Science Projects About the Effects of Deforestation
Deforestation has a number of measurable effects on humans, animals, plants and other aspects of the environment. Science projects on the effects of deforestation may focus on one or all of these effects. Because forests play such a large role in regulating the earth's atmosphere, most of the effects of deforestation are secondary effects caused by changes in the atmosphere.
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Carbon Dioxide
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Through photosynthesis, trees and plants use light and carbon dioxide to produce energy, which is then used to perform their life functions. Because trees take in carbon dioxide, forests store large quantities of carbon dioxide that would normally float into the atmosphere. Deforestation causes trees and plants to release this carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. When this occurs, the effects of global warming may be exacerbated. According to the Mongabay.com website, deforestation makes up 22 percent of the human contribution to global warming. A science project on this topic might show how carbon dioxide levels have risen as deforestation has spread.
Storms
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As global temperatures increase, more water evaporates into the atmosphere. The most notable effect of this involves tropical storms and hurricanes. Tropical storms and hurricanes become both more frequent and more intense. As shown in the destruction of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina, this poses a threat to geographic regions that are ill-equipped to repel larger storms. Science projects on this topic may provide data showing how tropical storms have increased in frequency and intensity over the years.
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Rising Sea Levels
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Deforestation also contributes indirectly to rising sea levels. As carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere and as global temperatures rise, polar ice caps and other large bodies of ice begin to melt. Although melting ice may only raise the global sea level by a few feet, this is enough to cross altitude thresholds that result in the flooding of low-lying regions, such as the Netherlands or Manhattan island. Science projects on this topic could focus on the effects of global flooding, such as the displacement of communities.
Agriculture and Reforestation
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Science projects may also focus on the effects of deforestation on agriculture. Some communities have practiced "slashing and burning", which involves burning areas of forest in order to make the land fertile. A science project could test this effect by burning plant matter over pots of soil and seeing whether this produces healthier plants. Finally, projects could try to determine how long it would take to regrow an area of forest once it has been cleared.
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