Impacts of Deforestation (Edexcel IGCSE Geography)

• Many of the impacts of deforestation are environmental including:
  • Areas that have been deforested are planted with monoculture which reduces biodiversity
  • Interception and infiltration decrease which reduces evapotranspiration and as result precipitation decreases
  • This also increases overland flow which leads to soil erosion and sedimentation of the rivers
  • Sediment builds up on river beds reducing their capacity and increasing the flood risk
  • Lack of interception increases the leaching of nutrients
  • Fewer trees to absorb CO₂ means an increase the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere adding to the enhanced greenhouse effect
    
    

Environmental Impacts of Deforestation

• Indigenous communities have less land to sustain their traditional way of life this means:
• • Land does not get the opportunity to recover
  • Less food available 
• Improved quality of life for some people due to increased income and jobs
• Indigenous communities may give up their way of life leading to a loss of culture and traditions
• Increased risk of landslides which can destroy homes and block roads
• Loss of potential medicines 
• Increased risk of flooding of settlements

• More jobs available in mining, forestry, agriculture and HEP
• Increased income for the country through the export of goods from the forest - minerals, timber, crops
• Almost a quarter of Brazil's GDP comes from activities in the deforested areas of the Amazon