Deforestation is the permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands. The term does not include the removal of industrial forests such as plantations of gums or pines. Deforestation has resulted in the reduction of indigenous forests to four-fifths of their pre-agricultural area. Indigenous forests now cover 21% of the earth's land surface. The World Resources Institute regards deforestation as one of the world's most pressing land-use problems.
The difference between forests and woodlands is that whereas in a forest the crowns of individual trees touch to form a single canopy, in a woodland, trees grow far apart, so that the canopy is open.
Of great concern is the rate at which deforestation is occurring. Currently, 12 million hectares of forests are cleared annually. Almost all of this deforestation occurs in the moist forests and open woodlands of the tropics. At this rate all Amazonia the Zaire basin, as well as a few protected areas within reserves and parks. Some countries such as Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Costa Rica, and Sri Lanka are likely to lose all their tropical forests by the year 2010 if no conservation steps are taken.
Cause of Deforestation
(1) Population Explosion
Population explosion poses a grave threat to the environment. Vast areas of forest land are cleared of trees to reclaim land for human settlement (factories, agriculture, housing roads, railway tracks etc.) growth of population increases the demand for forest products like timber, firewood, paper and other valuable products of industrial importance, all necessitating feeling of trees.
(2) Forest Fires
Fires in the forests may be due to natural calamities or human activities.
(a) Smoldering of human and organic matter forming a thick cover over the forest floor (i.e. ground fires).
(b) Dried twigs and leaves may catch fire (i.e. surface fires).
(c) In densely populated forests, tree tops may catch fire by heat produced by constant rubbing against each other (i.e. crown fires).
(d) Human activities like clearing forest for habitation, agriculture, firewood, construction of roads, railway tacks and carelessness (throwing burning cigarette stubbs on dried foliage).
Fire destroys fully grown trees, results in killing and scorching of the seeds, humans, ground flora and animal life.
(3) Grazing Animals
Trampling of the forest soil in the course of overgrazing by livestock has four reaching effects such as loss of porosity of soil, soil erosion and desertification of the previously fertile forest area.
(4) Pest Attack
Forest pests like insects etc. destroy trees by eating up the leaves, boring into shoots and by spreading diseases.
(5) Natural Forces
Floods, storms, snow, lightening etc. are thye natural forces which damage forests.
Effects of Deforestation
Forests are closely related with climatic changes, biological diversity, wild animals, crops, medicinal plants etc.
Large scale deforestation has many far-reaching consequences:
(a) Habitat destruction of wild animals (tree-using animals are deprived of food and shelter.)
(b) Increased soil erosion due to reduction of vegetational cover.
(c) Reduction in the oxygen liberated by plants through photosynthesis.
(d) Increase in pollution due to burning of wood and due to reduction in Carbon-dioxide fixation by plants.
(e) Decrease in availability of forest products.
(f) Loss of cultural diversity.
(g) Loss of Biodiversity.
(h) Scarcity of fuelwood and deterioration in economy and quality of life of people residing nera forests.
(i) Lowering of the water table due to more run-off and thereby increased use of the underground water increase the frequency of droughts.
(j) Rise in Carbon dioxide level has resulted in increased thermal level of earth which in turn results in melting of ice caps and glaciers and consequent flooding of coastal areas.
The difference between forests and woodlands is that whereas in a forest the crowns of individual trees touch to form a single canopy, in a woodland, trees grow far apart, so that the canopy is open.
Of great concern is the rate at which deforestation is occurring. Currently, 12 million hectares of forests are cleared annually. Almost all of this deforestation occurs in the moist forests and open woodlands of the tropics. At this rate all Amazonia the Zaire basin, as well as a few protected areas within reserves and parks. Some countries such as Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Costa Rica, and Sri Lanka are likely to lose all their tropical forests by the year 2010 if no conservation steps are taken.
Cause of Deforestation
(1) Population Explosion
Population explosion poses a grave threat to the environment. Vast areas of forest land are cleared of trees to reclaim land for human settlement (factories, agriculture, housing roads, railway tracks etc.) growth of population increases the demand for forest products like timber, firewood, paper and other valuable products of industrial importance, all necessitating feeling of trees.
(2) Forest Fires
Fires in the forests may be due to natural calamities or human activities.
(a) Smoldering of human and organic matter forming a thick cover over the forest floor (i.e. ground fires).
(b) Dried twigs and leaves may catch fire (i.e. surface fires).
(c) In densely populated forests, tree tops may catch fire by heat produced by constant rubbing against each other (i.e. crown fires).
(d) Human activities like clearing forest for habitation, agriculture, firewood, construction of roads, railway tacks and carelessness (throwing burning cigarette stubbs on dried foliage).
Fire destroys fully grown trees, results in killing and scorching of the seeds, humans, ground flora and animal life.
(3) Grazing Animals
Trampling of the forest soil in the course of overgrazing by livestock has four reaching effects such as loss of porosity of soil, soil erosion and desertification of the previously fertile forest area.
(4) Pest Attack
Forest pests like insects etc. destroy trees by eating up the leaves, boring into shoots and by spreading diseases.
(5) Natural Forces
Floods, storms, snow, lightening etc. are thye natural forces which damage forests.
Effects of Deforestation
Forests are closely related with climatic changes, biological diversity, wild animals, crops, medicinal plants etc.
Large scale deforestation has many far-reaching consequences:
(a) Habitat destruction of wild animals (tree-using animals are deprived of food and shelter.)
(b) Increased soil erosion due to reduction of vegetational cover.
(c) Reduction in the oxygen liberated by plants through photosynthesis.
(d) Increase in pollution due to burning of wood and due to reduction in Carbon-dioxide fixation by plants.
(e) Decrease in availability of forest products.
(f) Loss of cultural diversity.
(g) Loss of Biodiversity.
(h) Scarcity of fuelwood and deterioration in economy and quality of life of people residing nera forests.
(i) Lowering of the water table due to more run-off and thereby increased use of the underground water increase the frequency of droughts.
(j) Rise in Carbon dioxide level has resulted in increased thermal level of earth which in turn results in melting of ice caps and glaciers and consequent flooding of coastal areas.
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