How can deforestation contribute to global warming?
Through the process of photosynthesis, the leaves of trees remove CO2 from the atmosphere. The CO2 is then stored in leaves, branches, and roots. When the trees are cut and burned, or left to rot, the CO2 goes back into the atmosphere.
Furthermore, about half the rainfall in the Amazon River Basin is returned to the atmosphere through evaporation and through transpiration from the leaves of trees. Consequently, clearing large areas of tropical rainforests to create open areas for farms and cattle ranges will most likely cause a decrease in evaporative cooling. This decrease could lead to warming in that area of at least several degrees Celsius. Also, the reflectivity of the deforested area will change as cultivated areas reflect more sunlight than forests thereby increasing atmospheric warming.
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____________________. Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).