Final answer:
Deforestation in the Amazon is caused by cattle ranching, farming, logging, and mining, resulting in loss of biodiversity and contributing to global warming. While economic opportunities arise, the negative environmental impact has sparked global concern, with strategies like strip cutting proposed to mitigate the effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The removal of natural resources from the Amazon rainforest and basin, driven by technology and the search for economic development, has led to a significant environmental phenomenon known as deforestation. This large-scale deforestation results from a variety of activities including cattle ranching, farming, logging, and mining. In the process, vital biodiversity is being lost, and the habitat of indigenous species and communities is diminishing. The environmental costs are substantial, including soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and the release of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
Poverty and the pursuit of economic gain have driven much of the exploitation of resources, causing degradation to the Amazon's natural environment. With the destruction of rainforest areas, not only is the carbon sink effect of the forest lost, contributing to global warming, but the livelihoods of numerous plant and animal species, as well as indigenous communities, are being jeopardized.
Efforts such as strip cutting and controlled forest management are potential alternatives to clear-cutting, aiming to preserve the resilience of tropical rainforests.
Despite these environmental concerns, the development of the Amazon Basin has brought economic opportunities to many Brazilians. Employment opportunities arise, and lands are cleared for agriculture and grazing, supporting both local consumption and export.
Balancing economic development with environmental preservation remains a critical challenge for the Brazilian government and the global community.