What will be the effects of deforestation?

1 Loss of habitats

Felling a tree will mean that all the animals and plants that lived in that tree will be disturbed and will have to seek a new home. Some of these animals and plants will die. Many animals and plants in the forests live in specialised habitats. If these habitats have been destroyed then these animals and plants species may be threatened with extinction.

Despite efforts of scientists and farmers, the Brazil Nut tree only grows in the Amazon rainforest. This is because the flower is pollinated by a species of bee which only lives in that area. Brazil nuts are gathered from 'wild' trees by forest people. As forest clearance increases there are fewer Brazil Nut trees and therefore fewer nuts. We take the Brazil Nut tree for granted at Halloween and Christmas but it may soon disappear from our shops.This illustrates the close and complex web which exists between animals and plants in these regions.

2 Soil erosion

The roots of trees bind the soil in rainforests together. Once the forest has been removed the soil

will only sustain crops for 2-3 years as these nutrients are not replaced. Settlers, farmers and ranchers are then forced to clear more forests. When trees are removed the soil may wash away in storms, silting up rivers resulting in floods. The soil is very poor and it gains its nutrients from the constant rotting of fallen vegetation. Mining, in particular gold mining, has caused massive soil erosion again silting up rivers as the soil is washed into them. Mercury is used to extract gold from the ore and it is highly toxic to most living organisms.

3 Forest people

Deforestation also removes the homes and land of the forest people e.g. Chacoba Indians from South America, M buti pygmies from Africa, Lua tribe of northern Thailand and Biami tribesmen of New Guinea.

The Yanomamo tribe who live in the Northern rainforest of Amazonia are perhaps the largest remaining isolated population in Venezuela. Until 50 years ago they had little outside contact. They live in the forest feeding on the fruit, nuts, berries, birds and mammals. Clothing, medicine and weapons come from the forest plants. They clear small areas of rainforest to grow cassava and maize. Every few years they move on and the forest reclaims the area they leave. Many of these people have died since exposure to outsiders as they have no resistance to the common diseases we carry, such as influenza and measles.

4 A lost resource

We obtain a vast amount of food and medicines from the forest. Tuborcurarine comes from the Curare plant in Brazil. It is a muscle relaxant and is used extensively in surgery and for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Vincristine comes from the Rosy Periwinkle of Malagasy and is used forth a treatment of leukaemia and other cancers. One third of anticancer drugs so far discovered come from plants originating in rainforest regions. There are still hundreds of plant and animal species to be found and their potential for mankind is only just being realised.

5 Global effects

Ultimately removal of vast areas of forest will affect the earth's climate.

Reduction in water absorption