Certify Teacher Practice Test

Deforestation plays a critical role in the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Trees and forests act as vital carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) during the process of photosynthesis. When forests are cleared or burned for agriculture, urban development, or other purposes, not only is this natural absorption of CO2 reduced, but the carbon stored in trees is also released back into the atmosphere, typically as CO2, contributing to the greenhouse effect.

This process intensifies the accumulation of greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to global warming. Thus, deforestation directly influences climate change by decreasing the planet's capacity to sequester carbon and simultaneously increasing atmospheric CO2 levels through the release of stored carbon.

In contrast, the other options, while they have environmental impacts, do not directly contribute to the increase of greenhouse gases in the same significant way as deforestation does.