Deforestations effect the atmosphere - Free Essay Example

Deforestation is the clearance or removal of forests, usually due to people wanting the land for their own uses. This however can have many negative effects on our atmosphere, the envelope of gases surrounding the Earth. Deforestation causes drought, global warming, climate change, and emission of greenhouse gases. When theres less trees, there is less photosynthesis occuring, meaning theres less carbon dioxide being absorbed and more in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas which contributes to the increase of temperature in the atmosphere. Not only is carbon dioxide not being absorbed, but it is also beingw released by the degrading trees that have been burned. Therefore, Deforestation is greatly contributing to the change of gases in the Earths atmosphere. How deforestation affects the atmosphere Deforestation is not only destroying habitats and biodiversity, but also negatively impacting the Earths atmosphere. It causes drought, global warming, climate change, and emission of greenhouse gases.this leads to an excess of carbon dioxide and warmer temperatures. Cause Deforestation is caused by logging, argriculture, mining, urbanization, timber production, and forest fires. The main source of these causes are humans. Annually, over 15 million hectares (ha) (150 000 km2) of forests are lost in the tropical rain forests of South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia with 14.2 million ha (142 000 km2) converted for other land uses (i.e., pastureland, croplands, etc.) and 1 million ha converted for forest plantations. (Snyder. P, 2010) Effect The effects of deforestation are global warming, climate change, and emmision of greenhouse gases. Because carbon dioxide isnt being obsorbed by trees that have been cut down, there is more in the atmosphere, as well as more being released by the trees biodegrading. When the volume of carbon dioxide increases, the temperature in the atmosphere increases as well, resulting in global warming. (Essays, UK, 2013). Global warming warms the ocenas and could partially melt glaciers and ice, which would increase sea levels. Trees emitt reactive gases, which, cool our climate, meaning deforestation would lead to higher temperatures than previously anticipated as less of the gases would be created. (University of Leeds, 2018). Studies have shown how deforestation has contributed to green house gases and global warming, for example in the Amazon, Dickinson and Henderson-Sellers concluded that large-scale deforestation could lead to a temperature increase of 3Â °?–5Â °? and a significan t decrease in precipitation. (Snyder. P, 2010) Tropical forests like the Amzon hold a lot of carbon dioxide