Cutting down trees of forests. Causes big problems if done
on a large scale such as cutting down rainforests
Done to provide timber to use as a
building material, clear more land for
farming which is important to provide
more food (rice fields,cattle), or grow
crops from which biofuels based on
ethanol can be produced, to produce
paper from wood.
Deforestation leads to 4 main problems
More methane in the atmosphere - rice is
grown in warm, waterlogged conditions -
ideal for decomposers. These organisms
produce methane, so more is released into
the atmosphere. Cattle produce methane
and rearing cattle mean more is released.
More CO2 in the atmosphere - CO2 is released when
trees are burned to clear land. (Only released when
burning) Microorganisms feeding on bits of dead wood
release CO2 as a waste product of respiration
Less CO2 taken in - cutting down loads of trees means the
amount of CO2 removed from atmosphere during
photosynthesis is reduced
Less biodiversity - is the variety of
different species in a habitat. Tropical
rainforests contain a huge number of
different species so when they are
destroyed there is a danger many
become extinct - biodiversity is reduced.
This causes a number of lost
opportunities - there are probably a lot of
useful products we will not know about
as the organisms that produce them
become extinct, newly discovered
plants/animals are a great source of new
food,fibres for clothing and new medicine
Destroying peat bogs adds more CO2 to the atmosphere
Bogs are an area of land that are
acidic and waterlogged. Plants
that live there don't fully decay
when they die as there's not
enough oxygen. The partially
rotted plants gradually build up to
form peat. So more carbon in
plants is stored in peat instead of
being released into the
atmosphere.
Peat bogs are often drained so that the area
can be used as farmland or the peat is cut up
and dried to use as fuel. Peat is also sold as
compost. Peat starts to decompose when the
bogs are drained so CO2 is released. Carry on
and this can add to the greenhouse effect.
People can buy peat free compost to reduce
the demand for peat.