How does deforestation increase the warming of Earth?(1 point)
Responses
It increases the presence of methane in the atmosphere.
It releases more oxygen into the atmosphere.
It decreases the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
It decreases the production of ozone in the atmosphere.
The correct response is: It decreases the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Deforestation refers to the process of removing forests, primarily through cutting down trees, which has a direct impact on the Earth's climate. When forests are cleared, the trees that previously absorbed carbon dioxide (CO2) through photosynthesis are removed, leading to an increase in CO2 concentration in the atmosphere.
Trees act as a natural carbon sink, meaning they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, storing the carbon in their tissues and releasing oxygen (O2) back into the air. With deforestation, the removal of trees significantly reduces the ability to remove CO2 from the atmosphere through this process of carbon sequestration.
As a greenhouse gas, CO2 traps heat within the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to global warming. The more CO2 there is in the atmosphere, the more heat is trapped, leading to an increase in the Earth's average temperature. Therefore, when deforestation decreases the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere, it contributes to the warming of the Earth.