Good morning teacher and classmates, today I am going to talk to you about
environmental problems, about the lungs of the planet: forests disappear due to
deforestation.
First, what is deforestation? Deforestation refers to the cutting down of a forest,
eliminating it completely, to make way for something else in its place. The main
cause of deforestation is unsustainable and illegal agriculture, which gives rise to
cash crops such as palm oil and rubber.
The general causes of deforestation are:
Forest fires: In summer, forest fires destroy thousands of hectares of forest.
Furthermore, with climate change these forest fires are becoming more frequent and
destructive.
Pests and diseases in forests: Tree pests and diseases are another of the natural
causes that cause deforestation. An extreme case is what is happening in the forests
of North America, where a beetle is massacring millions of trees.
Consequences of deforestation
Now that we have talked about the causes of tree loss, let's talk about the
consequences of deforestation, which can be more or less serious and, in some
situations, disastrous.
Alteration of the water cycle: Trees attract rain and forests are a vital part of the
water cycle. For this reason, by losing forest masses, the behavior of water in the
area is modified, as it moves to other parts with vegetation.
Loss of habitat, biodiversity and soil: Deforestation leads to damage to ecosystems, a
loss of biodiversity and aridity of the land. In addition, the fixation of carbon dioxide
is avoided, thus contributing to climate change. Deforested regions tend to soil
erosion and eventually become non-productive land. Which leads to no type of
vegetation growing, not serving as a food area and shelter for animals or for us to
grow food.
Loss of large forest masses: Some places that suffer this problem seriously are areas
of Latin America, rich in forests and jungles, such as the Amazon area. Likewise,
deforestation in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Peru is very significant, since in
several areas of these places there is massive logging for various reasons.
Modification of global climate: By losing forests and jungles, as we have indicated,
the water cycle and temperatures in the region and also at a global level are
modified. Therefore, more actions are added that accelerate global warming and
climate change.
