NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Habitat conversion, commonly referred to as deforestation, lies at the crux of what is shaping the future of the Amazon Biome. Extensive cattle ranching is the number one culprit of deforestation in virtually every Amazon country, and it accounts for 80% of current deforestation (Nepstad et al.

Detailed explanation-2: -Globally, beef and soy are the leading drivers of tropical deforestation and conversion of other habitats. In South America, cattle ranches and soy fields are ravaging not just the Amazon but also the Cerrado and Gran Chaco landscapes. Demand for those commodities is projected to rise.

Detailed explanation-3: -In the Amazon, however, the expansion of cattle ranching seems to be strongly related to land grabbing. This land grabbing process increases the supply of land, which reduces its price, as well as destines its use for extensive cattle ranching.

Detailed explanation-4: -The main cause of deforestation is agriculture (poorly planned infrastructure is emerging as a big threat too) and the main cause of forest degradation is illegal logging. In 2019, the tropics lost close to 30 soccer fields’ worth of trees every single minute.