|
Deforestation in Madagascar makes the rivers run red
from soil eroded off deforested hills.
|
|
|
RAINFORESTS REDUCE EROSION
The roots of rainforest trees and vegetation help anchor the soil. When trees are cut down there is no longer anything to protect the ground and soils are quickly washed away with rain. The process of washing away of soil is known as erosion.
As soil is washed down into rivers it causes problems for fish and people. Fish suffer because water becomes clouded, while people have trouble navigating waterways that are shallower because of the increased amount of dirt in the water. Meanwhile farmers lose topsoil that is important for growing crops.
The Mongabay Kids site (kids.mongabay.com) aims to help children learn about rainforests and the environment. This site is still under development and I am working to add additional content as time permits. If you have comments or are interested in submitting educational content for the site, please feel free to contact me.
The site is available in many different languages, including Portuguese, Chinese, French, Spanish, Japanese, and German.
|
|
