Deforestation, which is the permanent removal of trees from a specific area, can be caused by changes in land use or natural events such as fires, disease, and storms.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the demand for wood and land has led to an increase in forest destruction. While determining the precise annual amount of deforestation is difficult, estimated figures show that approximately 53,000 tropical forests were destroyed in the 1980s. This estimate indicates that an area equivalent to North Carolina is deforested annually (1).
The depletion of the forest is happening at a rapid rate, which is equivalent to twenty football fields being destroyed every minute. This has both positive and negative effects on our planet (2). One of the main reasons for deforestation is extracting wood from forests for various purposes such as furniture, paper, construction, and fuel in underdeveloped countries (3). Forests have long been our main source of timber.
The clearance of land is essential for agriculture, including crop cultivation and grazing for animals like cattle. This practice is particularly important in underdeveloped countries. Furthermore, forests have long been a valuable resource for medicinal products, which can be discovered and accessed through their clearance.
The World Rainforest Movement (4) reports that 25% of our medicines come from forests. Additionally, photosynthesis helps capture pollution particles like carbon (4), significantly enhancing air quality.
The primary components of the atmosphere are nitrogen and oxygen, which do not retain the sun’s heat. Nevertheless, greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, ozone, and methane participate in retaining the sun’s heat and preventing excessive cooling. These greenhouse gases are crucial for maintaining a suitable temperature on Earth. However, an excess of these gases causes the accumulation of infrared radiation and leads to global warming. The combustion of fossil fuels and the decomposition or burning of trees release significant quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect (2).
Deforestation is a significant contributor to global warming, responsible for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. It leads to an increase in climate temperature (6), which poses challenges for species to adapt to the rapidly changing environment caused by this climate change. Although deforestation is not solely responsible for global warming, a recent report on Greenland’s glaciers highlights its important role.
The acceleration of glacier movement towards the ocean is a direct result of global warming, which leads to faster melting of ice sheets. As a consequence, sea levels can rise by up to six meters (11), causing significant environmental disruptions and flooding. Furthermore, trees have another way in which they help regulate the climate.
The presence of tree canopies provides shade and reduces temperature, cooling the land. If trees are disappearing rapidly, the days become hotter and the nights colder(7). Trees also play a role in maintaining atmospheric moisture. They absorb water from the ground through their roots and release it back into the atmosphere through transpiration(2).
The precipitation levels are decreased as water is not re-used but moved to larger bodies of water like the ocean. This release of water creates clouds and provides an alternative form of protection to the earth from the sun’s constant attack of heat. The removal of forests results in areas of land that cannot contain as much water as before, leading to a drier climate. In the north and north-western parts of China where much deforestation is taking place between the 1950’s and 1980’s, the average annual volume of rain declined by one third.
While not all water is returned through this process, some rainwater is stopped from reaching the ground by tree canopies and instead evaporates back into the atmosphere. This absence of canopies results in a decrease in available surface area for evaporation. Furthermore, alongside the hydrological cycle, ongoing forest degradation also causes soil erosion as a significant drawback. It exposes the soil due to the substantial depletion of vegetation.
Forested areas are meant to retain rainwater, allowing it to seep into the ground and contribute to water systems. However, the absence of vegetation leads to excessive runoff of surface water. This rapid movement of water increases the occurrences of flash flooding and landslides (5). The absence of trees results in fewer trunks and stems to impede and decelerate the flow of water. Moreover, the lack of trees also means an absence of tree roots.
Without roots, the soil lacks cohesion and is more susceptible to erosion. Roots also create channels that increase percolation and reduce erosion. However, due to the loss of trees, this effect is diminishing (5). The absence of vegetation cover exposes the soil to the sun’s heat rays, resulting in its drying and cracking, rendering once fertile soil unusable. The ongoing deforestation leads to a decline in biodiversity.
The definition of biodiversity includes the complete range of different species, their ecological unit, and their genetic variation (7). The rainforest is renowned for being one of the most diverse biological regions on Earth, hosting many species, including undiscovered ones (10). This remarkable diversity is due to the unique structure of this environment. It is estimated that rainforests hold approximately 70 to 90% of all life on our planet and act as exclusive habitats for about 20 to 25% of known invertebrates (10).
The destruction of this unique environment is causing many species to face extinction, leading to a reduction in the diversity of animals and plants. This results in a diminished gene pool that could have unforeseen effects on humans. Additionally, the advancement of medicine is greatly hindered when the plant gene pool is diminished. If this irreplaceable ecosystem is destroyed, valuable plants that can only thrive in this forest may be lost, potentially removing the key to curing many illnesses.
Preserving nature for future generations and taking responsibility for other life are widely accepted ethical issues that people must face (7). The current human lifestyle has caused a tenfold increase in extinction, as animals struggle to adapt to the shrinking natural habitat (7). A recent news report highlights this issue, as authorities returned an anaconda discovered in rural areas of a Brazilian city back to its natural environment.
Deforestation is causing wild animals to leave their natural habitats and move into cities (8). This tree removal process poses a threat to the survival of several animal species, including giant pandas, tigers, gorillas, and rhinos (9). Moreover, the reduction in tree numbers is worrisome because trees are crucial for producing oxygen. Since oxygen is essential for humans and various other species, cutting down trees also diminishes the availability of breathable oxygen (8).
Although the debate about deforestation’s morality continues, it is important to acknowledge that it brings both advantages and disadvantages. However, currently, the negative consequences appear to surpass the benefits. Achieving a harmonious coexistence between environmental preservation and human requirements is vital. Regrettably, deforestation is ongoing without sufficient reforestation initiatives.
The future outlook involves promoting sustainable development, which entails striking a balance between the requirement for growth and development and the imperative of safeguarding the natural environment.
