Impacts of Deforestation Flashcards
All 5 cards in this deck
Why does deforestation lead to soil erosion?
With no trees to intercept rain or hold the soil together, heavy rain washes the topsoil away and leaches out nutrients.
How does deforestation contribute to climate change?
Fewer trees means less CO is absorbed, and burning vegetation to clear forest releases CO, adding to the greenhouse effect.
Give one economic benefit of deforestation for a country.
Employment in logging, mining and farming, plus money and taxes from selling timber and minerals to fund services.
True or false? Soil washed off deforested slopes can clog up rivers and reservoirs behind dams.
True. Exposed soil is eroded into rivers, causing sediment build-up and flooding.
Give one long-term economic cost of deforestation.
Any one of: once the forest is gone it can no longer supply timber or other products; potential income from ecotourism is lost; plants that could be developed into valuable medicines may be lost; local people lose the resources their livelihoods depend on.