: Hi Addison

: Not to get into this discussion on either side, but, I believe the problem
: with the deforestation folks is that ANY tree that grows provides Oxygen
: to the world at large. The more they cut down, the less oxygen production
: there is world wide, thus causing air quality problems.

Just out of couriosity, how much oxygen production is lost when trees are cut down? In my experience, bare dirt is almost at once covered with oxygen producing vegetation (weeds, to the unappreciative). I don't think any more sunlight reaches the ground than in the forest. Even where row crops are planted, they set the rows so minimal sunlight is wasted, and the fields are bare only when the sun is low, the days short, and the trees dormant)

Anyway, when I was in school we were taught that most O2 was manufactured by phytoplankton in the seas. This theory seemed to lose ground about when the jungles turned into "rain forests"

Anyway, does anyone have any numbers?