Final answer:
A natural cause of deforestation is forest fires, while a human-related cause is slash-and-burn agriculture. Human activities like ranching, logging, and mining also contribute significantly to the loss of forests.
Step-by-step explanation:
Natural and Human-Related Causes of Deforestation
One natural cause of deforestation is forest fires, which can occur due to lightning strikes or due to the spontaneous combustion of dry vegetation. Forest fires can rapidly decimate large areas of forest, making it a significant natural factor contributing to deforestation.
One human-related cause of deforestation is slash-and-burn agriculture. This method involves cutting down all the trees in an area and then burning the remaining vegetation to clear land for agricultural purposes. This practice is widely used by millions of people, especially in tropical forests, and has been identified as a primary driver of deforestation in these regions.
Aside from slash-and-burn agriculture, other human activities such as large-scale ranching, logging, and mining operations are critically contributing to the reduction of forested areas. The growing demands of urban populations and the global commodity market, including the demand for biofuels, are intensifying deforestation as well.