Which land change contributes to drought due to climate alterations?

Deforestation through slash and burn practices significantly contributes to drought conditions due to the way it disrupts the local climate and soil ecology. When trees are cut down and burned, the loss of vegetation means there is less transpiration – the process by which plants release moisture into the atmosphere. This reduction in moisture can lead to increased temperatures and altered rainfall patterns, which are key factors in drought conditions.

Additionally, the exposed soil becomes more susceptible to erosion and degradation, which diminishes its capacity to retain water. The removal of forest cover can thus lead to a vicious cycle of decreased rainfall and more arid conditions, reinforcing the drought narrative. Such practices also release carbon stored in trees, contributing to climate change and potentially worsening droughts over time as global temperatures rise.

In contrast, enhanced agricultural practices, over-irrigation of crops, and urban development can have their own impacts on water availability and climate but do not directly correlate to drought through the same mechanism of vegetation loss and ecosystem disruption that deforestation does.