Analysis of the Deforestation of Amazon Rainforest - Research Paper Example

? Deforestation in Amazon Rain Forest Introduction The Amazon Rainforest is the largest remaining rainforest on this planet. It is the home of over 20 million indigenous people, most of who have not been contacted by the outside world, and it provides shelter to thousands of different animal species, most of which are still unknown to the world (Rice, p. 25). Moreover, the rainforest stores over 80-120 billion tons of carbon annually, which plays a crucial role in stabilizing the climate of the earth. In fact, it has been named as the “lungs of the planet” since almost 20 percent of the Earth’s oxygen is produced through the Amazon Rain forest. The majority of the rainforest, just over 60 percent, is within Brazil, and the rest of the rainforest falls within the territory of countries such as Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and others (Senna, Costa, & Pires, p. 14). Rainforests once covered over 14 percent of the earth’s surface; however, the same percentage has now decreased to almost 6 percent and the most significant chunk of this deforestation has taken place in the biggest rain forest of Amazon. The deforestation of Amazon Rainforest is perhaps, the most significant concern for green movements, environmental activists, experts, governments, NGOs and various other stakeholders. Human activity and demand in the region has already destroyed a significant portion of rainforest and caused immeasurable damage to the animal species, ecosystem, and the current and future human generations (Rice, p. 25). This paper is an attempt to explore the dynamics of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest and most importantly, its impact on the soil with respect to soil degradation, soil erosion, and soil leaching. Discussion Prior to the second half of the 20th century, the access to the interior of the rainforest was highly restricted and in the absence of roads, railways and others forms of communication, it was almost irrational to conduct mass deforestation of the Amazon for any purposes (Marshall & Watson, p. 327). The costs of transportation were so high that people did not see deforestation as a profitable venture. However, during the 1960s, many farmers initiated deforestation with the slash and burn method for agricultural purposes. With the creation of roads and railways for transportation and the increasing demand for natural resources, deforestation of the Amazon began at massive rates. The rise on population and the aspirations to become a modern economy further increased the demand for wood and wood products and thus, year after year, rates of deforestation kept increasing. For many years, deforestation within Brazil did not catch the attention of the policymakers of the country as a significant environmental issue because they had evidence to believe that there is a strong link between deforestation and economic growth within the country (Senna, Costa & Pires, p. 14). During the period of 1988-1991, the figures revealed a strong correlation between the slowing down of the economic growth and the decline in the deforestation of the Amazon forest. This correlation was validated by the figures of the period of 1993-1998, when the boom in the economic growth appeared to parallel the increase in deforestation activity of Amazon. Many experts even started claiming this link is not merely a correlation but causation. More importantly, it is a unidirectional causation where deforestation activity within Brazil is causing economic growth and; therefore, it was indispensable (Gabler, Petersen, & Trapasso, p. 89). However, by the mid 2000s, it became apparent to the policymakers and the public that the link between deforestation and economic growth is not a significant one. Since then, there has been a significant decline in the deforestation of Amazon. In fact, the rate of deforestation of Amazon in the year 2011 was the lowest during the past couple of decades. Experts believe that many factors have caused this decline. First, during much of the 1980s and 1990s, Brazilian economy remained in bad shape and its poor health kept Brazilian Real devalued, which in turn made the export industry more profitable (Nunes Kehl, et.al., pp. 2569). A significant portion of Brazilian products consisted of agricultural products and the desire to cultivate more crops forced people and the government to follow a policy of active deforestation. However, when the economy strengthened and the currency increased in value, agricultural exports did not remain a lucrative business. Second, the eradication of foot and mouth disease in Brazil, beef consumption within the country has risen thus decreasing the consumption of other products (Metcalfe, et. al., pp. 192-193). Third, the government, along with the international organizations, media and watchdogs, has enacted stricter laws to prevent people from cutting down more forests. Furthermore, environmentalism and green movements are on rise within Brazil, which have been putting more pressure on the policymakers and increasing awareness within the people to save the Amazon (Marshall & Watson, p. 327). Perhaps, one of the biggest and most disastrous impacts of deforestation in Amazon Rain forest is soil erosion. Soil is a crucial component of the ecosystem since it is responsible to provide living things with fuel, fiber, and food. Soil supports wildlife and remains the cornerstone to urban and rural life all over the world. The fact is that soil forms an interdependent relationship with trees and the vegetation. When soil provides trees and plants with nutrients and support, the plants, in return, provide a protective cover to the soil and throughout the nutrient cycle. This protective cover allows the soil to maintain its fertility over long periods (Gabler, Petersen, & Trapasso, p. 249). Soil inherently contains many nutrients to support life, and with rain, many other nutrients become a part of the soil. Plants absorb these dissolved nutrients in soil since the same is crucial for their survival. In fact, it is primarily because of the presence of plants that the water stays there for long enough to transfer crucial nutrients to the soil and a significant portion of the water seeps through the top layer; thus, recharging the ground table water (Gabler, Petersen, & Trapasso, p. 89). As mentioned earlier, the relationship between plants and soil is the one of interdependence; therefore, plants do not continue to suck nutrients from the soil on an indefinite basis. When plants die or when leaves fall from their trees, they return many of these nutrients back to the soil. Even in situations when animals or small insects eat these plants and their leaves, when they die, their decomposition results in return of those nutrients to the soil. Therefore, throughout the cycle, the fertility of soil is maintained (Rice, p. 25). The fact is that nature has created its own system by which nutrients are passed on to different members of the eco system, such as animals, plants and soil, but the same happens in such a way that value and benefits are maximized for all members of the ecosystem or value chain. However, with deforestation and the removal of protective cover over the soil, there are no more plants and thus no more animals to return those nutrients back to the soil. Critics, environmentalists, and other experts have cited the same as stealing from the soil because when forests are removed from the land, they take away the nutrients that they were supposed to return to the soil but with deforestation, forests are put into human use, thus, breaking the nutrient cycle (Gabler, Petersen, & Trapasso, p. 89). Furthermore, another possible factor that decreases the nutrient content of soil after deforestation is the rise in temperature of the soil. When soil is exposed to direct sunlight for long periods, its peak temperature will increase drastically since with the presence of forests, they regulate the temperature at all time (Metcalfe, et. al., pp. 192-193). Such increase in temperature results in rapid disappearance of humus since it speeds up the process of mineralization of the organic matter (McClain, Victoria & Richey, p. 75). Humus refers to any decomposed organic element that, after several years, has reached the point of complete decomposition and stability, and is less likely to change and decompose any further. Therefore, humus plays a crucial role in determining the fertility of the soil since, humus in itself contains most of the nutrients and its presence at the top layer of the soil assists it with the task of retaining moisture. Therefore, with deforestation, soil is likely to lose humus and thus its nutrient content and ability to retain moisture. This explains why many deforested areas eventually turn in cracked infertile lands since they are unable to retain any moisture. Researchers have reasons to believe that many of the deserted areas of today were lush green rainforests that attracted significant wildlife and rainfall in the past, but due to either human action or natural causes, they lost the rainforests. The same initiated the lost of protective cover to soil, which in turn caused the lost of fertility and a chain reaction of events that led to the desertion of the area (Vergara & Scholz, p. 554). Statistics reveal that the process of deforestation in the Amazon rain forest has resulted in the loss of several million metric tons of soil every year. Important here to note is the loss of the top fertile layer of soil is the most destructive to the ecosystem since that top layer is irreplaceable. Scientists have calculated that nature takes more than 1000 years to produce 2.5cms of fertile sand (Aloian, p. 108). Furthermore, they have calculated that prior to the era where man started influencing the ecosystem and became a significant influence and driver of the same, oceans received just over 9 billion tons of sediments at an annual basis. However, today, the figure has risen to over 255 billion tons of precious and fertile top soil. More importantly, researchers believe that over 20 percent of this soil is lost from the Amazon rainforest, which is a devastating reality for the Amazon rainforest and its stakeholders (Gabler, Petersen, & Trapasso, p. 249). Furthermore, in the absence of that protective cover, the soil becomes vulnerable to the actions of both wind and water. Wind can easily transport the upper and fertile covering of the soil to other areas and water can easily erode soil into the river, seas and oceans. Trees have the natural ability to bind soil together with their roots since they need that soil for absorbing water and nutrients from the land (Senna, Costa & Pires, p. 14). The fact is that in the absence of vegetation, not only the deforested area becomes deserted but also at the same time, the actions of wind and water may transport the soil to other areas thus deserting the adjoining areas as well by filling them with sand and soil. This does not only trigger the process of soil erosion but also soil leaching, which refers to the process through which nutrients are washed deeper into the soil. Therefore, the top layer of soil becomes increasingly infertile over the period, and it becomes troublesome for farmers to grow crops at those lands. Since a significant portion of Amazon has been deforested for the purposes or pasture and land cultivation, this is significant to note that deforestation can trigger soil erosion and soil leaching, which soil that deforestation is less likely to provide fertile lands required to support animal and plant life (Rice, p. 145). Important here to note is that when more soil is being washed up into the rivers, it affects the water quality. Although, in the short term, there might not be any noticeable difference, in the long term it seriously deteriorates the water quality due to more soil content within the water (Marshall & Watson, p. 327). More importantly, when a significant amount of soil deposits under river, it lifts up the water level thus causing the river to rise and disturb the existing population and establishments near rivers. More importantly, with changes in weather and tides, it puts those establishments at a greater risk of flooding. In addition, with excess amount of soil going into the rivers and oceans, the water becomes less healthy for fishes (McClain, Victoria & Richey, p. 75). Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, soil of forests have a natural ability to absorb excess water and then regulate its flow to the river. In the absence of forests and its soil, the water from rains is less likely to cause devastation to human population, dams, and riverbanks. In addition, forests also retain water not only by absorbing the water and by taking in to the ground table level but also through maintaining a humid and stable environment, which prevents water from leaving the soil (Nunes Kehl, et.al., pp. 2569). Another closely linked aspect of deforestation is rooted in the fact that, in the absence of forests, the likelihood of rain decreases. Since forests and its plants release water vapors into the atmosphere, nature ensures that they get a significant portion of rain from those water vapors (Metcalfe, et. al., pp. 192-193). However, in the absence of plants to conduct the process of transpiration, the volume of rainfall decreases, which in turn, decreases the volume of water within the ground. After soil erosion, the surface of the land opens up with cracks, becomes extremely dry and unsuitable for any agriculture and vegetation (Aloian, p. 108). Consider the fact that Amazon Rainforest receives more than 9 feet of rain every year, and the trees are able to return almost 50 percent of this rainfall back to the atmosphere thus regulating the water flow and maintaining the environment. In fact, the evidence reveals signs which indicate that the worst is about to happen. The fact is that the loss of rainfall and the rising levels of rivers and oceans are putting the Amazon Rain forest at a greater risk of extreme climates (Vergara & Scholz, p. 554). In the year 2005, the Amazon experienced the worst drought in more than eleven decades. The drought was so severe that the experts feared that it might push the forest to the brink of extinction. The year 2006 marked the recovery for the forest but the recovery was too slow (Heinrichs, p. 75). Again, in the year 2010, the Amazon faced another serious drought, which was even worst, in some aspects than the drought experienced in the year 2005. A significant portion of the vegetation, at the epicenter of the drought, died raising concerns amongst experts that this might be the tipping point. There are studies that suggest that Amazon Rainforest cannot survive another drought in the next half a decade. On the other hand, it is also likely that the prolonged periods of deforestation would continue to manifest their impact over the next decade through extremes climate and periods of extreme rainfall and droughts (Senna, Costa & Pires, p. 14). Also, consider the case of the Tsunami in the Indian Ocean in the year 2004. The areas without mangrove forestation suffered much more destruction as compared to the areas where forests remained intact. More importantly, experts believe that the recent wave of extreme climate is not the manifestation of the impact of the deforestation that has been conducted in the recent decade. Instead, this has been building for decades and the next few decades would mark the emergence of similar events even if the deforestation were stopped overnight (Marshall & Watson, p. 427). Aside, from the impact on the soil, the absence of trees and vegetation in the Amazon Rainforest will seriously threaten the lives of the indigenous population and many different plant and animal species. The Amazon Rainforest is home to many such plant species that have helped scientists and doctors to discover herbs that can cure different diseases. Statistics reveal that during the next three decades, we would lose almost half of more than ten million known species of animals and plants on this planet. In fact, experts have calculated that they are becoming extinct at a rate of more than 350 species per day. The Amazon rainforest provides the sources and raw material for almost 12 percent of the known medicines of today. Moreover, studies have concluded that 70 percent of the plants that have anti cancer properties are found in Rainforests and Amazon being the largest rainforest possess the greatest number of them. This is the prime reason why the biggest pharmaceutical companies like Merck, GSK, Bristol-Meyers and others have invested heavily to obtain samples of plants and animals from different rainforests so that they can be used for treating different diseases (Vergara & Scholz, p. 554). Furthermore, studying the various dynamics of Amazon along with different animal species that are not present anywhere but in the Amazon can assist in improving our understanding about the evolution of humankind on this planet (Metcalfe, et. al., pp. 192-193). Important here to understand is the fact that projections reveal that the human population will reach the level of 9 billion by the end of 2050. It is highly likely that we would face a difficult time in meeting the needs of food and nutrition of the world considering our current resources (Heinrichs, p. 75). In fact, even today, almost half of the population of the world is living below the poverty line and is suffering with malnutrition or scarcity of food. With increasing soil erosion, we would be left with less fertile land that could be used to grow crops (Gabler, Petersen, & Trapasso, p. 249). In fact, there is both empirical and theoretical evidence, which suggests that even if the land is used to grow crops, as the crops use the remaining nutrients within the soil, the soil becomes increasingly infertile. Within a few months, the ability of the soil to provide nutrients decreases drastically and the farmers have to rely on expensive fertilizers for the same. The stakeholders of the Amazon Rainforest should learn lessons from Yellow River or Huang He also known as China’s Sorrow. It is the six largest river of the world and second longest river within China after Yangtze River. Huang He earned the name “Yellow River” because of the yellowish color of water due to the presence of muddy silt. Furthermore, much of the area surrounding the Yellow river, due to the absence of vegetation and forestation has acquired the same yellowish muddy color. More importantly, history reveals that the Yellow river remained the center of early Chinese civilization, and it was not always “Yellow River” or “China’s Sorrow”. In fact, as mentioned earlier, it was the birthplace of the Northern Chinese Civilizations. For decades, people lived and prospered around the banks of the yellow river, however, when the human population increased, and the surrounding areas attracted many other tribes, people decided to cut down the trees in the surrounding areas for the purposes or cultivation, building homes, protection from wildlife, logging, pasture and others (Rice, p. 167). However, in less than a century, the devastating impacts of deforestation around the river became apparent. The area, which was being used for cultivation and pasture, became extremely less fertile. Rainfall became unpredictable and most importantly, due to soil erosion, the river level kept on rising, and floods became an increasing phenomenon. Since then, the Yellow River has earned the name of China’s Sorrow because of its deadly floods every now and then. The Chinese policymakers have spent billions of dollars to tame and control the river but due to the constant increase in the riverbed level, it has become imperative to construct higher and higher dams to control the water. Furthermore, the presence of yellowish mud has made the water useless for the purposes or irrigation, drinking and others (Marshall & Watson, p. 327). Conclusion As mentioned earlier that although, the rate at which deforestation is taking place has slowed down, the Amazon rain forests are still shrinking. A study conducted in the year 2007, taking into the slowdown pattern of deforestation, calculated that at this rate, by the year 2027, more than 40 percent of the Amazon Rainforest would have been lost. Furthermore, there are reasons to believe that, in the coming years, the increase in population in Brazil and the desire for aggressive economic growth would push the people and the policymakers for further deforestation as they search for more resources (Marshall & Watson, p. 327). The paper has discussed, at length, the impact of deforestation of Amazon Rainforest on the soil of those areas. It has been the prime factor in increasing the risk catastrophic events and environmental deterioration. Both of them have boosted the number of environmental refugees, the people who are being displaced due to environmental reasons. Research by Red Cross reveals that the number of people being displaced due to environmental deterioration exceeds the number of people that seek refugee due to wars (Nunes Kehl, et.al., pp. 2569). History suggests that the Amazon Rainforest has been extremely resilient to external conditions such as the large-scale disturbances created by the pre Colombian settlers, forest fires, climate changes, droughts, and others (Heinrichs, p. 75). However, the current wave of deforestation has done unprecedented damage to the forests. Calculations reveal that during the past four decades, more than 20 percent of the Amazon Rainforest has been cut down. This is more than the volume of trees cut down during the entire 450 years of European colonization. Scientists predict deforestation is likely to contribute to climate change in the region, which will in turn set the stage of conditions where temperatures would rise rapidly, and some regions would get more rainfall while some other regions might be deprived of rainfall (Metcalfe, et. al., pp. 192-193). The fact is that the areas that humans deforest in less than hours, nature takes more than 10 years to build them and the ecosystems around them. Deforestation for the purpose of agriculture is an ironic and absurd approach because once an area is deforested; the soil quality decreases and the area no longer remain suitable for agriculture. More importantly, the areas near Amazon rainforest and the deforested land should accept themselves now to live at the mercy of nature and its forces since there is no longer a forest cover to regulate the climate, water flow and other factors. In the absence of the top fertile soil, which is being washed away every year, those people are now living in areas with a higher risk of floods, extreme climate, rainfalls and less possibility of cultivation. It took nature millions of years to create a meticulous and marvelous rainforest of Amazon and only in the past three decades, we have undone a significant majority of the portion of this work of nature (Gabler, Petersen, & Trapasso, p. 249). Consider the case of Yellow River or China’s Sorrow as mentioned earlier in the paper. The prime factor, which turned Huang He into China’s Sorrow, was the rapid deforestation around that river which triggered the process of soil erosion, soil leaching and soil degradation (Aloian, p. 108). The deforestation of Amazon rainforest is always destroying the sand in similar ways and setting the stage for similar environmental disasters that might change the face of the Northern South American region. Works Cited Aloian, M. The Amazon: River in a Rain Forest. Crabtree Publishing Company, 2010. Gabler, R. E., Petersen, J. F., & Trapasso, L. M. Essentials of Physical Geography. Cengage Learning, 2006. Heinrichs, A. The Amazon Rain Forest. Marshall Cavendish, 2009. Marshall, D., & Watson, G. Amazon Rainforest. WEIGL PUBL Incorporated, 2012. Metcalfe, D. B., Meir, P., Aragao, L. E. O. C., Costa, A. C. L., Braga, A. P., Goncalves, P. H. L., Junior, J. A. S., Almeida, S. S., Dawson, L. A., Malhi, Y., Williams, M. “The effects of water availability on root growth and morphology in an Amazon rainforest.” Plant and Soil, 311:1-2, 189-199, 2008. Nunes Kehl, T., Todt, V., Veronez, M. R., Cazella, S. C. “Amazon Rainforest Deforestation Daily Detection Tool Using Artificial Neural Networks and Satellite Images.” Sustainability 2012, 4, pp. 2566-2573. Rice, W. B. Amazon Rainforest. Teacher Created Materials, Incorporated, 2012. Senna, M. C. A., Costa, M. H. & Pires, G. 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