Question

Rainforests around the world are being cleared at an alarming rate to make room for new communities, agriculture, mining, and roads, and to provide lumber for construction and furniture. How might the destruction of rainforests affect the balance of gases in Earth's atmosphere?

Answer 1

This question is incomplete because the options are missing; here is the missing section:

How might the destruction of rainforests affect the balance of gases in Earth's atmosphere?

by increasing carbon dioxide and decreasing oxygen

by increasing carbon dioxide and increasing oxygen

by decreasing carbon dioxide and increasing oxygen

by decreasing carbon dioxide and decreasing oxygen

The answer to this question is by increasing carbon dioxide and decreasing oxygen.

Explanation:

Rainforests have a vital role on Earth because these regulate the levels of oxygen vs carbon dioxide. This is because plants including trees, grasses, shrubs, etc. require carbon dioxide as part of the photosynthesis process, and they release oxygen at the end of the process. In this way, rainforests reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and increase oxygen.

In this context, deforestation or the destruction of rainforest for mining, roads, etc. implies there are fewer plants, and therefore, less carbon dioxide is being used and less oxygen is released. This causes an increase in carbon dioxide and a decrease in oxygen.