The Destruction of the Forest

Rain and Wind

Life on the forest floor developed over a period of centuries. If the forest floor were destroyed, it would take many years for the ecosystem to recover.

Rain and wind are the two most important factors in displacing the material that makes up the forest floor; both contribute to what we call surface erosion.

Erosion affects all the world’s forest. Every year, torrential rain and strong winds in dry regions carry tons of fertile earth out to sea, where they are lost forever.

After intense rainfall on the steeply sloped ground, water runs down to the valley, carrying with it much humus the forest floor’s top layer. Without tree cover and root systems, this water is not absorbed and raises water levels in the rivers to the point where lowlands are flooded.

The Hand of Man

However, most of the damage inflicted on the forest floor is caused by human beings. New town, industrialized areas, reservoirs, dams, and roads are being built in the forested areas. in other cases, land has been cleared for farming.

Human beings have also been the cause of frequent forest fires, which also contribute to the destruction of the forest floor.

Erosion Destroys the Forest

The result of all this is that a great number of trees are disappearing. Trees are the main support of the forest floor because they provide it with organic matter. Moreover, without vegetation, the floor suffers more erosion from rain and wind, which displace the nutrients needed by the plants and trees to grow. The continuing disappearance of the vegetation results in animals having to find other areas that can provide them with food and shelter. The young herbivores, incapable of feeding themselves, die of hunger.

The progressive disappearance of vegetation on a forest is called deforestation. Deforestation in turn affects the forest floor and life on it.

The destruction of the forest (Click on the picture to have large view)

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