Effect of Deforestation and Forest Fragmentation on Ecosystem Services

Abstract

AbstractDeforestation has become a major hurdle nowadays that affects overall ecosystem health and functioning. Illegal timber cutting, logging, mining, and many developmental projects deprive the land quality, soil health, and many other ecosystem services. Forest-mediated ecosystem services maintain environmental health and sustainability. A well-managed forest maximizes biodiversity and strengthens ecosystem services and leads toward ecological stability. Forest fragmentation is also going in parallel that affects floral and faunal distributions, diversity, and related ecosystem services. These activities affect soil health by declining soil fertility and soil organic carbon pools in the forests. Intensive agriculture practices and agricultural land expansion promote forest cutting that affects overall land productiveness. These unsustainable land-use practices minimize forest covers along with releasing many greenhouse gases into the atmosphere leading to climate change. In this context, applying scientific management and protection of forests will ensure healthy, productive, and diverse species in the tropical world. Sustainable forest management will minimize forest degradation and maximize the population and diversity of flora and fauna that ensure healthy ecosystem services. Thus, adopting an effective policy along with better research and development would help in enhancing forest regeneration and species diversity with a healthy and productive ecosystem. Also, a regulatory framework and future roadmap must be framed for forest conservation that guarantees soil and food security along with climate and environmental sustainability for ecological stability.KeywordsDeforestationEcosystem servicesEnvironmental sustainabilityForest fragmentationSpecies diversitySoil fertilitySustainable forest management