Deforestation has economic and environmental impacts Flashcards
outline how soil erosion can be a problem (4 marks)
When the soil is eroded there is less soil to store CO2. This is a problem as there is less nutrients for trees to take up in its’ roots. This reduces the amount of trees growing in an area which in turn increases the risk of flooding. This is because there are no trees to intercept the rainfall or take up the water. An increased risk of flooding damages the trees which affects all the organisms in the rainforest.
how has deforestation contributed to climate change?
-loss of forest exposes soil to sunlight and less trees to absorb CO2
-this increases the temperature of the soil and releases more CO2 to the atmosphere
-this increases the rate at which carbon dioxide is in the air
-therefore causes global warming
what is carbon oxidation?
the process where by carbon in soil reacts with oxygen in the atmosphere to create CO2
indigenous peoples methods of deforestation
-indigenous people carry out ‘slash and burn’, this is where they cut down trees in a small area, cultivate the land and then quickly move on
-they move on when the soil is exhausted, this can be referred to as ‘shifting cultivation’ and has minimal impact on the environment as the small area that was deforested can regenerate itself
what are the causes of deforestation?
-farming
-logging
-road building
-mineral extraction
-energy
-building new settlements
how does farming cause deforestation?
large areas of the rainforest are cleared to make way for livestock and plant rearing
how does logging cause deforestation?
trees are chopped down to be sold and causes the total destruction of forest habitats
how does road building cause deforestation?
roads are needed to bring equipment and transport products to markets but road building means cutting great swathes through forest
how does mineral extraction cause deforestation?
minerals are found underneath the rainforest and trees are dug up so they can be extracted
how does energy cause deforestation?
dams are built for hydroelectric power and they can flood rainforests which destroys them
how does building new settlements cause deforestation?
the forest needs to be cleared to build settlements for people to live in
advantages of economic development
-development of land for mining, farming and energy will lead to jobs
-companies will pay taxes to the government which can be used to improve public services
-improved transport infrastructure opens up new areas
-palm oil and rubber provide raw materials for industries
-hydroelectric power provides cheap and plentiful energy
-minerals such as gold are very valuable
disadvantages of economic development
-number of tourists could decrease
-climate change could have economic costs as people have to adapt to living in a warmer world
-plants that could be used for medicine may become extinct
-rising temperatures could devastate some forms of farming
-fires can cause harmful pollution
-pollution of water sources and increasingly dry climate may result in water shortages
effects of deforestation
-extinction
-habitat fragmentation
-soil erosion
-flooding
-desertification
-pollution
how has deforestation caused habitat fragmentation?
animals are forced to move into already occupied habitats, causing fights
