The Environment Magazine

Arnold Qi

Quarry Lane School, Dublin, CA 94568

As the human population expands, natural forests are slowly disappearing due to deforestation, leading to a loss of ecosystems and species. Deforestation is the large-scale removal of trees from forested areas for agriculture, urbanization, or industrial uses. The most common reason for deforestation is wood extraction, which is cutting down trees for commercial uses. Other factors for commercial use include mining and road building. Forests can be cut through to make shortcuts from different points, which makes them vulnerable to being affected. Deforestation is seen as one of the most controversial environmental issues of our time. 

Figure 1.  Picture Of Orangutan (Source: worldwildlife.org) 

Wildlife has suffered greatly as a result of the loss of forests. More than half of all species on Earth are found in tropical rainforests, many of which are unique to that specific area. When forests are removed, these species lose their homes and are almost driven to extinction. One example is the orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), whose population has largely decreased as a result of deforestation in the Borneo and Sumatra islands. Previously, this species was widespread across Southeast Asia. There are currently less than 70,000 orangutans living in the wild, according to the Orangutan Conservancy, which lists them as severely endangered. Deforestation not only endangers large mammals but also smaller species including insects, amphibians, and birds. These creatures provide important contributions to their environments such as managing insect populations and pollinating plants. Ecosystems could be greatly affected by the extinction of just one insect. 

Figure 2.  Process Of Transpiration (Source: issuu.com) 

Besides deforestation’s effect on biodiversity, it also has significant environmental consequences. Since trees take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it as biomass, they are essential to the carbon cycle. This carbon is released back into the atmosphere during deforestation, which worsens global warming. Roughly 20% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide are said to be caused by deforestation. According to estimates from the Environmental Defense Fund, Trees and rainforests produce roughly 28% of the world’s oxygen, and a single tree can create enough oxygen for the lifespans of 10 people each season. Deforestation reduces oxygen production by cutting down trees, but more importantly, it also increases levels of carbon dioxide. Deforestation also messes with the water cycle. Through a process called transpiration, trees help local and regional climates by releasing water vapor into the atmosphere. Reduced rainfall, higher temperatures, and more frequent and severe droughts can result from the loss of trees. Losing trees would make every day feel like an all-time high temperature. 

The effects of deforestation on the economy are complicated and different. The selling of timber and the conversion of land to farming can result in financial gains from forest removal, but the long-term effects outweigh the short-term effects. A few negative effects of deforestation include soil erosion, loss of ecosystems, and declines in tourism and fisheries. For instance, considerable soil damage has resulted from the removal of forests for cattle ranching in the Brazilian Amazon. The lack of tree cover increases soil erosion potential, lowering soil fertility and reducing agricultural viability. This effect on land can prevent farmers from producing crops in that area and forces them to find other places. 

In conclusion, deforestation is one of the biggest environmental problems in our current society. The loss of biodiversity, the release of greenhouse gasses, and the disruption of climates are only a few of the many consequences. To lessen this deterioration of our environment, we should stop cutting down forests for fuel and instead use other substitutes such as coal.

References

Asner, Gregory P. Measuring Carbon Emissions from Tropical Deforestation: An Overview! 2008.

CID Bio-Science. “Transpiration in Plants: Its Importance and Applications.” CID Bio-Science, 7 Oct. 2021, cid-inc.com/blog/transpiration-in-plants-its-importance-and-applications/.

Orangutan Conservancy. “Threats to Orangutans.” Orangutan Conservancy, 2024, https://orangutan.com/orangutan-facts/threats-to-orangutans/.

“REDD+: Protecting Tropical Forests.” Environmental Defense Fund, 2019, http://www.edf.org/redd-protecting-tropical-forests.

WWF. “Sumatra and Borneo | Animals, People and Threats | WWF.” World Wildlife Fund, 2019, http://www.worldwildlife.org/places/borneo-and-sumatra.