What are the causes and effects of deforestation? What is global warming? How is it linked to deforestation? Let us find out.
Trees play a vital role in the equilibrium of the ecosystem. Deforestation is a process of cutting trees to make space for pastures or for industries and households of the ever-increasing human population. Excessive cutting of trees for urban use and other purposes is detrimental to the environmental balance. It is needless to say that deforestation has several adverse effects on the environment.
One of the major disadvantages of deforestation is that it disrupts the water cycle. Trees are responsible for drawing up water from the soil and releasing moisture into the atmosphere. Deforestation causes a disturbance in the water cycle and makes the environment drier. Climate change is a severe outcome of the excessive cutting down of trees. Forests lock up atmospheric carbon during the process of photosynthesis. Trees contain a major portion of carbon from the atmosphere.
Clearing of the forest cover has a negative effect on the environment. It results in an increase in the amount of carbon and other greenhouse gases in the environment. Burning of forests results in the emission of a large amount of carbon dioxide into the air. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases like the oxides of nitrogen and methane are known to trap atmospheric heat, thus increasing the average temperature of the Earth’s surface. This increase in the temperature near the Earth’s surface and oceans is termed as global warming.
The rise in the average temperature of our planet is bound to cause the sea level to increase. Global warming has already begun to cause the melting of glaciers and of the ice at the poles, thus adding to the rise in sea level. This phenomenon is a serious threat to the life on Earth and it is we who need to take the right measures to prevent this damage.
We should not forget that trees add to the biodiversity in nature. Animal life thrives on vegetation. By cutting down trees, we deprive animals of their sources of food and cause the destruction of animal life. It can lead to the extinction of a variety of animal species. Global warming that is largely caused by deforestation further endangers plant and animal life, thereby disturbing the balance in nature.
It is believed that the use of fossil fuels and the burning of oil and gas cause global warming. It is true that pollution caused by the burning of oil and gas and the release of pollutants causes global warming. But research has revealed that deforestation is one of its major causes. It is the main reason behind the rise in the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to the greenhouse effect.
Extreme weather conditions, changing agricultural yields, and increase in the disease vectors are some of the other effects of global warming. Deforestation, being the primary reason behind global warming, we need to show greater concern towards the felling of trees. We need to take quick measures for preventing deforestation so that we can hope for an environment conducive to live in.
Ni nini kisababishi na matokeo ya ukataji-miti? Joto la Ulimwengu Ni Nini? Inahusianaje na ukataji-miti? Acheni tujue. Miti hutimiza fungu muhimu katika usawaziko wa mazingira. Uharibifu wa misitu ni mchakato wa kukata miti ili kutengeneza nafasi ya malisho au kwa viwanda na nyumba za idadi ya watu inayoongezeka daima. Kukata miti kupita kiasi kwa ajili ya matumizi ya mijini na madhumuni mengine ni mbaya kwa usawa wa mazingira. Haipaswi kusemwa kwamba ukataji-miti una athari kadhaa mbaya kwa mazingira. Mojawapo ya hasara kubwa za ukataji-miti ni kwamba huvunja mzunguko wa maji. Miti huchukua maji kutoka ardhini na kuachilia unyevu angani. Ukataji-miti husababisha usumbufu katika mzunguko wa maji na kufanya mazingira yawe kavu zaidi. Mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa ni matokeo mabaya ya kukatwa kwa miti kupita kiasi. Misitu huhifadhi kaboni ya angahewa wakati wa mchakato wa fotosynthesis. Miti ina sehemu kubwa ya kaboni kutoka angahewa. Kuondolewa kwa misitu kunaathiri vibaya mazingira. Inasababisha ongezeko la kiasi cha kaboni na gesi nyingine za chafu katika mazingira. Kuungua kwa misitu husababisha kutolewa kwa kiasi kikubwa cha kaboni dioksidi hewani. Kaboni dioksidi na gesi nyingine za chafu kama oksidi za nitrojeni na methani zinajulikana kukamata joto la angahewa, na hivyo kuongeza joto la wastani la uso wa Dunia. Ongezeko hilo la joto karibu na uso wa Dunia na bahari huitwa ongezeko la joto duniani. Kuongezeka kwa wastani wa joto la sayari yetu kutafanya kiwango cha bahari kiongezewe. Kuongezeka kwa joto duniani kumesababisha barafu na barafu kuyeyuka katika maeneo ya ncha za dunia, na hivyo kuongeza ongezeko la usawa wa bahari. Hali hii ni tishio kubwa kwa uhai duniani na ni sisi ambao tunahitaji kuchukua hatua sahihi ili kuzuia uharibifu huu. Hatupaswi kusahau kwamba miti huongeza utofauti wa viumbe hai katika asili. Wanyama huishi kwa sababu ya mimea. Kwa kukata miti, tunawaondolea wanyama vyanzo vyao vya chakula na kusababisha uharibifu wa uhai wa wanyama. Inaweza kusababisha kutoweka kwa spishi mbalimbali za wanyama. Kuongezeka kwa joto duniani, kwa sababu ya ukataji wa misitu, kunaharibu zaidi mimea na wanyama, na hivyo kuvuruga usawaziko wa asili. Inasemekana kwamba matumizi ya mafuta na gesi husababisha ongezeko la joto duniani. Ni kweli kwamba uchafuzi unaosababishwa na kuchomwa kwa mafuta na gesi na kutolewa kwa vichafuzi husababisha ongezeko la joto duniani. Lakini utafiti umeonyesha kwamba ukataji-miti ni mojawapo ya visababishi vikubwa vya ugonjwa huo. Hii ni sababu kuu ya kuongezeka kwa kiwango cha gesi za chafu katika anga, na kusababisha athari ya chafu. Hali mbaya za hewa, mabadiliko ya mazao ya kilimo, na ongezeko la vektor za magonjwa ni baadhi ya athari nyingine za ongezeko la joto duniani. Kwa kuwa ukataji miti ndio sababu kuu ya ongezeko la joto duniani, tunahitaji kujihusisha zaidi na ukataji miti. """Tunahitaji kuchukua hatua za haraka za kuzuia ukataji wa misitu ili tuweze kutarajia mazingira yanayofaa kuishi."