The Rainforest and Deforestataion Essay - 1099 Words

WHY ARE RAINFORESTS IMPORTANT? Rainforests are important to the global ecosystem. Rainforests: ? provide a home to many plants and animals, ? help stabilize the worlds climate, ? protect against flood, drought, and erosion, ? are a source for medicines and foods, ? support tribal people, and ? are an interesting place to visit RAINFORESTS HELP STABILIZE CLIMATE Rainforests help stabilize the worlds climate by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is believed to contribute to climate change through global warming. Therefore rainforests have an important in addressing global warming. Rainforests also affect local weather conditions by creating rainfall and moderating†¦show more content†¦RAINFORESTS REDUCE EROSION The roots of rainforest trees and vegetation help anchor the soil. When trees are cut down there is no longer anything to protect the ground and soils are quickly washed away with rain. The process of washing away of soil is known as erosion. As soil is washed down into rivers it causes problems for fish and people. Fish suffer because water becomes clouded, while people have trouble navigating waterways that are shallower because of the increased amount of dirt in the water. Meanwhile farmers lose topsoil that is important for growing crops. Why Does Deforestation Take Place Every year an area of rainforest the size of New Jersey is cut down and destroyed. The plants and animals that used to live in these trees either die or must find a new forest to call their home. Why are rainforests being destroyed? We humans are the main cause of rainforest destruction or deforestation. Humans are cutting down rainforests for many reasons, including: ? wood for both timber and wood for making fires, ? agriculture for both small and large farms, ? land for poor farmers who dont have anywhere else to live, ? grazing land for cattle, and ? road construction LOGGING AND TIMBER HARVESTING IN THE RAINFOREST One of the leading causes of rainforest destruction is logging. Many types of wood used for furniture, flooring, and construction are harvested from tropical forests in Africa, Asia, and South America. By buying