Dense rainforests have been disappearing at an alarming rate as human beings penetrate deep into the forests, clearing them so as to make room for their own activities. About 8000 years ago, this planet was covered by approximately 14.8 billion acres of forest, but unfortunately, currently the Earth consists of only 8.6 billion acres of forest remaining due to the extensive human exploitation (Jean 33). The deforestation has led to serious impacts on the environment, and species have started becoming extinct.
The extent of rainforest deforestation across the globe and the main causes of this disturbing trend will be analyzed. Numerous impacts of the rainforest on the environment will also be discussed. Furthermore, a discussion of the NASA research that has been taking place as environmentalists try to save the rain forests will be done. Therefore, the conflict in the trend of deforestation is that it might result in disappearance of rainforests and extinction of its inhabitants.
Before embarking on research into causes and impacts of deforestation of rainforests, it is imperative we understand the statistics and background of global rainforests. Hence, according to Marc (112) the highest rates of rain forest deforestation have occurred in the past 50 years due to human exploitation. For example, every year since the year 1991, Brazil’s loss of rainforest rose from less than 3million acres to 4.8 acres of tropical forests (Jha and Bawa 910). In addition, Asia lost a third of the total forests that covered it between the year 1960 and the year 1980 (Jha and Bawa 911). By the year 1999, 90% of the land covered with rainforests in West Africa had been cleared. Madagascar, the world’s richest area, had an original coverage of about 11.2 million hectares (between 1500 and 2000 years back) but by the year 1950, only 7.6 million hectares had remained (Jha and Bawa 911).
The increasing rates of deforestation as proved from the previous segment prove that it is a serious procedure that is continuously occurring. Therefore, the causes of deforestation can be listed as:
Logging
Logging is one of the prime causes of deforestation in the world. Approximately 80 % of the ancient forests in the world have been degraded by logging (Jean 33). This is because a great percentage of commercially important trees are usually found in rainforests, and they are known to contain the highest biodiversity ecosystems that produce very large trees. The logging is usually done mostly by the timber industry, whereby people do selective logging or full forest harvesting. According to Jha and Bawa (906), in selective logging, when one tree is chopped down, it can damage up to seventeen other trees, and the damage is made worse due to the heavy machinery used to pull the tree. Full forest harvesting is worse since the whole tree is harvested by a chipping machine and since most of nutrients are stored in the tree, there remains an insignificant chance for recovery and regeneration (Marc 110). The situation is worsened by the heavy machinery used during logging, that end up compacting the ground to the extent that the soil tightens together reducing the chance of regeneration.
Cattle Ranching and Pastures
Ranching is also a major cause of deforestation especially in South America and Central America. Most people in these two regions have turned the rainforests into pasture areas for rearing cattle. This trend has been going on for decades, and since the year 1950, two thirds of rain forests in Central America have turned into beef cattle ranch (Marc 112). According to Marc (111), multinational corporations have ventured into fast food business that increases the demand for beef meat, hence creating an increased demand for beef-cattle farming. In most developing countries, the same trend has been going on, and even in some countries, governments allow overgrazing.
Farming and Cultivating
Shifted cultivators have led to the increase of deforestations in rain forests across the globe. They usually move in to the forests where they start practicing small scale farming, and they can be grouped into two categories: the landless peasants and the indigenous natives (Marc 112). Most of the indigenous tribes use the slash-and-burn methods of clearing the forests for agricultural purposes. The landless people cause worse deforestations since they do not understand some methods used by indigenous people to regenerate the soils (Jean 38). The land ownership problems are usually found in areas with rainforests and this can be supported by the fact that 50- 90 % of people in Brazil do not own land legally (Marc 112). Brazilians once used the slogan that ‘Land without men for the men without land’ with an aim of encouraging people to move from overcrowded cities to the rainforests.
Fuel wood
Fuel and firewood collection are directly linked to deforestation in the world. Statistics from a survey done in 63 developing countries show that in the year 1998, 2.2 billion persons did not get access to fuel wood that would meet their basic wants (Jean 43). This caused an imbalance between the consumption and the rate of replenishing the wood. In most of the developing countries, 40% of the family earnings are used to access fuel wood and those who cannot afford it are forced to use crop residue and dried animal feces for heating and cooking (Mirin 6551). Using this material worsens the situation since it does not decompose to fertilize the land.
Underlying Causes
Poverty and overpopulation can be termed as the basic underlying causes as explained by FAO and other intergovernmental bodies (Jean 34). Furthermore, certain state policies that emphasize on economic development such as construction of roads and railways can be seen to cause significant but unintentional deforestation of the rain forests. Some forms of agricultural subsidies, tax breaks and timber concessions can also be said to encourage deforestation, and other factors such as foreign debts and global markets for pulpwood have contributed to the escalations of the problem.
Another underlying factor that contributes to deforestation in developing countries is the huge international debt burden that they face. For example, in Southeast Asia, the Japanese aided in funding of construction of roads used for logging operations in the area, the Japanese companies benefitted from the forest exploitation and left the Asian countries with debts for the money lent to them during the constructions of roads. Jha and Bawa (908) asserts that poor countries will always end up exploiting their own natural resources especially forests to service their huge debts. Colonialism also had a part to play in encouraging deforestation. Most of these forests are found in third world countries (apart from Australia and Hawaii) where colonialism changed indigenous people’s rights to own genuine land, making them to find alternative ways through exploitation of forests (Jha and Bawa 909).
The certainty of deforestation globally has resulted in a lot of impacts both environmentally and socially. The impacts are listed as:
Soil Impacts
Most of the nutrients in a rainforest are usually found in the trees but not in the soil. Tropical soils are quite thin and lack nutrients. Parent rocks usually weather very fast due to the high temperatures and rain such that all the minerals are washed away. This explains why all minerals are distributed in the plants and the decomposing matter on the ground of the forest (Mirin 6554). Once trees are slashed and burned, the ground is covered by ash and the entire nutrients reservoir is lost. This further leads to soil erosion and flooding of the bare ground due to the damage done on the soil. When heavy machinery and cattle compact the soil, it leads to further damaging of the forest soil such that no crops can grow (Mirin 6554).
Social Impacts
Violent conflicts have emerged whenever loggers and refugees collide with the indigenous people who live in the forests (Marc 116). This is because the indigenous people tend to guard their territory since it is the only way they are able to practice subsistence farmers, hunting and gathering. Governments, environmentalists and aid agencies have always found it unclear as to what extent of human presence (for the indigenous people) should be allowed in the rain forests so as to assist in conservation and preservation issues (Marc 117). The presence of indigenous people in the forests lead to imbalance of needs in regards to the government measures, indigenous inhabitants and the economic goals of the world.
Climatic Impacts
Deforestation leads to serious effects on the rainfall and temperatures of a region. The rain that falls in tropical forests always come from recycled water that is usually found in the rain forests (Mirin 6551). Water usually evaporates from the ground and plants in the forest and condenses to form clouds and falls again in the form of rain. It is usually a self- perpetuating water cycle that ensures continuous flow or rainfall. When the trees are cleared, this disrupts the water cycle leading to decreased rainfall. Also, the evaporation cools the ground and the entire Earth’s surface, and any disruption of the cycle may lead to extremely high temperatures.
Global warming due to Carbon cycle
Reports based on Amazon forest show that trees consist of more carbon than that of 10 year worth of artificially produced greenhouse carbon gases (Mirin 6550). When deforestation is done using fire, the carbon stored in the wood usually goes back to the atmosphere, causing greenhouse effects and eventual global warming. When a forest is cleared for grazing land or cultivating, the soils usually start emitting carbon into the air depending on the extent of land usage. For example, in Indonesia, the soils in lowland forests usually consist of partially decayed matter called peat (Mirin 6551). In times of droughts, forests and the decayed material may become flammable especially when if degraded by logging and fires.
Deforestation of rainforests has not gone down well with various stakeholders in the society. Hence, some organizations have come up to research on ways of combating the phenomena. One such organization is NASA. NASA Tropical Deforestation Research involves remote sensing technology that assesses the extents and trends of rainforest deforestation (Mirin 6554). Landsat satellite has been routinely, quickly and reliably providing imagery of all changes in the rainforests ever since the year 1970. This project and technology has enabled agencies and scientists to monitor tropical deforestation while enforcing the required policies. Already, there is a project called the Large scale Biosphere- Atmosphere Experiment that enables researchers to understand the ecosystems and rates of deforestations in Amazonia (Mirin 6555). The technology involved enables people to find ways that can be used to prevent deforestation and lessen the impacts of the already degraded rain forests (Mirin 6555).
In conclusion, the rate of deforestation across the globe has been increasing at n alarming rate. If the rainforest deforestation does not stop, rainforests might cease to exist. Should rainforests cease to exist, there will be further negative impacts on forest soils, social existence, climatic conditions, and global warming. To counteract the impacts, governments, agencies and scientists must be able to understand the direct and underlying causes of deforestation, the rates of deforestation and the impacts of deforestation, so as to come up with policies and strategies required to save the rainforests.
Works Cited
Jha, S., and K. S. Bawa. "Population Growth, Human Development, and Deforestation In Biodiversity Hotspots." Conservation Biology 20.3 (2006): 906-912. JSTOR Life Sciences. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.
Jean Romuald Randriamanarivo, et al. "Causes Of Deforestation In Southwestern Madagascar: What Do We Know?." Forest Policy And Economics 6.(2004): 33-48. ScienceDirect. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.
Marc Deconchat (a, et al. "History And Spatial Complexity Of Deforestation And Logging In Small Private Forests." Landscape And Urban Planning 103.(2011): 109-117. ScienceDirect. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.
Mirin, et al. "Combined Climate and Carbon-Cycle Effects Of Large-Scale Deforestation." Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 104.16 (2007): 6550-6555. JSTOR Life Sciences. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.
