Causes of Forest Destruction (Part 1)

CAUSES OF FOREST DESTRUCTION (Part 1)
by Antonio C. Antonio

October 1, 2014

Forest destruction could be attributed to natural and anthropogenic causes.  In this article, I will be focusing only on the natural causes of the forest destruction.  (This is the 1^st of a 3-part series.)

It is a common notion that deforestation is primarily caused by the uncontrolled utilization, harvesting and extraction of forest resources such as timber and wood products. While this could be a contributory factor, there are also natural causes which are beyond the control of man. The natural causes of deforestation are the following: 

1.     Lightning and Forest Fires - Lightning is a massive electrostatic discharge between the surface of the earth and the clouds. Most lightning dissipate in the atmosphere but in some cases lightning flashes hit ground which is commonly referred to as a strike. If and when lightning hits the forest, especially after a dry spell, dried leaves and brushes may result in forest fires. There are four possible sources of forest fires: (1) Lightning; (2) Volcanic eruption; (3) Sparks from falling rocks; and, (4) Spontaneous combustion. Forest fires are normally very hard to control because fire fighters have a hard time reaching the base and source of the fire. However, control of forest fires can best be done by aerial water drop, construction of a fire line to contain the spread of forest fires, and natural boundaries such as rivers and streams.

2.     Droughts – Drought is a prolonged and extended period wherein there is a serious deficiency in water supply and rainfall. This normally occurs in areas or regions where the average precipitation is a lot lower than normal. Droughts may affect the biodiversity of forest lands and may, in some cases, also result to forest fires.

3.     Precipitation, Heavy Rains, Soil Erosion and Floods – Precipitation is a climate regime which is the product of the production of atmospheric water vapor. Water is retained in the atmosphere (mostly in dark cumulonimbus cloud formations) until such time that, with the workings of gravity, it returns to earth in the form of rainfall. Precipitation and rain is an important part of the water cycle as it purifies water in the atmosphere in a process called condensation then returns it on the surface of the earth. Rain is condensed water in the form of droplets that fall back to earth by gravity. A heavy amount of rain could cause soil erosion and landslides. Soil erosion is a process by which rocks and soil are scrapped and removed from the surface of the earth by rushing water (or by the wind) and transported to low-lying areas. Forestland that are subjected to the process of erosion by water may cause excessive sedimentation of the natural waterways, flooding and ecological collapse as the nutrient rich top soil is lost… a condition called land degradation. Flooding, however, in forest areas only occur in the forestlands located in relatively flat land. Flash flooding which normally start in upland forest areas have already claimed thousands of human lives. 

4.     Volcanic Eruptions – The two types of eruptions are (1) explosive eruption which is characterized gas-driven explosions which propels magma and tepha into the atmosphere and (2) effusive eruption characterized by lava fountain and fluid lava flows. Hot and fiery lava flows and the subsequent wildfire these create are also causes of deforestation.

5.     Movement of Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes and Landslides – The earth’s lithosphere is composed of several tectonic plates that vary in shape and size but covers the entire surface of the earth… including the seabed. Continental drift is a scientific theory which states that these tectonic plates are in constant motion and bumping against each other. A violent crash between two tectonic plates causes earthquakes and sometimes volcanic eruptions. As a domino effect, earthquakes (especially the more violent ones) cause landslides in the mountains and forest areas. An earthquake is a result of the sudden release of energy that results in seismic waves… and seismic activity is another name for an earthquake. This is a disturbance that also leads to deforestation.

6.     Typhoons, Cyclones and Hurricanes – Typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes are all the same weather condition and phenomena. These different names are used to describe the same type of weather disturbance. They are all terms to describe storms in different places. In the North Pacific and the Atlantic, the term “hurricane” is used while in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific, the terms “typhoon” and “cyclone” are used. There are six atmospheric and weather conditions that potentially build storms: (1) A low pressure area or low atmospheric pressure; (2) High humidity; (3) Warm sea surface temperature; (4) High wind circulation in the atmosphere; (5) Low vertical wind shear near the ocean surface; and, (6) High level of precipitation. These weather systems originate from the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans and have devastating effects when they make landfall. Category 3, 4 or 5 typhoons have enough wind velocity to uproot trees and flatten forests. Typhoon Yolanda is a Category 5 cyclone.

7.     Tsunami and Storm Surge – Tsunamis and storm surges may be differentiated by their origin or the original cause that creates them. Violent movement of tectonic plates may result to earthquakes, volcanic eruption and underwater explosions which are the main causes of tsunamis. These seismic activities cause the beds of bodies of water (ocean, sea and lake) to shake and create waves that become bigger as they travel and radiate from their points of origin. On the other hand, storm surges are offshore rise of water level associated with low atmospheric pressure commonly called typhoons, cyclones or hurricanes. High winds whipped up by storms carry these waves to the shore as the typhoons and hurricanes make landfall. These waves, also called tidal waves, created by either a tsunami or storm surge have devastating effects when they hit land. Low-lying forest areas can be wiped out by these waves causing massive deforestation.

8.     Tornados - Tornados, often referred to as twisters or cyclones, occur when cumulonimbus or cumulus clouds gets in contact with the earth’s surface linked by a violently rotating column of wind, dust and debris. Most tornados have speeds that are under 200 kph but in some extreme cases are over 300 kph. In extreme cases, tornados can uproot trees and deforest large areas.

9.     Climate Change – Among the natural causes of deforestation already mentioned, climate change tops them all on account of its lasting effect. Climate change is the significant change in the statistical distribution of weather conditions and patterns over a long period of time ranging from decades to millions of years. Climate change is caused by factors such as (1) changes in the amount of solar radiation that hit the surface of the earth, (2) natural biotic processes which are caused by interrelations among and between living organisms, and (3) the movement of tectonic plates. Climate change is often referred to as “global warming.” This may seem to be a misnomer since climate change could either be an up or down change in global temperature. These changes in climate and temperature seriously affect the ecosystems… to include forest ecosystems. The natural causes influencing climate change are also the factors that affect deforestation (previously discussed). Climate change could therefore be considered as the baseline cause of deforestation.

These are the natural causes of forest destruction.

Just my little thoughts…

(Note:  This portion is part of the article “Causes of Deforestation” published at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/.)

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