Page 80 - Science Class 08

Preven ng Soil Erosion depends on trees for their food, loses their

Physical and chemical weathering becomes source of food. Humans also lose their food
more effec ve on barren land. So, the rate of source and livelihoods that are dependent on
soil erosion also increases. When uppermost the forest. Global warming and climate change
layer of the soil is carried away by fast moving are also the fall out of deforesta on.
air or water, this process is called soil erosion.
But, the roots of plants bind soil par cles
together and prevent soil erosion.

Maintaining Air Humidity
Forested water sheds act like giant sponges,
absorbing rainfall, slowing down the run off

and slowly releasing the water for recharge of
springs. The moisture present in the air also
helps in bringing rain. The increased humidity is
very helpful for plants and animals for their
survival in warm season. Let us study about the factors responsible for
deforesta on:
Providing Raw Materials
Procuring Land for Cul va on
As a natural resource forests supply wood and
Most of our food requirements are fulfilled by
many other products like gums, fibres,
the agricultural produces. Besides, plants also
bamboos, medicines, honey, resins, soils, lac,
give us many other things like tea, coffee,
shellacs, pulp, paper, etc.
resins, fibres, sugar, etc. To meet the demand
DEFORESTATION
of the ever increasing popula on the require-
The destruc on of forests is known as ment of agricultural land in also increasing
deforesta on. By falling trees forest cover is rapidly. To meet this requirement, forests are
destroyed. When trees are cut on a large scale being cleared. Shi ing cul va on is also
to clear a large area of forest cover many trees responsible for the declined in forest area.
are lost. This man-made ac vity has
Building Houses and Factories
disastrous effects on the environment and
Forests are also being cleared to acquire land
ecology. Deforesta on has led to many
for the construc on of houses and factories. To
ecologically damaging outcomes affec ng the
meet the shelter requirement of such a vast
flora and fauna of the area and disturbing the
popula on, we are forced to clear forests.
food chain and the hydrological cycle. The
Forests situated near big ci es like Pune,
disturbances created to the ecosystem due to
Bengluru, Ranchi, Delhi, etc. have already been
deforesta on are both short term and long
cleared to convert them into residen al and
term consequences.
industrial areas.
Deforesta on causes many wildlife species that
Since most of the items used by us are
live in the trees and the forest to lose their
manufactured in factories, rapid growth in
home. There is also a disturbance to the amount
popula on has also put a great pressure on
of rainfall in the area. Herbivorous wildlife that
factories. Therefore, the number of factories is

80 Science-8