Final answer:
Removing trees from a rainforest alters habitats primarily by decreasing the protective cover that is essential for many species, leading to biodiversity loss and soil erosion, as well as impacting local climates and contributing to global climate change.
Step-by-step explanation:
Removing trees from a rainforest changes the habitats for many species primarily by decreasing the protective cover. This protective layer is vital for maintaining a stable environment that supports the high biodiversity within rainforests. Tropical rainforests, such as the Amazon Basin, are being deforested at an unsustainable rate. With the loss of the forest canopy, native animals lose shelter and the complex ecosystem that supplies their food sources.
Moreover, the removal of these habitats hastens extinction events for species that are highly specialized and endemic to these environments. The nutrient-rich layer on the forest floor is also stripped away, leading to soil erosion and a decline in fertility for future plant growth. The deforestation of tropical rainforests not only affects local climates by making conditions warmer and drier but also has global impacts by contributing to climate change through the release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane.