▁dro ps ▁is ▁reached ▁in ▁about ▁. ▁Because ▁forest ▁can op ies ▁are ▁usually ▁higher ▁than ▁this , ▁rain ▁dro ps ▁can ▁often ▁reg ain ▁terminal ▁velocity ▁even ▁after ▁striking ▁the ▁can opy . ▁However , ▁the ▁int act ▁forest ▁floor , ▁with ▁its ▁layers ▁of ▁leaf ▁l itter ▁and ▁organ ic ▁matter , ▁is ▁still ▁able ▁to ▁abs orb ▁the ▁impact ▁of ▁the ▁ra inf all . ▁ ▁De for est ation ▁causes ▁increased ▁er os ion ▁rates ▁due ▁to ▁expos ure ▁of ▁min eral ▁soil ▁by ▁removing ▁the ▁hum us ▁and ▁l itter ▁layers ▁from ▁the ▁soil ▁surface , ▁removing ▁the ▁veget ative ▁cover ▁that ▁bind s ▁soil ▁together , ▁and ▁causing ▁heavy ▁soil ▁comp action ▁from ▁logging ▁equipment . ▁Once ▁trees ▁have ▁been ▁removed ▁by ▁fire ▁or ▁logging , ▁in fil tr ation ▁rates ▁become ▁high ▁and ▁er os ion ▁low ▁to ▁the ▁degree ▁the ▁forest ▁floor ▁remains ▁int act . ▁Se vere ▁fires ▁can ▁lead ▁to ▁significant ▁further ▁er os ion ▁if ▁followed ▁by ▁heavy ▁ra inf all . ▁ ▁G lob ally ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁contrib utors ▁to ▁er os ive ▁soil ▁loss ▁in ▁the ▁year ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁is ▁the ▁slash ▁and ▁burn ▁treatment ▁of ▁tropical ▁for ests . ▁In ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁regions ▁of ▁the ▁earth , ▁entire ▁se ctors ▁of ▁a ▁country ▁have ▁been ▁rendered ▁un product ive . ▁For ▁example , ▁on ▁the ▁Mad agas car ▁high ▁central ▁plate au , ▁compr ising ▁approximately ▁ten ▁percent ▁of ▁that ▁country ' s