Question

What is deforestation, and what factors are primarily responsible for deforestation of the tropics?

Short answer

Deforestation is the intentional clearing of trees or forests, often for agricultural, timber, or development purposes. The primary factors of tropical deforestation are agricultural expansion, logging, infrastructural development, and mining.

Step-by-step solution

Defining Deforestation

Deforestation refers to the process of clearing a wide area of trees or forests. It is primarily carried out intentionally by humans for creating land for agriculture, building purposes or timber.

Identifying factors responsible for tropical deforestation

There are several reasons for deforestation in tropical regions. Some of the primary factors include: \n1. Agricultural Expansion: Conversion of forests into land for farming such as production of soy, palm oil, and cattle ranching.\n2. Logging: Trees are cut down for use as timber or fuel.\n3. Infrastructure: Building of infrastructure like roads and urbanization also contributes to deforestation.\n4. Mining: Extraction of valuable resources and minerals from underneath the forests leads to clearing of forests.

Wrapping Up

Deforestation is a serious environmental concern as it leads to loss of biodiversity, contributing to global warming and endangering indigenous populations.