Greenhouse Gases In The Amazon Rainforest

It is estimated that about 15 percent of the greenhouse gasses that are released into our atmosphere are from deforestation from plantation agriculture (WWF). The Amazon Rainforest is known as a carbon sink, meaning that the trees here soak up carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses that pollute our atmosphere (WWF). With the increasing numbers of trees being cut down every day for the high supply and demand of the cash crops here, the amount of the greenhouse gases being released in the atmosphere have also increased . If carbon emissions from deforestation were taken into account, Brazil would rank in the top 10 of the world’s worst polluters. Greenhouse gas emissions also result when rainforest is cleared for oil palm plantations. Peatlands are areas where the soils are made of peat, or decomposed vegetation. …show more content…
When peatlands are drained, the stored carbon reacts with air to release carbon dioxide into the air, increasing the amount of the greenhouse gas. The dry peat is highly flammable, increasing the risk of large-scale fires when plantation owners use slash and burn methods to clear the land and burn agricultural waste (MONG). Oil palm plantations are not suitable environments for wildlife and endangered species. Oil palm plantations support very low levels of biodiversity, meaning most of the plants and animals once found in the rainforest must either relocate or die off (MONG). Without the trees of the rainforest, species will die off, and the natural balance of water can be disrupted. The very ecosystem that supports the human life is being destroyed, and the human population will eventually fall