Deforestation

     Deforestation is the clearing of the Earth's forest on an extreme scale, causing damage to the land's quality. An estimated 18 million acres of forest are lost each year, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Deforestation is considered to be one of the contributing factors to global climate change. Trees absorb greenhouse gases and carbon emissions. They produce oxygen and perpetuate the water cycle by releasing water vapor into the atmosphere. Without trees, forest lands can quickly become barren land.  Deforestation is brought about by the following: conversion of forests and woodlands to agricultural land to feed growing numbers of people; development of cash crops and cattle ranching, both of which earn money for tropical countries; commercial logging (which supplies the world market with woods such as meranti, teak, mahogany and ebony) destroys trees as well as opening up forests for agriculture; felling of trees for firewood and building material; the heavy lopping of foliage for fodder; and heavy browsing of saplings by domestic animals like goats. To compound the problem, the poor soils of the humid tropics do not support agriculture for long. Thus people are often forced to move on and clear more forests in order to maintain production.

     Deforestation can effect things like the carbon and water. The carbon cycle. Forests act as a major carbon store because carbon dioxide (CO2) is taken up from the atmosphere and used to produce the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins that make up the tree. When forests are cleared, and the trees are either burnt or rot, this carbon is released as CO2. This leads to an increase in the atmospheric CO2 concentration. CO2 is the major contributor to the greenhouse effect. It is estimated that deforestation contributes one-third of all CO2 releases caused by people.
The water cycle. Trees draw ground water up through their roots and release it into the atmosphere (transpiration). In Amazonia over half of all the water circulating through the region's ecosystem remains within the plants. With removal of part of the forest, the region cannot hold as much water. The effect of this could be a drier climate. 
To prevent deforestation from going any further we can...

• Use Recycled Items
• Tree Care
• Farming Practices
• Cut Back on Palm Oil
•  Coals
• Reforestation
• Become an Advocate
• Support Conservation Organizations

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4jhjt1_eyM

Sources:
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/#close-modal

http://www.howtoprevent.com/enviroment/how-to-prevent-deforestation/