Deforestation and Destruction of Peat Bogs

Question 1

What does deforestation mean?

Answer 1

Cutting down trees.

Question 2

Why does deforestation occur? (3 points)

Answer 2

1) provides timber as building material
2) clear more land for farming:
- more food
- more crops
3) produce paper from wood

Question 3

What are four main problems with deforestation?

Answer 3

1) more methane in the atmosphere
- rice is grown in warm, waterlogged conditions, which is good for decomposers, which produce methane
- cattle produce methane
2) more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
- carbon dioxide is released when trees are burnt to clear land
- microorganisms feed on dead wood, then release CO2 from respiration
3) less carbon dioxide taken in
- cutting down trees means that the amount of CO2 removed during photosynthesis is reduced
4) less biodiversity
- when rainforests are destroyed, most of the species become in danger of becoming extinct
- means that there are lost opportunities with medicines, clothing fibres and food

Question 4

Why does destroying Peat Bogs add more CO2 to the atmosphere?

Answer 4

Plants that live in bogs don’t fully decay due to the waterlogged and acidic conditions, so the partly-rotted plants build up to form peat. The peats store carbon dioxide instead of it being released into the atmosphere. Peat decomposes when the bogs are drained, so carbon dioxide will be released, adding to the greenhouse effect