Environmental concerns about tropical rain forest Spring 2003 Manuel Corro AGED 4713 International...
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Transcript of Environmental concerns about tropical rain forest Spring 2003 Manuel Corro AGED 4713 International...
Environmental concerns about tropical rain forest
Spring 2003
Manuel Corro
AGED 4713International Agriculture
Objectives To know about:
Importance of tropical rain forest
Causes of deforestation in the tropics
Sequence of events of deforestation
Tropical rain forest
• Worldwide, 5 to 80 million species of plants and animals comprise the "biodiversity" of planet Earth.
• Tropical rain forests-covering only 7% of the total dry surface of the Earth-hold over 50 % biodiversity
Causes of Deforestation
Causes are very complex:• Economic reasons
• Need more land to increase agriculture
• Commercial logging• Agriculture• Poor conservation practices • Construction of highways & dams
Causes of Deforestation
• Slash and Burn • Land degradation
• Erosion
Sequence of events from deforestation to extensive cattle grazing systems in Central America
Little economic opportunity
Access to forest
People migrate to forest and clear land
Economic activities:wood, charcoal, cropping
Remaining nutrients extracted from forest remnant
LOW CROP YIELDS
(Nicholson et al 1995)
Sequence of events from deforestation to extensive cattle grazing systems in Central America
LOW CROP YIELDS
Land sold to larger producers
Grasses and cattle introduced for small producers
Cattle grazing system on formerly forested
land(Nicholson et al 1995)
Seek for new land to clear
How long does it take to recover a deforested land?
What can it be done to avoid deforestation?
Any Questions ?