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How can deforestation cause species extinction?
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Deforestation
A section of clear-cut forest in Romania.
Deforestation causes species extinction primarily by destroying the habitat necessary for survival, reproduction, and food access. As a leading driver of biodiversity loss, deforestation impacts species through three main processes:123
- Habitat Destruction: When forests are cleared for agriculture, grazing, or development, the vegetation providing essential shelter and food is removed. Organisms unable to migrate to new areas face immediate threats to their survival.23
- Habitat Fragmentation: This process divides large, continuous forest blocks into smaller, isolated patches. This isolation can create genetic bottlenecks, hinder the ability of males and females to meet for reproduction, and increase the risk of predation or death as animals attempt to traverse inhospitable areas between patches.12
- Habitat Degradation: Even when forests are not fully cleared, activities like selective logging or pollution can disrupt the ecosystem, making it difficult for native species to thrive and increasing their vulnerability to invasive species.123
The species-to-area relationship demonstrates that as available habitat shrinks, the number of species an area can support declines, putting a significant portion of Earth's terrestrial species on a path toward extinction.4