DEFORESTATION

fig.: Various ways of deforestation

 In simple words we all know the meaning of "Deforestation" which is cutting of a large group of trees at a specific area. But the point of deforestation is to development of an area by cutting the tree which is quite bad from environmentalist's perspective. As plants are the largest ecosystem that sinks carbon and removes it from the environment after cutting plants the concentration of carbon di-oxide increases in the environment, and it gives the reason for "air pollution". In India if you see a waste land or any dumping area these are the perfect example of deforestation. Sometimes forests are cut down by the name of roads, to join the villages with the cities and for the development purposes. But we forget about the ecosystem. One day nature will make us to pay for it. It is important that if we cut a tree we have to plant another tree for a balanced ecosystem. Deforestation is also a natural disaster a simple example of it is the "Wildfire" that burn a whole forest. 

In simple terms Deforestation is the "destruction of forest".  The total forests area of the world in 1900 was estimated to be 7,000 million hectares which was reduced to 2890 million ha in 1975 fell down to just 2,300 million ha by 2000. Deforestation rate is relatively less in temperature countries, but it is very alarming in tropical countries.

Main Causes of Deforestation Major causes of deforestation are listed below: Development projects. 

Shifting cultivation. 

Fuel requirements cutting and burning. 

Construction of dams Growing food needs.

Consequences of deforestation Some of the effects of deforestation are listed below:

a) Effect on climate Global warming Less rainfall Hot climate. 

b) Effect on biodiversity Loss of medicinal plants. Loss of timber, fuel wood. 

c) Effect on resources Loss of land resource Loss of soil fertility Soil erosion Drastic changes in biogeochemical cycles.  

d) Effect on economy Increase in medicinal values Demand of industrial products. 

e) Effect on food Loss of fruit production Loss of root based foods.