{"id":2614,"date":"2022-04-21T21:43:43","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T21:43:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/?p=2614"},"modified":"2022-07-08T08:48:03","modified_gmt":"2022-07-08T08:48:03","slug":"rainforest-destruction-why-its-worse-than-regular-forest-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/rainforest-destruction-why-its-worse-than-regular-forest-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Rainforest Destruction: Why It\u2019s Worse Than Regular Forest Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"
In March 2021, the first study of greenhouse gases in the Amazon rainforest warned that the rainforest was releasing more carbon dioxide than it was absorbing. This made headlines around the world \u2013 and for good reason. Tropical rainforests are regarded as the \u2018lungs of the earth\u2019. They regulate the planet\u2019s oxygen and rainfall. That is why rainforest destruction is putting our way of life at risk.<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n A forest is an area with a large number of trees. Broadly, there are three types: temperate, tropical, and boreal forests. We call tropical rainforests by this name because they receive large amounts of rainfall throughout the year. Their atmosphere is always hot and humid. There are no seasons<\/a>.<\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n This article will explore why rainforests, which are concentrated around the Earth\u2019s equator region, are more precious than regular forests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Rainforests are considered more precious than other types of the forest because they are key to regulating the world\u2019s oxygen and rainfall. Billions of trees in forests<\/a> continually recycle carbon dioxide into oxygen through photosynthesis, which is vital for life on Earth. The Amazon rainforests are estimated to produce 20 percent of the Earth\u2019s oxygen alone.<\/span>3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Rainforests are also vital for regulating rainfall. Rainforest trees absorb water from the ground and release it into the air. That moisture forms clouds, and it ends up as rainfall<\/a> in other parts of the world.<\/span>4<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Tropical rainforests also contain a remarkable diversity of plant and animal species. Around 50 percent of all species of plants and animals on Earth are thought to live in tropical rainforests, though they cover only about six percent of the Earth\u2019s surface.<\/span>5<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Humans cannot survive without protecting nature. Forests store and soak up carbon, fertilize the soil and water. Forests also act as natural shields against flooding. If we lose them, our food chain, health, and climate would be devastated. Tropical rainforest loss<\/a> is considered particularly damaging to Earth. That is because they contain over half of the Earth’s wildlife and at least two-thirds of its plant species. They are also considered to store over half of the Earth’s rainwater. Over a quarter of modern medicines are estimated to originate from tropical forest plants. This makes forests vital for human health too.<\/span>6<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nWhy are rainforests more precious to the Earth than regular forests?<\/h2>\n
Rainforest destruction vs. regular forest destruction<\/h2>\n