Deforestation has caused huge soil erosion across the world especially in the past few decades. Soil erosion results in numerous problems. When heavy rain falls on the cleared forests it carries the soil with it to the rivers. This disrupts the irrigation process. It also raises the river bed that increases the risk of floods. Besides, the accumulation of sediments in the rivers cause harm to the fish eggs. As this soiled water reaches the oceans, it dirties the water there and harms the coral reefs.
One of the most harmful effects of deforestation is the loss of life of various wildlife animals due to the loss of their habitat. Forests are home for numerous species of animals that are unable to adapt elsewhere. Many species of wild animals have gone extinct because of deforestation and many others are struggling to survive in their new surroundings.
Trees play a vital role in balancing the water level in the atmosphere. Forests that contain vast numbers of trees and plants release large amount of water into the atmosphere by way of plant transpiration. This refills the clouds and causes rain which is essential for life on Earth. The continual cutting of tress is disrupting the water cycle. This in turn is causing dryer soil which is a big concern for the agriculturists. Lack of rain also causes numerous other problems.
Forests play a significant role in maintaining the Earth’s climate. The average temperature of Earth has increased significantly due to deforestation in the last few decades. If we do not control the clearing of forest land this will further increase the Earth’s temperature. Increase in temperature results in melting of ice caps and glaciers which further results in the increase in ocean and sea levels. The increase in sea level is already causing frequent floods in the coastal areas. Further, it can result in submergence of the coastal areas under water.
Conclusion
Hence, we see that there is a tremendous need to save our forests. Deforestation has led us to the verge of destruction. If we do not stop it now we will be destroying our environment further and it will be difficult for us to survive.
Deforestation is a global problem. Both tropical and rain forests are being cut year after year to fulfil various human needs. The government of different countries around the world must make a collective effort to overcome this problem. Though the cutting of trees cannot be stopped completely, it can definitely be reduced with proper planning and efforts.
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