What happens when tropical forests are logged?
- 1) Damage to remaining trees and other vegetation and increased fire susceptibility
- 2) Impoverishment of soils and erosion
- 3) Loss of biodiversity (including genetic diversity)
- 4) Loss of genetic resources and evolutionary potential
- 5) Changes in the water cycle
- 6) Changes in water levels and erosion
- 7) Changes in vegetation
- 8) Climate change and increase in greenhouse gases
- 9) Difficulty of reforestation
- 10) Increase in physical disturbances
- 11) Loss of “ecosystem services” which rainforests provide
- 13) Unintended consequences
- 14) Disruption of culture and livelihood of indigenous peoples
- 15) Exacerbation of social imbalances
- 16) Economic losses
- 17) Increase in pathogens
- 18) Loss of productivity
- 19) Loss of evolutionary potential
- 20) The creation of “environmental refugees”
