In order to expand agriculture and stimulate a sagging economy, the Brazilian government eased environmental laws which allowed large tracts of rainforest to be cut down or burned. In three sentences, construct a potential chain of consequences for what can happen as a result of this kind of deforestation. The chain does not have to be linear (i.e., five steps in a row), but can have several branches, one for each different potential consequence. Your chain should include at least four steps, including the original event.
1. As large tracts of rainforest are cut down or burned, the biodiversity of the region is severely impacted, leading to the extinction of many plant and animal species.
2. The loss of biodiversity disrupts the delicate balance of the ecosystem, causing soil erosion, loss of water quality, and increased vulnerability to natural disasters such as flooding and landslides.
3. With the destruction of the rainforest, the carbon stored in the trees is released into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change.
4. The loss of the rainforest also affects indigenous communities that rely on the forest for their livelihood, leading to displacement and social unrest.