Affected Areas

South America
Africa
Asia

Consequences

Endangered Animals
Endangered Plants
Global Warming

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Extensive deforestation brings with it many problems both to the environment and to the people living there. In this section, we shall examine some of these problems.

Loss of Soil Fertility

The presence of vegetation provides a protective cover over the soil. Through the nutrient cycle, vegetation helps to maintain the soil fertility. When it rains, nutrients enter the soil. Plant roots absorb the dissolved nutrients from the soil. When leaves fall, small organisms such as worms and insects break down the leaves as they decompose and this returns the nutrients to the soil. Hence, the fertility of the soil is maintained.

However, with the clearance of the forest, there is a loss of a protective cover for the soil. With deforestation, there will be a higher rate surface runoff and this results in a higher rate of soil erosion and soil leaching. In soil erosion, the topsoil is being removed or washed away by the higher surface runoff. Soil leaching, a process by which nutrients are washed deeper into the soil, causes the top soil to become increasing infertile over time, This, through soil erosion and soil leaching, the soil in the deforested area gradually loses its fertility.

Increase in Water Pollution and Flooding

When the soil on on cleared land begins to erode, more soil is washed into the rivers. The water quality is affected. Gradually the rivers sit up, increasing the likelihood of flooding in the low-lying areas downstream.

Increase in greenhouse effect

As the tropical rainforest of the Amazon Basin covers a huge area, its large-scale destruction is likely to have a global impact. As more trees are felled, there will be fewer trees to remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by the process of photosynthesis. Thus, the global carbon dioxide level is expected  to increase in the greenhouse effect.

In  addition, the burning of the forest contributes significant amounts of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane to the atmosphere, thus worsening the greenhouse effect.

Loss of Plant and Animal Species

We have already seen how rich the tropical rainforest is in terms of the variety of plant life, especially when compared with the temperate forests. When trees are felled in the tropical rainforest, many valuables plant spiecies are destroyed. An example of a valuable plant species in the Amazon rainforest which faces extinction is the Cinchona tree, from which quinine is extracted for the treatment of malaria.

Many animals die when the tropical rainforest is felled and burnt. Many others die because their natural habitat in the tropical rainforest has been destroyed. Over time, some animal species may become extinct.

Destruction of habitat and culture of the Amazonian Indians

The indigenous people of the Amazon Basin are the American Indians who have lived there for thousands of years. Some Amazonian Indians are hunters and gatherers while others are shifting cultivators. They rely on the forest for their food, shelter and clothing. The extensive clearance of the tropical rainforest in the Amazon Basin has resulted in the destruction of their habitat and their traditional way of life or culture. When the tropical rainforest is cleared, they are forced to move out of the forest and many find it difficult to adapt to life outside the rainforest.

The Nutrient Cycle

Boats like this which frequent the Amazon add to water pollution too as tourists are very inconsiderate.

Click on thumnail to view full image -- The Climate System

The Manatee is just one of many endangered species.