Conflict over deforestation in the Amazon
Ecosystems Assessment
The Amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world, covering a total area of 2.1 million square miles. The Amazon represents over half of the planet's remaining rainforests and is the most species-rich biome and ecosystem in the world today. More than 15% of the world’s animal and plant species live in the Amazon rainforest, including 30% of all birds. Such an amazing forest, also known as the ‘Pharmacy of the World’, is home to 2.5 million different insect breeds, as well as forty thousand plant categories. But not only is there a large variety of plant and bird life, the Amazon houses a number of dangerous animals, including the cougar, wild tiger, jaguar and…show more content… Previous struggles to protect such rainforests have only focused on reducing the levels of deforestation without considering the harmful effects of wildfires too.
Question 3)
The worst droughts in history in the Amazon rainforest caused rivers to dry up, therefore isolating communities, and millions of acres burned. The smoke caused widespread health problems, interfered with transportation, and blocked the formation of rain clouds, while the burning contributed huge amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, worsening the effects of climate change. Indonesia has experienced several severe droughts in recent decades. The worst occurred in 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 when millions of acres of forest burned.
Every year, a sector of global rainforest the size of the Netherlands is cut down and destroyed. The plants and animals that used to live in these forests either die or must adapt to new conditions and find a new place to call ‘home’. Why are rainforests being destroyed?
Humans are the main cause of rainforest destruction. We are cutting down rainforests for many reasons,