Risks and Dangers of Human Intervention
Deforestation
One of the biggest problems affecting tropical rainforests all over the world is the logging of trees. During the 1990s, tropical forests were decreasing in size by 0.8 percent each year. Rainforests are being cleared to create pastures for cattle for the meat industry, to obtain oils to produce gasoline and plastic, and to utilize the trees for wood and paper. Logging companies make roads to gain access to the parts of the trees where they can find the trees they want. Commercial farms also log so they can find land to farm. Unfortunately, most of the poor farmers use a method called slash-and-burn farming, where they set fire to the timber they find in the forest. The fire destroys the vegetation and leaves only the ground covered with the layer of ash. This is incredibly detrimental to the rainforest and to the environment. Not only are we clearing forests, we are destroying them by producing more greenhouse gases. We are clearing the forests without thinking of the result from this. Earth's main source for oxygen is being destroyed and many animals are facing the possibility of extinction. Because of loggings, many organisms are losing their habitats. Tropical rainforests are rich in plants and animal species, many of which have yet to be identified. Atleast 50% of animal and plant species live there and if animals lose their habitats many of them will not be able to live their lives. The system of life depends on trees. For example, animals who depend on trees like chameleons or orangutans will surely go extinct because they are mainly adopted to live their daily lives there. If we keep logging, the biodiversity of tropical rainforests decrease, which will effect the whole ecosystem. Because of the problems of deforestations there are many conservation efforts in tropical rainforests.
Creation of Dams
Another problem with human intervention are the creation of dams. Dams are being created around tropical rainforests and are starting to become more apparent. Because of the dams creation, large tracks of forests are being flooded and killing of wildlife around the area. If the flood didn't kill the organisms, the organisms now don't have a home. Rainforests hold 50% of earth's plants and animals, by destroying the habitat, biodiversity will be greatly affected.
Fish populations have also been affected because of the change in habitat. By killing of so many organisms, the biodiversity of the habitat is greatly effected. Killing of the trees are a bigger matter because trees actually prevent floods and soil erosion. Soil erosion occurs when too much water is in the soil. When rain falls on the forest, leaves break down the fall of water. The rain bounces of the leaves and drips down the tree trunks. Most of the water evaporate before reaching the soil and if vegetations are cleared, the ground loses its protection. It is important for humans to understand the affects of creations of dams in rainforests because rainforests are too important to live without.
Fish populations have also been affected because of the change in habitat. By killing of so many organisms, the biodiversity of the habitat is greatly effected. Killing of the trees are a bigger matter because trees actually prevent floods and soil erosion. Soil erosion occurs when too much water is in the soil. When rain falls on the forest, leaves break down the fall of water. The rain bounces of the leaves and drips down the tree trunks. Most of the water evaporate before reaching the soil and if vegetations are cleared, the ground loses its protection. It is important for humans to understand the affects of creations of dams in rainforests because rainforests are too important to live without.
Benefits of human intervention
Rainforest Conservation
The benefits of human intervention is funnily enough the non-intervention of humans into the rainforests. By conserving rainforests and keeping illegal logging off of the rainforests, we help the biodiversity of the rainforests. We slowly let the damaged ecosystem to restore. One of the ways in which we can conserve the trees in rainforests is to say no to palm oil. Palm oil is found in half of all processed foods and is a large contributor to rainforest deforestation. Benefits can be clearly seen of us conserving rainforests. For one, animals like orangutans, chameleons and countless others will have homes to live in. Therefore the biodiversity will will not be affected, but maintained. Another benefit of conserving trees is that, trees will help regulate the carbon dioxide levels and produce more oxygen for our atmosphere.
Catching illegal loggers (Additional info)
Right now, illegal logging is at large. Ways to counter illegal logging is to still very difficult, but Topher White an engineer, found a way to counter this. We can use our used cell phones to hear distant chain saws logging the trees. Cell phones hearing illegal logging can transmit an alert to ones devices and alert them of the illegal actions.
