The Water Cycle
By: Haley Dermon & Austin Beach
What will happen to the organisms of the ecosystem due to human activity?
Does human activity affect my ecosystem where I live?
The removal of trees (deforestation) is having a major impact on the water cycle, as local and global climates change.
Normally, trees releases water vapor when they transpire, producing a localized humidity. This water vapor then evaporates into the atmosphere where it accumulates before precipitating back to the Earth as rain, sleet or snow. Deforestation in one area can therefore affect the weather in another area because if trees are cut down, there is less water to be evaporated into the atmosphere and subsequently less rain.
At a local level, the land becomes drier and less stable. When it rains, instead of the water being soaked up, there is increased run-off and leaching. Areas can become more prone to both droughts and flooding, impacting on plants and animals, and also humans living near deforested areas.