Harvesting, forest fires, and insect infestations do not count as deforestation because the affected areas will eventually grow back. In some places, especially developing countries, wood is. A study was initiated in 1994 to evaluate the effects of deforestation on physical and chemical properties of soils under oak quercus brontii forests in lordegan. Without trees to anchor fertile soil, erosion can occur and sweep the land into rivers. Typically, deforestation is clearing a lot of trees without the intention of establishing future growth. Effects of tropical deforestation on climate and agriculture. It is a serious environmental concern since it can result in the loss of biodiversity, damage to natural habitats, disturbances in the water cycle, and soil erosion.
We determine the effect of deforestation on soil fertility, soil carbon and. Deforestation effects on soil physical and chemical properties, lordegan, iran mohammad a. Deforestation effects on soil physical and chemical properties. These impacts include compaction, loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, and soil salinity. If the current rate of deforestation continues, the worlds rain forests will vanish within 100 yearscausing unknown effects on. A strategy for physical recovery badege bishaw oregon state university, usa abstract deforestation, accelerated soil erosion, and land degradation are serious problems in ethiopia. Hence, the objectives of this study are to compare selected soil properties, runoff amount, erosion and also introducing equations to predict the runoff. Deforestation contributes to runoff of rainfall and intensified soil erosion.
Let us proceed from the labyrinth of uncertainty about the causes and effects of the pressures on the mountain forests to a discussion of the hypothetical impacts of deforestation, assuming that the world bank assessment is correct and the mountains of nepal will indeed be laid bare by ad 2000. Soil erosion and its effects july 22, 2012 the loss of trees, which anchor the soil with their roots, causes widespread erosion throughout the tropics. In this study, instead of focusing on water yield, we directly examine the effect of deforestation on households access to clean drinking water in malawi while controlling various other factors. Deforestation has been going on in many parts of the world causing adverse effects such as loss of biodiversity in animal and plant species, soil erosion, flooding and climate change butler, 2007. Frey, tropical deforestation in the amazon, issues in political economy, 2002, vol. Rainforest clearance effectively removes the nutrients from that area forever the resulting infertile soil may quickly erode. Icecsen386812 the effect of deforestation on soil erosion, sediment and some water quality indicates mojtaba zeraatpishe1 yones khaledian2, sohaila. Deforestation is a primary contributor to climate change. Yet the effects of deforestation reach much farther. Marsfm working paper 5 2007 forestry department food and agriculture organization of the united nations manual on deforestation, degradation, and fragmentation using remote sensing and gis prepared by giri tejaswi rome, march 2007 strengthening monitoring, assessment and reporting on sustainable forest management in asia gcpint988jpn. Concluding remarks there is a clear linkages between deforestation and worlds demands of fiber, food, and fuel understanding the underlying or indirect causes of deforestation is crucial to address redd and climate change most deforestation is driven from outside forestry sector e. Soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks in soil under forest are similar to.
The results indicated that soil wet aggregate stability, mean aggregate diameter decreased with years following deforestation. We determine the effect of deforestation on soil fertility, soil carbon and nitrogen stocks and hypothesize that tropical forests and agroforestry have similar characteristics, in contrast to the deforested areas used as cropland. It is estimated that these diverse ecosystems house 80 percent of the worlds terrestrial biodiversity 1. Karimzadeh isfahan university of technology, isfahan, iran received 6 august 1996.
Deforestation definition, causes, effects, and control. Impacts of deforestation and land cover change on mountain soils. Deforestation is more extreme in tropical and subtropical forests in emerging economies. When the trees disappear, the soil is unable to sustain crops. Impact of deforestation on soil fertility, soil carbon and. Effects of reforestation and deforestation on soil properties in humid. Soil quality degradation processes along a deforestation. Bare ground, with little added humus, increase the rate of sheet and gulley erosion. Pdf deforestation effects on soil properties, runoff and. While the secondary data source involved the search into published and unpublished materials relevant to. In the existing literature on forest science and hydrology, the consensus is that deforestation increases water yield. Without trees, the nutrients will easily wash away leaving infertile soil. What is deforestation and how does it affect soil answers. Chopping down and removing an area of tropical rainforest therefore has a much greater effect on soil quality structure and nutrient levels than felling an equivalent area of temperate forest.
Opting for paperless bills, checks and payments significantly contributes towards mending the harmful effects of deforestation. The regions, such as forests and rangelands, where human activities have degraded soils and converted farming land uses, require accurate and quantitative sources of information to maintain their sustainable development. Pdf impact of deforestation on soil fertility, soil. Historical causes of deforestation while we are just now realizing the harmful effects that deforestation is having, the destruction of the forests has been going on since the dawn of man. Without deforestation the nutrients would stay in the soil and trees. Effects of tropical deforestation on climate and agriculture deborah lawrence and karen vandecar tower, groundbased and satellite observations indicate that tropical deforestation results in warmer, drier conditions at the local scale. Soil erosion destruction soils and the nutrients in them are exposed to the suns heat. The effect of deforestation on soil erosion, sediment and some water quality indicators conference paper pdf available february 20 with 6,016 reads how we measure reads. This is a vicious circle, driving farmers to keep expanding into new forested areas. Deforestation can be defined as the largescale removal of trees from forests or other lands for the facilitation of human activities. In this study, the effects of deforestation and intensive agricultural practices were evaluated on sq in the north of iran.
Deforestation and land degradation on the ethiopian. The longterm effects of deforestation and farming on soil. The loss of tropical rainforest is more profound than merely destruction of beautiful areas. Deforested regions typically incur significant other environmental effects such as adverse soil erosion and degradation into wasteland. Impact of deforestation on soil fertility, soil carbon and nitrogen stocks. Deforestation exposes the soil to erosion, often leaving behind completely barren land within just a few years. Quantification of soil quality changes following deforestation by measurable soil attributes is important to sustainable management of soil and water conservation. The loss of trees can cause climate change, desertification, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and a host of problems for people. Deforestation generally increases rates of soil loss, by increasing the amount of runoff and reducing the protection of the soil from tree litter.
Effect of deforestation on access to clean drinking water. Natural secondary succession, forest planting and agricultural practices after deforestation affect soil properties in many ways. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, humans have removed more than half of. The soil left after deforestation is often of poor quality, and it lacks the nutrients necessary for agriculture. Pdf this study was designed to evaluate soil quality sq in deforested and intensively cultured lands in mazandaran province, iran. A study was initiated in 1994 to evaluate the effects of deforestation on physical and chemical properties of soils under oak quercus brontii forests in lordegan region of central zagrous mountain, iran. Greenhouse gases are emitted during combustion of forest biomass and decomposition of remaining plant material and soil carbon. In addition to their previously mentioned roles, trees also function to retain water and topsoil, which provides the rich nutrients to sustain additional forest life. The effect of deforestation is felt within the local area and also internationally depending on the magnitude.
Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to utilize the land or trees. Learn more about its causes, effects and solutions. Improper cultivation practices are seriously degrading native forest ecosystems in northern iran. Rainforests have especially high species density, covering 2 percent of earths surface, but housing nearly 50 percent of all plant and animal species 2. In addition to erosion, soil quality is affected by other aspects of agriculture. The south american rainforest, for example, influences regional and perhaps even global water cycles, and its key to the water supply in. Deforestation effects on soil physical and chemical. Soil is a precious resource that takes centuries to create and forest help to preserve it.
Deforestation facts and information national geographic. As a result, this land use prohibits farmers from utilizing the same area for more than a couple of years. Soil pollution causes, effects and what to do about it. Pdf assessing the effects of deforestation and intensive. Without them, the soil erodes and washes away, causing farmers to move on and perpetuate the cycle. Deforestation, as defined by the united nations, is the permanent removal of trees until there is less than 10% of the forested land remaining. Forests cover 31 percent of earths land surface and house a majority of the plants and animals found on earth. Understanding the regional or global impacts of deforestation on climate, and ultimately on agriculture. Pdf the evergreen forests of southwest ethiopia are important for soil fertility sustenance and climate change mitigation.
Pdf many studies confirm the relationships between deforestation, agriculture and soil erosion. Accepted in revised form 7 february 1997 key words. Deforestation is an important factor in global climate change. Deforestation can have destructive effects on soils. However, the increasing human population and expansion of agricultural land have led to deforestation. Soil erosion is mainly caused by rain, wind, flooding, overgrazing, soil exhaustion and deforestation. While it is easy to understand the driving causes of deforestation, it can be harder to recognize and explain the impacts. The longterm effects of deforestation and farming on soil infiltration rates and soil horizons allison brigham, natalie havlin, suzy king abstract four locations in the champlain valley were studied in an attempt to determine to what extent farming and deforestation affect soils. Soil is also carried away when water can easily flow through. Impacts of deforestation and land cover change on mountain soils in. Most impacts are complex and interrelated, and continuously drive the destructive cycle of deforestation. When this happens, farmers pack up and move on to the next section of the rainforest, leaving their farmland behind for. Only a minority of areas have good soils, which after clearing are quickly washed away by the heavy rains. Causes, effects and control strategies 5 deforestation are maintained.
Indeed some 31 countries do not even make the list because they have already removed most of their forests and even if that remain are seriously fragmented and degraded. The effects of deforestation range from standard environmental like changes in the atmosphere and biodiversity, to economical impacts. Deforestation effects on vegetative regeneration and soil quality in. The loss of trees, which anchor the soil with their roots, causes widespread erosion throughout the tropics. The effects of soil erosion go beyond the loss of fertile land. Deforestation and land degradation on the ethiopian highlands. Further effects of deforestation include soil erosion and coastal flooding. Deforestation effects on soil physical and chemical properties, lordegan, iran article pdf available in plant and soil 1902.
Pdf impact of deforestation on climate change iosr. Looking at the importance of forests and trees in the previous pages, you can deduce the massive effects of deforestation and treecutting activities. Assessing the effects of deforestation and intensive. Pdf deforestation effects on soil physical and chemical. Land use changes, especially in the form of deforestation, are the second largest anthropogenic source of atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions, after fossil fuel combustion. This tropical soil is dependent on trees to continually replenish its nutrients. The soil only stays nutrient rich for so long, about two years11, after this time, the nutrients from the burned biomass are used up. More than half of all plant and land animal species in. For ecological deforestation to end, paper consumption must be drastically reduced. Deforestation is the cutting down of trees from an area with no intention of establishing a future stand of trees. Soil erosion and floods forests have an important function in retaining water and top soil.
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