Tropical Deforestation

Introduction:

 Tropical deforestation has affected the ecological balance over the years and this has led to global warming and other environmental problems, the tropical forests have been diminished due to commercial logging, expansion for agricultural land and also urban development and there has been other factors that are not human related such as forest fires which have also contributed to the decline in the area covered by the tropical forests.

 Problems:

The deforestation acts by human beings have posed major problems to the environment such as climate changes, harsh climates and also a reduction in the level of rain, these problems are discussed below:

 Reduced rainfall levels:

Due to cutting down of trees in the tropical forests there has been a reduction in the rainfall received, trees are important in the water cycle balance of the environment, cutting down tres mean a reduction in both the level of the amount of water released by trees into the atmosphere resulting into a reduction in the rainfall received.

 Forest also are important in the management of water sheds, areas covered by forests usually hold a lot of ground water and the exposure of this ground to the open through deforestation results into the reduction of ground water and this results into even more drier climates.

 Green house gases and global warming:

Due to the reduction of forest areas there has been an increase in the level of carbon dioxide gases and other green house gases into the atmosphere and the end result is an increase in the temperatures also known as global warming. Trees are important in their processes that reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, when the area covered by forest is reduced then the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases.

 Trees also will release carbon into the atmosphere when they are cut down, deforestation results into the release of carbon and other green house gases such as methane into the atmosphere which was previously held by the forest, this increase is a result of burning the trees and also from the decay of trees which releases the gases into the atmosphere. Therefore deforestation has posed a major problem to the environment.

 Loss of biodiversity:

Due to deforestation the earth stands to loose its resources in the process, due to commercial logging some plant species are likely to be extinct while other animals and are likely to be displaced, for this reason there is a great problem caused by deforestation regarding the loss of resources and also the complete extinction of some plant species and animals.

 Possible solutions:

 Reforestations and afforestation:

This is the process of planting trees in areas where forests existed, when reforestation is practiced in the tropical forests that have already been cleared then the ecological problems are likely to be reduced and this is possible due to the renewable nature of forest resources.

Afforestation on the other hand involves the process of planting trees in area which were not previously covered by forests. This is also a possible solution to the problem of deforestation because there is a high possibility of renewing the cleared and destroyed forests.

 Proper forest management programs:

The implementation of proper policies regarding deforestation may result into a reduction of the rate of deforestation or even stop further deforestation, therefore there is a need to come up with policies that protect forests from deforestation and destruction which will slow or even stop the process of deforestation.

 References:

 Earth observations (2008) tropical deforestation, retrieved on 10th April, available at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Deforestation/

Information: Tropical deforestation results into the loss of biodiversity 

 BBC website (2008) Tropical deforestation and green house gases and global warming, retrieved on 10th April, available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3556848

Information: deforestation leads to the increase in the green house gases in the atmosphere leading to global warming.

 Deforestation Facts (2008) Deforestation and rain reduction, retrieved on 10th April, available at http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm

Information: Tropical deforestation and rainfall reduction and water shed destruction