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==Wiki Education assignment: EEB 4611-Biogeochemical Processes-Spring 2024==
{{dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment | course = Wikipedia:Wiki_Ed/University_of_Minnesota_-_Twin_Cities/EEB_4611-Biogeochemical_Processes-Spring_2024_(Spring_2024) | assignments = [[User:Just.Awale|Just.Awale]] | start_date = 2024-01-16 | end_date = 2024-05-11 }}

<span class="wikied-assignment" style="font-size:85%;">— Assignment last updated by [[User:LynSchwendy|LynSchwendy]] ([[User talk:LynSchwendy|talk]]) 03:29, 14 May 2024 (UTC)</span>

:[[User:Just.Awale|Just.Awale]] ([[User talk:Just.Awale|talk]]) 03:51, 21 April 2024 (UTC), hello, I added a new section called "the impact of deforestation on biogeochemical cycles." this is for a class, thank you.

:: {{ping|Just.Awale}} It is best for new editors to learn to edit incrementally, rather than making huge posts of new material. Your ~15 KByte post of 20 April 2024 includes topics that are already covered in other sections (example: water cycle). Editors should try to "fit" material into existing articles rather than posting their own lengthy essays. It would take other editors a huge amount of time to review your contribution, and massage parts of it into the remainder of the article. —<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;color:dark blue;background-color:transparent;;">[[User:RCraig09|RCraig09]] ([[User talk:RCraig09|talk]])</span> 04:18, 21 April 2024 (UTC)
:::We've had exactly the same problem here with another course: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Effects_of_climate_change_on_the_water_cycle . See also further discussion here. [[User:EMsmile|EMsmile]] ([[User talk:EMsmile|talk]]) 09:27, 22 April 2024 (UTC)
::::I've undone the recent huge text addition. There is bound to be useful content in there but it needs to be woven into the article carefully and incrementally. Students and their mentors cannot expect the Wikipedia community to do that work for them. [[User:EMsmile|EMsmile]] ([[User talk:EMsmile|talk]]) 09:30, 22 April 2024 (UTC)
:::::I see the student put it back in in May. I have now removed it a section time (see also further down below on this talk page). [[User:EMsmile|EMsmile]] ([[User talk:EMsmile|talk]]) 17:18, 24 July 2024 (UTC)

== Removed content about impacts on cycles ==

I've removed this content that was added in one go by a student in May 2024 [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deforestation&diff=1221924878&oldid=1220885067 in this edit] (see text below). My reasons:
* The new content adds repetition. This already starts with the duplicated definition section. Also, we already have a section on impacts, so anything new/specific could have been woven into that section.
* This text is overly detailed and uses citations that are older (some of them) or very specific.
* Some of the wording is not encyclopedic.
* The text is generally overly wordy and academic in tone.
* Some of the content is too specific for this high-level overview article (which was already on the long side, even before this big text block was added).

'''The impact of deforestation on biogeochemical cycles'''

=== Definitions ===
[[File:BIOGEOCHEMICAL_CYCLING_OF_ELEMENTS.svg|thumb|This diagram depicts Earth's various spheres (atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere) and their interactions, with a focus on the carbon cycle. Deforestation can disrupt this cycle by reducing the biosphere's capacity to absorb CO2, leading to increased atmospheric carbon and impacting global climate systems.]]
Deforestation refers to the deliberate clearing and significant modification of forested lands, encompassing activities such as extensive tree cutting, forest thinning, and the use of fire to clear land.{{cn|date=June 2024}} This process results in the conversion of forest areas into permanently altered non-forested uses, including agriculture, urban development, or pastureland, fundamentally disrupting the original forest structure and ecosystem.<ref name=":12">{{Cite book |last=Akais Okia |first=Clement |title=Global Perspectives on Sustainable Forest Management |date=April 2012 |publisher=InTech |year=2012 |isbn=978-953-51-0569-5 |location=Croatia}}</ref>

[[Biogeochemical cycle|Biogeochemical cycles]] describe the pathways by which essential elements and compounds move through Earth's atmosphere, [[lithosphere]], hydrosphere, and biosphere.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Scheiner |first=Samuel M. |title=Encyclopedia of Biodiversity |publisher=Academic Press |year=2023 |isbn=978-0-323-98434-8 |edition=3rd}}</ref> These cycles involve the circulation of nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water, which are vital for sustaining life by building and maintaining organisms, regulating climate, and supporting ecosystem functions. The balance and flow of these elements enable the production and decomposition of organic material, influence the Earth's climate system, and impact the overall health of global ecosystems.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011 |title=Biogeochemical Cycles |url=https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/earth-system/biogeochemical-cycles#:~:text=This%20type%20of%20cycle%20of,the%20carbon%20and%20nitrogen%20cycles |website=Center for Science Education Learning}}</ref> Disruptions in these cycles can lead to significant environmental and ecological changes, underscoring the importance of understanding and managing human impacts on these fundamental natural processes.

Understanding the specific impacts of human actions on biogeochemical cycles is essential for developing effective strategies to mitigate the most disruptive disturbances. By clarifying how activities like deforestation alter these vital cycles, it becomes possible to suggest targeted approaches for reducing environmental and ecological damage, ultimately promoting a more sustainable interaction between human endeavors and the natural world.<ref name=":22">{{Cite journal |last1=Raimi |first1=Morufu Olalekan |last2=Abiola |first2=Ilesanmi |last3=Alima |first3=Ogah |last4=Omini |first4=Dodeye Eno |last5=Gift |first5=Raimi Aziba-anyam |date=2021 |title=Exploring How Human Activities Disturb the Balance of Biogeochemical Cycles: Evidence from the Carbon, Nitrogen and Hydrologic Cycles |url=https://www.ssrn.com/abstract=3896054 |journal=SSRN Electronic Journal |language=en |doi=10.2139/ssrn.3896054 |issn=1556-5068}}</ref>

=== Impact on the Carbon Cycle ===
The carbon stocks remaining in wet tropical forests face significant risks not only from human-driven deforestation but also from potential releases caused by climate change. Despite uncertainties surrounding the exact rates of deforestation, it is likely that substantial carbon losses will occur.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Cramer |first1=Wolfgang |last2=Bondeau |first2=Alberte |last3=Schaphoff |first3=Sibyll |last4=Lucht |first4=Wolfgang |last5=Smith |first5=Benjamin |last6=Sitch |first6=Stephen |date=2004-03-29 |editor-last=Malhi |editor-first=Y. |editor2-last=Phillips |editor2-first=O. L. |title=Tropical forests and the global carbon cycle: impacts of atmospheric carbon dioxide, climate change and rate of deforestation |journal=Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences |language=en |volume=359 |issue=1443 |pages=331–343 |doi=10.1098/rstb.2003.1428 |issn=0962-8436 |pmc=1693328 |pmid=15212088}}</ref> Land use carbon fluxes represent significant uncertainties in the global carbon cycle due to unresolved variables such as carbon stocks, the extent of deforestation, degradation, and biomass growth. This is particularly true in the densely populated savannas that are prevalent in the tropics, where precise data are lacking.<ref name=":22" /> Combining estimates for additional carbon emissions over the 21st century from various climate change and deforestation scenarios, the projected range is between 101 and 367 gigaton of carbon.<ref name=":3" /> This would result in increases in CO2 levels above pre-existing conditions by approximately 29 to 129 parts per million.<ref name=":3" /> Given these factors, it is clear that ongoing tropical deforestation will have a major impact on future greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.

Recent estimates indicate that tropical deforestation releases between 0.4 and 2.5 petagrams (1 petagram = 10^15 grams) of carbon into the atmosphere each year.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal |last=Houghton |first=R. A. |date=1991-09-01 |title=Tropical deforestation and atmospheric carbon dioxide |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142217 |journal=Climatic Change |language=en |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=99–118 |bibcode=1991ClCh...19...99H |doi=10.1007/BF00142217 |issn=1573-1480}}</ref> However, due to various uncertainties, this range could actually be between 1.1 and 3.6 petagrams of carbon per year.<ref name=":5" /> Three main factors contribute to this expanded range: the rate at which forests are being cleared, whether the cleared land is used temporarily or permanently, and the initial amount of carbon stored in these forests, including reductions due to human activities like forest thinning or degradation.<ref name=":5" />

The impact of deforestation on the carbon cycle is both profound and far-reaching, significantly contributing to global carbon emissions. By disrupting the natural storage of carbon in forest biomass and soils, deforestation not only releases large quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere but also diminishes the forests' capacity to act as carbon sinks.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Li |first1=Yue |last2=Brando |first2=Paulo M. |last3=Morton |first3=Douglas C. |last4=Lawrence |first4=David M. |last5=Yang |first5=Hui |last6=Randerson |first6=James T. |date=2022-04-12 |title=Deforestation-induced climate change reduces carbon storage in remaining tropical forests |journal=Nature Communications |language=en |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=1964 |bibcode=2022NatCo..13.1964L |doi=10.1038/s41467-022-29601-0 |issn=2041-1723 |pmc=9005651 |pmid=35413947}}</ref> This exacerbates the greenhouse effect, leading to an increase in global warming and contributing to broader climate change phenomena. Addressing deforestation is critical in the global effort to manage carbon levels and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, underscoring the need for effective conservation and sustainable land management practices.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Maeda |first1=Eduardo Eiji |last2=Aragão |first2=Luiz E. O. C. |last3=Baker |first3=Jessica C. A. |last4=Balbino |first4=Luiz Carlos |last5=de Moura |first5=Yhasmin Mendes |last6=Nobre |first6=Antônio Donato |last7=Nunes |first7=Matheus Henrique |last8=Silva Junior |first8=Celso H. L. |last9=dos Reis |first9=Júlio César |date=2023-02-10 |title=Land use still matters after deforestation |journal=Communications Earth & Environment |language=en |volume=4 |issue=1 |page=29 |bibcode=2023ComEE...4...29M |doi=10.1038/s43247-023-00692-x |issn=2662-4435 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

=== Impact on the Nitrogen Cycle ===
Deforestation significantly impacts soil nitrogen availability, a key factor for soil fertility.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sohng |first1=Jaeeun |last2=Singhakumara |first2=B. M. P. |last3=Ashton |first3=Mark S. |date=2017-04-01 |title=Effects on soil chemistry of tropical deforestation for agriculture and subsequent reforestation with special reference to changes in carbon and nitrogen |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112716308441 |journal=Forest Ecology and Management |volume=389 |pages=331–340 |bibcode=2017ForEM.389..331S |doi=10.1016/j.foreco.2016.12.013 |issn=0378-1127}}</ref> In regions converted from forest to cropland, there is a notable decrease in soil nitrogen stocks compared to areas maintained as natural forest or used for agroforestry.<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last1=Kassa |first1=Henok |last2=Dondeyne |first2=Stefaan |last3=Poesen |first3=Jean |last4=Frankl |first4=Amaury |last5=Nyssen |first5=Jan |date=September 2017 |title=Impact of deforestation on soil fertility, soil carbon and nitrogen stocks: the case of the Gacheb catchment in the White Nile Basin, Ethiopia. |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2017.06.034 |journal=Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment |volume=247 |pages=273–282 |bibcode=2017AgEE..247..273K |doi=10.1016/j.agee.2017.06.034 |issn=0167-8809 |hdl-access=free |hdl=1854/LU-8531097}}</ref> A study conducted in White Nile Basin, [[Ethiopia]] involved collecting soil samples from different land uses, including natural forests, agroforestry systems, and croplands, across various depths and altitudes.<ref name=":6" /> Results showed that both topsoil and subsoil in the forests and agroforestry systems contained higher levels of total nitrogen than those in croplands.<ref name=":6" /> This reduction in nitrogen availability following deforestation underscores the challenge of maintaining soil health and fertility in areas subjected to agricultural expansion. Sustaining forested areas or integrating agroforestry practices is crucial for preserving soil nitrogen levels and supporting broader ecological balance.

=== Impact on the Water Cycle ===
[[File:Climate_change_disturbances_of_rainforests_infographic.jpg|thumb|This infographic contrasts the biogeochemical cycles in a forest ecosystem before (A) and after (B) a disturbance. "Pre-disturbance" displays a functioning forest ecosystem with balanced gas exchanges and water cycling. "Post-disturbance" shows the ecosystem altered by deforestation, with increased greenhouse gas emissions, higher reflectivity (albedo), and decreased water cycling, indicating disrupted ecological balance.]]
Deforestation significantly impacts the hydrological cycle in tropical regions, leading to an increased risk of floods and droughts. When forests are cleared, the loss of tree cover disrupts the natural process of evapotranspiration, where water is absorbed by trees and released back into the atmosphere. This disruption results in reduced moisture availability in the atmosphere, which can diminish rainfall and increase the likelihood of drought conditions.<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last1=Marengo |first1=J. A. |last2=Espinoza |first2=J. C. |date=March 2016 |title=Extreme seasonal droughts and floods in Amazonia: causes, trends and impacts |url=https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/joc.4420 |journal=International Journal of Climatology |language=en |volume=36 |issue=3 |pages=1033–1050 |bibcode=2016IJCli..36.1033M |doi=10.1002/joc.4420 |issn=0899-8418}}</ref> Additionally, without the root systems of trees to anchor the soil, deforested areas become highly susceptible to flooding during heavy rains.<ref name=":7" /> The absence of vegetation leads to faster runoff of rainwater, preventing it from being absorbed into the ground, exacerbating soil erosion, and increasing the severity of floods.<ref name=":12" />

This alteration of natural water regulatory mechanisms by deforestation not only affects local climate patterns but also poses serious implications for biodiversity, agriculture, and human settlements in these regions. The increased frequency and intensity of droughts and floods can lead to crop failures, water shortages, and increased vulnerability of communities to natural disasters.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bradshaw |first1=Corey J. A. |last2=Sodhi |first2=Navjot S. |last3=Peh |first3=Kelvin S.-H. |last4=Brook |first4=Barry W. |date=November 2007 |title=Global evidence that deforestation amplifies flood risk and severity in the developing world |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2007.01446.x |journal=Global Change Biology |language=en |volume=13 |issue=11 |pages=2379–2395 |bibcode=2007GCBio..13.2379B |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2486.2007.01446.x |issn=1354-1013}}</ref>

The study by the [[Environmental systems analysis|Environmental Systems Analysis]] Group and [[Wageningen University & Research|Wageningen University]], found that removing all humid forests and replacing them with grasslands would significantly lower rainfall in those areas, especially above the equator where non-forested regions would also get less rain.<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal |last1=Duku |first1=Confidence |last2=Hein |first2=Lars |date=2021-06-01 |title=The impact of deforestation on rainfall in Africa: a data-driven assessment |journal=Environmental Research Letters |volume=16 |issue=6 |pages=064044 |bibcode=2021ERL....16f4044D |doi=10.1088/1748-9326/abfcfb |issn=1748-9326 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In contrast, some parts of [[Southern Africa]] might see a slight increase in rainfall, while others would see a decrease. The effects vary with the extent of deforestation: in [[West Africa]], losing even 30% of the trees reduces rainfall, but in [[Central Africa|Central]] and Southern Africa, it takes a loss of 70% tree cover to see a reduction.<ref name=":8" /> They stated that deforestation could severely impact agriculture across Africa, particularly maize crops in regions north of the [[equator]].<ref name=":8" /> [[User:EMsmile|EMsmile]] ([[User talk:EMsmile|talk]]) 17:08, 24 July 2024 (UTC)
{{reflist-talk}} [[User:EMsmile|EMsmile]] ([[User talk:EMsmile|talk]]) 17:08, 24 July 2024 (UTC)

== Semi-protected edit request on 24 May 2025 ==

{{edit semi-protected|Deforestation|answered=y}}
The citation for the sentence "This led to a weakening of the domestic economy after Columbus' discovery of America, as the economy became dependent on colonial activities (plundering, mining, cattle, plantations, trade, etc.)[citation needed]" is https://oxfordre.com/economics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190625979.001.0001/acrefore-9780190625979-e-480 [[User:Jetsetter84|Jetsetter84]] ([[User talk:Jetsetter84|talk]]) 09:19, 24 May 2025 (UTC)
:{{not done}}:<!-- Template:ESp --> While I appreciate your effort at finding a source for that claim, I'm not sure that it supports what you say it does. The previous sentence to the one you quote is relevant; it says: {{green|Piracy also contributed to the over harvesting of forests, as in Spain}}. While that's not the clearest prose, it adds the context that the {{green|domestic economy}} from the next sentence is referring to Spain. I admittedly did not read the entirety of the article you provide here, but based on the summary and a couple of "Ctrl+F"s, it seems to be discussing the early economy of North America following colonialism, not the domestic economy of Spain. If there's something I'm missing by all means re-open this request. [[User:DrOrinScrivello|DrOrinScrivello]] ([[User talk:DrOrinScrivello|talk]]) 19:31, 27 May 2025 (UTC)