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Explain the importance of protecting the forest ecosystem with reference to the following:
(a) Climate change
(b) Biodiversity
(c) Biotechnology
(d) Water conservation
(e) Pollution.

Answer Text:
(a) -Promote (regular) rainfall/ precipitation/prevent desertification
-Act as wind breakers
-Keep earth temperatures cool/ reduce global warming
-Keeps biogeochemical cycles going for example,
hydrological, carbon,nitrogen, phosphorous, sulphur cycles
(b)-Conserve diverse flora fauna
-Conserve genetic variety
-Prevent extinction of rare species
-Source of research/ employment
-Aesthetic attracting tourism in foreign exchange
-Have impact on culture/religion/ politics
-Food and shelter for other organisms and man
-Source of oxygen
(c)-Manufacture of medicines/directly used as medicinal
-Source of food/food products
-Provide fuel (when regulated)
-Provide paper and related by-products (when regulated);
-Provide timber (when regulated)
-Products used in other industries for example, tannin, wax,rubber, oil, honey
(d)-Increased ground water/ high water tables
-Adds into rivers/lakes/ permanency in existing water bodies/ reservoirs
-Water towers/water catchment
(e)-Minimize soil pollution ensuring cover against
surface run-off/ wind erosion/denudation
-Trees/ vegetation clean the soil surface by absorbing nutrients from decomposed matter for example, sewage
-Large scale cleanup of polluted air/dust.