Name: Exotic and Endangered Species
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 4 min 46 s
Description: Exotic species, often referred to as alien, nonnative, nonindigenous, or introduced species, are those that occur in areas outside their natural habitat.

Question

Explain how deforestation can result in droughts and floods.

Accepted Answer

The deliberate removal, clearance, or destruction of forests and wooded areas typically for human activities such as agriculture, logging, urbanisation, or infrastructure development is known as deforestation. Deforestation causes drought and flooding in the following ways.

Deforestation contributes to global warming as trees play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas responsible for trapping heat in the atmosphere. With fewer trees, there is an increase in carbon dioxide levels, which leads to a rise in global temperatures. This temperature increase disrupts the water cycle, resulting in decreased rainfall and more frequent droughts.

Deforestation contributes to increased instances of flooding because the absence of trees results in a lack of soil binding and reduced water absorption. Without trees, rainwater quickly runs off the land surface and flows into rivers and streams, increasing the volume and speed of water. Additionally, deforestation can lead to soil erosion, causing sedimentation and reducing the depth of rivers, which further increases the risk of flooding.

Explain how deforestation can result in droughts and floods.

Important Questions on Conservation of Plants and Animals

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