How the World's Forests Are Vital for the Water Cycleby Paisley Hansen | 10-11-2021 05:48 |
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Life on earth relies on its vast supply of water. The water cycle produces enough precipitation to support all life, from agriculture and forests to animals and humans. However, people are making a negative impact on this renewable resource through deforestation. Here¡¯s a look at how interfering with the earth¡¯s systems dramatically impacts the future. The Basics of the Water Cycle The amount of water on earth has always remained the same; the H2O molecules simply change form through the water cycle. In case it¡¯s been a few years since you learned about this process, here¡¯s a quick refresher. The most apparent bodies of water, lakes and oceans, hold large amounts of this resource. As the sun heats the molecules, they become more active and evaporate into the air. You may notice the feeling of humidity or see fog when water saturates the air. Trees also release moisture into the air through their leaves. This process is called transpiration. As the water evaporates from both the water source and the trees, it condenses into clouds in the sky. When enough water forms together, the molecules become too heavy to stay airborne and fall to earth as rain, snow or hail. The water then runs off into the lakes and oceans, gets absorbed by tree roots, and begins the process again. Deforestation Impacts the Balance of Water An essential part of understanding the earth¡¯s ability to renew its resources is by asking how does deforestation affect the water cycle. As stated above, trees absorb water from deep in the ground through their roots and release it into the atmosphere. In areas with thick forests, this is the most abundant source of moisture in the atmosphere. Removing large amounts of the earth¡¯s forests eradicates this water source. Not only does this impact the area around the woods, but the wind pushes the moisture created by the forests into other areas that don¡¯t have as many trees. Removing trees from one part of the world affects the water cycle in many different locations.Temperatures Are Erratic Without Forests The process of transpiration takes energy. The trees get this energy from the air in their surroundings, which lowers the temperature of the air. Not only are trees responsible for transpiration, but they also release volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere. These compounds help cool the atmosphere and play a key role in stabilizing the climate. Fewer trees mean less cooling and more heat. An increase in temperature disrupts the water cycle leading to flooding in some areas and drought in others. Trees Filter the Water As rain falls into a forest, the trees block the drops from directly impacting the ground. This helps prevent erosion and damage to the forest floor. The massive root systems of the trees also protect the soil from erosion and runoff during a storm. Without these trees, the dirt quickly runs off into the water collection ponds. Not only does this cause the ground to become hard and lack minerals, it also causes the water to become muddy and contaminated.Farms Replace Forests As people destroy the forests, they convert the land to animal and agricultural farms. These practices create additional amounts of carbon emissions that may damage the ozone layer and lead to an increase in global warming. This practice is a double-edged sword because not only is the new land causing this adverse effect, but there are fewer trees now available to help reverse the process. Forests and trees are a vital part of the water cycle. Not only do they transport water directly from the soil to the air, but they also help prevent global warming, which also interferes with the cycle. |
