4.17: Understand the Effects of Deforestation, Including Leaching, Soil Erosion, Disturbance of the Water Cycle and of the Balance in Atmospheric Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

DEFORESTATION: Clearing an Area of Trees at a Large Scale

EFFECTS OF DEFORESTATION:

DEFORESTATION

Diagram Showing the Scale of Deforestation

EFFECTS: LEACHING Trees will Usually Take Up Nutrients and Minerals from the Soil through their Roots Without Trees, Nutrients and Minerals will Remain Unused in the Soil so will be Washed Away Into Rivers and Lakes by Rain (Leaching) SOIL EROSION Tree Roots Help to Stabilise the Soil, Preventing them from being Eroded by Rain Without Trees, the Soil will be Loose and Unstable so will be Washed Away by Rain DISTURBANCE OF THE WATER CYCLE Transpiration from Trees will Release Water Vapours into the Atmosphere for Condensation to Form Clouds and to be Returned by Precipitation such as Rain Without Trees, Less Transpiration will occur so will cause less Clouds to Form and Lack of Precipitation, causing Droughts UNBALANCE IN ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN AND CARBON DIOXIDE Trees will Conduct Photosynthesis to Take in Carbon Dioxide and Release Oxygen The Removal of Trees will cause Less Photosynthesis to take place so will Increase Carbon Dioxide Levels Trees will also Burn to Produce Carbon Dioxide (Common Method of Deforestation), Increasing Carbon Dioxide Levels in the Atmosphere