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Forests play a vital role in our daily life. Forest is an ecological system in which the trees are bound to have a dominant life form. The Food and Agriculture Organisation defines a forest as an area that has a tree cover greater than 10% and the area occupied is more than 0.5 hectares. As living creatures, we depend directly or indirectly on forests for various purposes. Depending upon the geographical conditions of the area, the forests can be classified into various types which in turn determines the kind of life forms present in that forest. Forests have been cleared for agriculture and ranching, fuel, production, and construction leading to huge problems for the living creatures as well as the environment.
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Key Terms: Forests, Ecosystem, Deforestation, Afforestation, Trees, Biodiversity, Habitat, Climate, Soil Erosion, Global Warming
What is a Forest?
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Forests can be defined as a vital ecosystem with a significant density of trees growing close to each other. Massive trees are adorned with plants, creepers, microbes, animals, and wildlife and it is together known as Forest. Forest develops vastly under various conditions, the kinds of soil, plant, and animal life differs according to the extremities of the environment.
Forests are home to more than half of all terrestrial species and provide a variety of habitats that allow many of the most important natural systems to function from absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, to managing and improving water supplies, and maintaining our climate.
More than a billion people live in forests and surroundings and depend on them for fuel, food, and medicine. We all use wood in our daily lives, from the chairs that we sit on to the paper we use.
Forests
Significance of Forests
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Forests are very essential for all living creatures as they provide all the useful products required for our lives. Firewood, Timber, Raisins, Biofertilizers, Wood pulp, Honey, Lac, Medicinal plants and herbs, etc are some of the most important products of forests that we need and use in our daily lives. Forests also provide various types of raw materials for industries, agriculture, fuel, and fibers.
Here are some points mentioning the significance of forests:
- Produce and improve pure oxygen
- Helps in rainfall.
- Balances the ecological system
- A massive pharmacy with a variety of herbs
- Intakes an enormous amount of carbon dioxide
- Reduce temperature and provides moisture
- Prevents or controls floods by slowing down the movement of water.
- Prevents soil erosion and preserves the fertility and quality of the soil.
- Home for wildlife and other creatures surviving in wild.
Read More: Forest Conservation
Deforestation
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Deforestation is cutting down large-scale trees from the forest to comfort man life. Destroying forests is the worst act that makes the life of living things difficult in the future. Forests and their wealth are not only crucial to wildlife but to humans and other domestic life. As per the survey, every country should have 1/3 of the land area mandatory forest to balance life.
Deforestation
Causes of Deforestation
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There are various causes of deforestation. Some of them are given below:
- Growth of Cities
One of the major causes is the increase in the population increasing cities. As the population increases, humans destroy the forest area to get them to settle down. Expansion of the cities by destroying the forest is one of the worst ideas to change wildlife creatures' habitats. As of result, the shrinking of forest areas leads to the extension of cities, roads, industries, houses, and more.
- Logging
The activities of logging legally and illegally result in destroying the forest. Cutting down the trees for furniture, paper, rubber, and other supplies causes substantial damage to the forest. Wood is the primary source of human life but cutting it down on a large scale makes life on earth worst.
- Mining
Another important factor is mining coal and oil. The small road leads to massive loss. Deforestation of roads, Roads to houses, and household waste spoils the minerals and other environmental species.
- Agriculture
Making the forest area into agricultural land is one of the tasks that lead to changes in the habits of forest creatures. The conversion of agricultural lands to cities and forests to agricultural lands makes the whole development of life reverse way. Forests are cleared for agriculture and wood harvesting more than 40% of the time.
- Forest Fire
Globally, millions of trees are destroyed by forest fires each year. Forest fire happens mostly during the time of extreme summers and winters. Forests are severely damaged when a fire occurs, whether caused by humans or nature.
Forest Fire
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After Effects of Deforestation
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Nature and allied ecosystems will be adversely affected by deforestation. Deforestation affects the climate, earthquakes, and rainfall shortage. As the resources are depleting faster and won't be available in the future. The temperature increases lead to the melting of ice glaciers and end in a rise in sea level.
Some of its effects are listed below:
- Biodiversity Loss: Forest is an important feature of the various species. Destruction cuts the balance of the cycle. The loss of mammals, insects, shrubs, reptiles, and other wildlife happens as an aftereffect.
- Global Warming: Abundant carbon content in the air leads to a serious problem in respiration. One of the necessities is oxygen, if there are not enough trees to provide oxygen then it increases global warming and the balance of life.
- Soil Erosion: Deforestation leads to no bind the soil, which leads to soil erosion. As soon as the layers of soil get to lose up, it loses its fertility and turns into a desert.
- Climatic Changes: Climate is dependent on the surroundings, as the forest is the key to the lock climate. The phase of delayed rainfall, seasonal changes, floods, earthquakes, and other natural destruction is because by deforestation.
Read More: Effects of Climate Changes
Afforestation
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Forest afforestation is the establishment of forests in areas where there are no forests at a given time, such as previously altered forests, and reforestation in areas that were formerly not forests. The term “forestry” is often used in conjunction with discussions of carbon sequestration, the release of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Although afforestation can restore previously forest areas and help sequester carbon dioxide, it can have a detrimental effect on species diversity and agricultural income.
Read More: Difference Between Deforestation and Afforestation
Forest Restoration
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Modernization, urban sprawl, and agriculture all require cutting down trees to make way for development or economic growth. Deforestation can lead to habitat loss, changes in drainage patterns and local climate, and loss of biodiversity. Restoring these areas may be as simple as allowing forests to reproduce naturally over time or may require a more complex approach such as planting native trees.
Restoration of previously forested areas can stop and even reverse the loss of biodiversity, help clean up the atmosphere, and restore local areas to a natural climate and humidity regime.
Read More: Biodiversity and Conservation
Things to Remember
- A forest can be defined as a complex ecosystem that consists of huge biodiversity along with a variety of life forms sustaining in that ecosystem. Forests are areas dominated by the existence of huge trees and plants, creepers, microbes, animals, and wildlife.
- Forests perform a variety of functions such as they provide oxygen for all living beings, purifying the air, and absorbing an enormous amount of carbon dioxide. We also get other resources such as medicines, wood, fodder, and other raw materials for the industries.
- Deforestation is defined as the large-scale cutting of forests for various purposes and leads to detrimental effects on earth such as loss of biodiversity, loss of habitat, climatic changes, global warming, etc.
- Afforestation and restoration of forests are some of the ways through which we can combat deforestation and save forests.
Sample Questions
Ques. How can you define a forest? (3 Marks)
Ans. Forests can be defined as an ecosystem that has a huge density of trees growing close to each other along with other living creatures such as animals, birds, microbes, etc. The definition provided by the Food and Agriculture Organisation states that an area that is greater than 0.5 hectares and has more than 10% of tree cover is termed a forest.
Ques. What is the importance of having a healthy forest? (3 Marks)
Ans. The most vital life processes such as the functioning of absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen are performed majorly by the forest. The managing and improvement of water supplies to nature also depend upon the forest. Forests are also responsible for the maintenance of our climate and environment.
Ques. What is Deforestation? At what rate is deforestation taking place in the world? (5 Marks)
Ans. Deforestation usually refers to the destruction and conversion of forests that are considered more profitable. Individual deforestation, such as structural changes, or a decrease in the number of species that can be found there, means the destruction of specific areas of the forest.
Forests cover about 30% of the world's land. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), annual deforestation is about 13 million hectares per year which is equivalent to the size of Greece. Three per cent of forest cover was lost in the 1990s and between 1990 and 2005, and the rate of deforestation has not decreased significantly in the last 20 years. Approximately 96% of forest cover occurs in tropical regions.
Ques. What could be the causes of deforestation? (3 Marks)
Ans. Deforestation can be caused by direct and indirect economic, institutional, political, natural, or social factors. Some of the main reasons for this include land use change for agriculture, mining, and infrastructure development. Indirect reasons, such as poor identification of land and property rights, weak law enforcement, and institutional and insufficient human resources to control the forest.
Ques. What are the aftereffects of deforestation? (3 Marks)
Ans. Nature and allied ecosystems will be adversely affected by deforestation. Deforestation affects the climate, earthquakes, and rainfall shortage. As the resources are depleting faster and won't be available in the future. Some of the after-effects of deforestation are as follows:
- Loss of Biodiversity
- Loss of Livelihood
- Global Warming
- Soil Erosion
- Climatic Changes
Ques. Explain how forests: (a) Prevent Soil Erosion and (b) Control Floods. (3 Marks)
Ans. (a) Soil is a natural resource and thus takes millions of years to form. Only forests can prevent soil erosion or combat desertification by binding the soil with the help of the roots of the trees and this helps in minimizing the deteriorating quality of the land.
(b) Forests act as the buffer zone between the flooding water bodies and the residential societies or areas. The roots of the huge trees in forests begin to absorb the flooding water and reduce the speed of the flowing water, hence, minimizing the damage and havoc caused by the floods.
Ques. Why are forests called the lungs of the earth and pharmacies of the world? (3 Marks)
Ans. Forests are often referred to as the lungs of the earth as they are the largest suppliers of oxygen, which is essential for all life forms on the earth. They also absorb huge quantities of carbon dioxide and improve the quality of air.
Forests are also referred to as the pharmacies of the world as various species of trees possess significant medicinal properties and are used for extracting and making medicines.
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