What impact does deforestation have on biodiversity and ecosystem services?

Deforestation reduces and breaks up the habitats that forest species depend on. When forest is cleared, some plants and animals lose food, shelter, or breeding sites outright. The remaining patches may be too small or isolated to support healthy populations, limiting movement and breeding and reducing genetic diversity. Forest-edge conditions—more heat, wind, and light, for example—can also affect species that need a stable interior habitat.

The effects reach beyond wildlife. Forests provide services people rely on, including:

• Climate regulation: Trees and forest soils store carbon; clearing can release some of it and reduce future carbon uptake.
• Water regulation: Forest cover influences rainfall infiltration, runoff, and water quality. Clearing can increase erosion and, in some places, raise flood or drought risks.
• Soil stability and fertility: Roots help hold soil in place, while leaf litter returns nutrients. Losing that cover can make soil more vulnerable to erosion and depletion.
• Food and livelihoods: Forests can supply timber, fuel, food, medicines, and income, as well as support pollination and natural pest control in nearby farms.

The scale and kind of damage depend on what replaces the forest, how much remains, and how the land is managed. A diverse forest converted to a single-crop plantation, for instance, may retain tree cover but usually supports fewer forest species and different ecosystem functions. Protecting intact forests and connecting remaining patches can help conserve biodiversity and the services communities depend on.