Tropical Rainforests

Reasons for clearing them

Commercial agriculture

Cattle ranching

Roles of rainforests

Shelters for various species

Arbiters for global water supply

Affect the weather in
the rest of the world

Moderators for climate

Absorb carbon dioxide and
renew atmospheric oxygen

Impacts of destruction of rainforests

Affects farmers negatively

Difficult to adapt to increased
floods and parched soil

Destruction of forests starting
to affect regional climates

E.g. Rainy season in the Amazon
delayed by up to 2 weeks

E.g. Dry season in Thailand
has become drier

Alter moisture and air flow

Immediate fluctuations
in rainfall patterns

Rises in temperature
that happen right away

Impacts that extend far
beyond the tropics

Rainfall patterns affected

UK Midwest and
Southern France could
see a decrease in rainfall.

E.g. UK and Hawaii could
see an increase in rainfall.

Affect agriculture in
North America, Asia
and Europe