Deforestation
why is deforestation considered a global problem and not just a local one?
Deforestation is a global problem because forests affect the entire Earth system. When trees are cut or burned, the carbon they stored is released as CO, which spreads through the atmosphere and contributes to global warming everywhere, not just where the trees were removed.
How does the same chemical process describe both burning wood and natural decomposition?
Both processes oxidize organic carbon ((CH₂O)n) using oxygen, producing CO₂ and water. Burning happens quickly with heat, while decomposition happens slowly through biological processes.
How does cutting down forests change the carbon cycle?
It reduces CO, absorption and increases emissions, shifting the balance toward warming.
What is a climate feedback loop, in simple terms?
It’s when one change causes effects that make the original problem worse.
How do money, farming, and government decisions all contribute to forest loss?
Economic demand for crops like soy, beef, and palm oil encourages large-scale clearing. Weak laws, subsidies, and poor enforcement make it easier for companies to log or burn forests, especially in places like the Amazon.
What changes chemically in soil when wetlands are drained, and why does that affect climate?
Draining wetlands adds oxygen to previously anaerobic soils. This causes stored organic carbon to oxidize into CO₂, increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Why does deforestation affect rainfall and temperature, not just carbon levels?
Trees control evapotranspiration and reflect sunlight. Without them, areas become hotter and drier.
Why does climate change lead to more forest fires?
Hotter, drier conditions make forests easier to ignite and harder to recover.
Why can forests help fight climate change but also make it worse if they're mismanaged?
Healthy forests remove CO, through photosynthesis, but when forests are cleared or burned, they release greenhouse gases. Poor management turns forests from carbon sinks into carbon sources.
Why does low oxygen during fires lead to carbon monoxide and methane being released?
With limited oxygen, carbon can’t fully oxidize into CO₂. This causes incomplete combustion, forming CO and CH₄ instead, which are more harmful greenhouse gases.
Why are methane and nitrous oxide such big problems even though there's less of them?
They trap far more heat than CO2, making them extremely powerful greenhouse gases.
How does losing biodiversity make ecosystems less able to recover?
Fewer species means fewer roles in the ecosystem, making it less resilient to stress.
How did human inventions increase how much Earth can support, but still damage natural systems?
Technology allowed humans to grow more food and build cities, increasing Earth's carrying capacity.
However, this came at the cost of deforestation, pollution, and disrupted ecosystems, which reduced long-term stability.
How is carbon released differently in forest fires compared to soil after deforestation?
Fires release carbon rapidly as CO₂, CO, and particulates. Soil oxidation releases CO₂ slowly over time, but the total emissions can be just as large or larger.
Explain the chain: human activity → chemical reaction → emission → climate effect
Deforestation → biomass combustion → CO, and CH, emissions → increased global temperatures and climate disruption.
How do changes in sunlight reflection and water vapor affect climate?
Deforested land reflects heat differently and releases less water vapor, increasing warming.
Why does deforestation matter more now than it did thousands of years ago?
Earth’s climate has been stable since the last ice age. Large-scale deforestation during this stable period disrupts carbon cycles and feedback loops, making climate change faster and harder to reverse.
Why do conditions like oxygen, heat, and moisture matter when predicting emissions?
These conditions control which chemical reactions occur and what gases are released. For example, dry, hot conditions increase fires and methane production.
How can forest loss cause climate change to speed itself up over time?
Forest loss increases warming, which causes more fires and drought, releasing even more greenhouse gases.
What could happen if deforestation continues at the current rate?
Climate systems could reach tipping points, causing irreversible damage.