With the advancements in technology, and humans becoming more populated and mobile, there became a need and desire for land expansion for agriculture and settlement. These demands for land led to the initial steps of "the transformation from an agrarian to an industrial society, the farms (people) abandoned were often reverted to woods" (Silver 116). The forests began to be cleared for "agriculture, settlements, and logging" (Silver 116). This deforestation process "has accelerated dramatically since World War II" (Silver 117). Although deforestation has been beneficial to humanity for various reasons, the rapid acceleration of deforestation, particularly in the Amazon Rainforest region, has caused numerous global climate changes, particularly in the water cycle and greenhouse effect.
Characteristics of the Amazon Rainforest region .
The Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest left of earth; it is about the size of Australia and covers several countries around Brazil. Estimated to have been formed "500 to 200 million years ago," (Hui) the Amazon Rainforest has been an important asset to people all over the world. From our daily diet to medicinal treatments, the Amazon Rainforest has enriched all of our lives.
Many foods and species have originated in the Amazon rainforest. Bananas, papayas, oranges, and pineapples originated there and have been extracted and domesticated for mass farming. When we season our food with black pepper or paprika, many of us do not acknowledge the fact that these spices also originated in the rainforests. Without the rainforests, our diets would be limited and bland.
In addition to our diet, the rainforests have aided our advancements in medicinal treatments. Many species of the Amazon Rainforest have been discovered to cure many diseases and ailments. For instance, the cure for malaria "came from the natives of the Amazon Rainforest" (Hui); diabetes and childhood leukemia have been treated with "leaves from the rosy periwinkle" (Hui).