Create a new account

It's simple, and free.

Amazon Rainforest Depletion

The Amazon rainforest is the world's most diverse biome that covers more than a billion acres across Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia and the Eastern Andean region ("Tropical," 2006). One of the world's richest natural resources, the rainforest plays an important role in the health of ecological chains of the Earth's biosphere. Covering less than 2 percent of the planet's surface area, more than 50 percent of all the Earth's animals, insect species, and flora reside in the rainforest ("Tropical," 2006). Depletion of the rainforest is occurring at such a rapid rate that scientists predict that 42 percent of the region will be totally deforested by 2020 ("Roads," 2001).

Loss of the rainforest is responsible for numerous issues from the loss of wildlife to the destruction of invaluable research among its diverse flora and fauna, but the biggest problem resulting from deforestation is the threat to the atmosphere. According to Lee (2002), deforestation accounts for approximately 30 percent of the atmospheric buildup of carbon dioxide over the past century, and rainforests are being depleted by approximately 160,000 square kilometers annually. In the documentary narrated by Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, this and other damage responsible for global warming will pass a "tipping point" in a decade, from where there is no human activity that can halt or reverse it (Guggenheim, 2006). This analysis will discuss the depletion of the Amazon rainforest, including reasons for its depletion, the impact of depletion on the environment, and a plan for sustainability with the benefits and drawbacks of the plan.

Factors Contributing to and Affected by the Problem

There are numerous factors responsible for the rapid and ongoing deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. According to Butler (2006), there are six primary factors responsible for deforestation: 1) clearing for cattle pasture; 2) colonization and subsisten...

Page 1 of 6 Next >

More on Amazon Rainforest Depletion...

Loading...
APA     MLA     Chicago
Amazon Rainforest Depletion. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 20:29, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/2000505.html