- During photosynthesis, trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, and store it as carbon for long time periods. At present, forest store as much as 45% of all land carbon. Deforestation affects this carbon cycle.
- Deforestation is considered to be one of the contributing factors to global warming and climate change. Trees absorb not only the carbon dioxide that we exhale, but also the heat-trapping greenhouse gases that human activities emit. With increase in deforestation, larger amount of these gases will enter the atmosphere and global warming will increase further. About 300 billion tonnes of carbon, 40 times the annual greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, is stored in trees, according to Greenpeace.
- While fossil fuel combustion is the largest source of carbon dioxide emission, deforestation is the second largest. When trees die (or are cut or burnt), they release the stored carbon dioxide into the air.
- Forests release large quantities of water into the atmosphere via perspiration. This replenishes the clouds and triggers rain, which in turn, maintains the forests. When forests are destroyed, it affects rainfall and thereby causes drought.
- As much as 70% of the world’s plants and animals live in forests. They are losing their habitats due to deforestation. Loss of habitat can lead to species extinction. For instance, in Malaysia and Indonesia, Bornean rainforests are cut down to make way for producing palm oil. The effect of deforestation is so much that it is driving the extinction of orangutans, the world’s largest tree-dwelling great apes, native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Removing trees deprives the forest of its canopy, which blocks the sun’s rays during the day and retains heat at night. That disruption leads to more extreme temperature swings that can, in turn, affect plants and animals.
- Trees roots stabilize the soil around the tree and hold them in place. When they are cut, the soil is free to wash or blow away, which can lead to soil erosion.
- Deforestation can also cause flooding. Coastal vegetation lessens the impact of waves and winds associated with a storm surge. Without this vegetation, coastal villages are susceptible to damaging floods.
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