Question

Forests have been completely wiped out in some parts the world. In areas that are economically depressed, people use the cut wood to fuel fires for cooking and for making shelters or homes. How would deforestation most likely impact Earth's biogeochemical cycles?

Group of answer choices


Less carbon dioxide will be present in the atmosphere because the people living in the area still breath in oxygen.


An increase in carbon dioxide will occur in the atmosphere because there are less trees to use the gas in the process of photosynthesis.


Carbon dioxide levels will not change, since plants do not have a role in the carbon cycle.


More water will be released into the atmosphere because transpiration and condensation will produce more precipitation.

Answer 1

Answer: An increase in carbon dioxide will occur in the atmosphere because there are less trees to use the gas in the process of photosynthesis.

Explanation: Photosynthesis can be simply defined as a process where green plants uses minerals from the soil, water and carbon dioxide to produce their own food (energy-rich organic compound/starch) while oxygen is released into the environment.

On the other hand, Human beings and other animals inhales the oxygen released into the environment by green plants and breath out carbon dioxide.

Deforestation is the permanent removal trees either for commercial or household use or in some cases, to make room or space for other activities or development.

Now when these trees (green plants) are permanently cut down without replacement, humans and other animals continuously exhale carbon dioxide and there will be little or no green plants (trees) available to convert this carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Hence, there will be an increased amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as their are little or no tress to use the gas (carbon dioxide) in the process of photosynthesis.