Réponse :
Deforestation is the phenomenon of reduction of forest areas. We speak of deforestation when areas of forest are permanently lost (or at least lost in the long term) to other uses such as agriculture, urbanization or mining activitie.
Nearly 80% of global deforestation is caused by agriculture, the remaining 20% being divided between the construction of infrastructure (roads, dams) first, then mining activities and finally urbanization. In detail, here are some major causes of deforestation:
Agriculture, which accounts for 80% of deforestation. It can be either commercial agriculture or subsistence agriculture (local peasant agriculture, particularly in developing countries). Subsistence agriculture represents 30 to 35% of global deforestation Commercial or industrial agriculture (field crops and livestock) would represent 45 to 50% of deforestation Livestock is the cause of about 14% of deforestation worldwide The construction of infrastructures would represent approximately 8% of deforestation Mining activities would be responsible for about 6% of forest loss And urbanization around 5%
Consequences of deforestation on biodiversity The best-known consequence of deforestation is the threat to biodiversity. Indeed, the forest is a very dense habitat in terms of global biodiversity, with some forests even being real hubs of biodiversity among the richest in the world. Whether mammals, birds or even insects, amphibians or plants, the forest is home to species that are sometimes rare, often fragile. By destroying these natural environments, human activities therefore threaten the existence of these species and this can have significant consequences on the natural balance. Thus, in certain regions of Africa, great apes such as silver gorillas are endangered due to the gradual reduction of their natural habitat, in particular due to deforestation.
