The Causes of Deforestation in the Amazon Rain Forest Essay

The Causes of Deforestation in the Amazon Rain Forest The Amazon Rain Forest crosses several national boundaries in South America, although the majority of it is located in Brazil. It covers over 3,562,000 acres, making it the largest in the world. But globally, over 138,600 acres of rain forest are lost each year to deforestation, 50,000 of those in Brazil alone (Holdsforth), and the worlds rain forests are quickly disappearing. Deforestation in the Amazon occurs primarily for three reasons: clear-cutting, fragmentation, and edge effects. The term deforestation refers to the clear-cutting of large sections of primary or original-growth forest, which causes the loss of native species of plant and†¦show more content†¦The breaking-up of the rain forest therefore prevents species from moving between natural areas, further weakening them. Logging additionally encourages fragmentation. Lucia Johns and Fredia Simms of the Congressional Research Service point out that roads built by loggers are used by farmers and ranchers who clear-cut portions of the forest. As those roads are built and pockets of deforested areas spread, edge effects occur which reduce diversity and threaten the rain forest even more. Edge effects spread out from any deforested area, such as a farm or a road, for a distance of one kilometer into the forest, and they allow weather and non-native species easy access to the borders of the forest. Imagine the Amazon Rain Forest as a large, integrated area. It shelters native species from the outside world, providing them with food and protection from the elements. These species, in turn, feed the rain forest, littering the forest floor with droppings and decay to feed the trees and undergrowth. Flowers are pollinated, so that plant species survive. Edge effects impede this process. The Center for Planetary Studies describes the effect of a major highway being cut through the center of the Amazon Rain Forest in the Brazilian state of Rondonia as a fishbone pattern of deforestation. This network of small access ro ads allows hunters and non-native animals and predators access to a much larger portionShow MoreRelatedDeforestation In The Amazon Rainforest Essay970 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction: Deforestation is the clearing of a forest and/or cutting down of trees for human benefits such as agriculture, wood exports, etc. Deforestation is the cause of numerous environmental impacts such as habitat loss, flooding and soil erosion. It can also cause climate change, by reducing the amount of rainfall and changing the amount of sunlight reflected from Earth’s surface and increases the risk of forest . Tree growth is important for biodiversity because they absorb carbon dioxideRead MoreRain Forest Destruction Essay1561 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"‘Deforestation hits hardest in tropical forests, those vast tracts bordering the equator’† (as stated by Cooper, 1991, September 20). Through out 1990-2007, only three different rainforest have shown a moderate decrease in forest destruction (Newsweek, 2009, December 14). With this information, people around the world will know how important it is to refrain from destroying the forests. If scientists continue to explain the importance of the rain forests leaders of the world will stop most destructionRead MoreEffects Of Deforestation On The Amazon Rain Forest1196 Words   |  5 PagesA study by Mongbay shows a loss since 1978 until today of about 79% of forest deforestation. Decades ago when humans first occupied the earth and began to use fire; deforestation slow began. History has changed and so has technology and methods. The axe has evolved into a chainsaw which accelerates the process of deforestation. Chopping down trees has been the human quest for shelter, food, and warmth. Trees provide humans with wood for shelter. Wood also provides fire for fuel to keep us warm atRead MoreThe Lung of Our Earth904 Words   |  4 PagesOne and a half acres of the rain forest-â€Å"the Lung of the Earth†, are lost every second. In fact, they now cover only a mere 6% of the earths land surface compared with 14% when humankind first settled. Experts estimate that the last remaining rain forests could be consumed in less than 40 years. Obviously, deforestation has been becoming an alarming phenomenon for the whole world. Writing about this issue, Laura Lopen, John Maier and Dick Thompson express some quite strong opinions. In â€Å"PlayingRead MoreAmazon Rain Forest : Tropical Climate833 Words   |  4 PagesTropical Rain Forests are the biomes with most biodiversity; the Amazon Rain Forest is the largest rain forest in world and the most important. The Amazon Rain Forest stretches from the Andes Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. The rain forest goes into eight countries including Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Colombia. (World Book) The Amazon has very unique climate, biodiversity, and limiting factors. The Amazon has a tropical climate. Since the Amazon Rain Forest is near the equatorRead MoreDeforestation as a Global Issue Essay1448 Words   |  6 Pagesto write an assignment on the effects and causes of the deforestation-taking place in the Amazon rainforest. During this assignment I shall investigate the following topics:  · Why has deforestation taken place in the Amazon rainforest?  · Can the government of Brazilsolve this major  · Before and after destruction issue?  · What are the developments in the rainforest?  · What are the negative consequences of deforestation?  · Identify the main green house gasesRead MoreDeforestation Of The Amazon Rainforest833 Words   |  4 Pages David Alas ENF 111 11/01/15 The Deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest I. Introduction A. The Amazon Rainforest is one of the most important natural features of our planet, crucial to our way of life. However, what Godfrey (1990) described as â€Å"one of the world’s last great settlement frontiers† is severely under threat. B. According to some experts, during the past 40 years close to 20 % of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed. Furthermore, it has been suggested that this figure could beRead MoreWhat ´s Deforestation?1049 Words   |  4 PagesDeforestation is defined in the dictionary as the â€Å"removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is converted to a non forest use.† Common examples of deforestation include turning forestland to farms, ranches, or for urban use such as malls and housing. Forests still cover about thirty percent of the world’s land area, but according to National Geographic, â€Å"swaths the size of Panama are lost each and every year.† The world’s rain forests could completely vanish in a hundred  years at the currentRead MoreDeforestation Is Caused By Agriculture And Logging877 Words   |  4 PagesDeforestation is mainly caused by both agriculture and logging. This affects the environment in the amazon rain forest as well as t he indigenous people, who are victimized in several ways by the people who take their land. Agriculture is one of the leading causes for deforestation, unlike the belief that logging is the main cause. Farmers clear the land by setting fire to it when the rain forest is dry enough to burn. Not only does burning the trees greatly increase the deforestationRead MoreDeforestation Effects On Amazon Forest Resilience1725 Words   |  7 Pagesdemand more, more space will be needed and cutting away the trees for humans to use. Deforestation is the act of cutting and clearing a large area of trees. It is the cause of extreme damage to the ecosystem and sustainability of life. Deforestation is negatively affecting the interaction between the water cycle, soil sustainability, and trees stability. There is a chain reaction due to deforestation. Deforestation leads to decrease in biotic pump disrupting the water cycle leading to a decrease in