Effect of Deforestation on Microclimates in the Western Ghats

Harish Naidu

Independent Researcher

Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract
Deforestation in the Western Ghats has accelerated markedly over the past two decades, driven by agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, and illegal logging. This widespread removal of forest cover not only threatens biodiversity but also disrupts the microclimates that are critical for regional water cycles, agriculture, and human well-being. To quantify these impacts, this study integrates remote sensing analyses of land-use change from 2000 to 2020 with in situ meteorological measurements and a structured survey of 200 residents across ten villages (five deforested, five forested). Landsat-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) trends reveal that deforested areas exhibit an average daytime temperature increase of 1.8 °C relative to intact forests, accompanied by a 12% drop in relative humidity and a 9% reduction in annual rainfall. Weather station data corroborate these findings, showing elevated daytime maxima, diminished nighttime cooling, and decreased rainfall days in deforested sites. Survey responses indicate that 72% of residents in deforested villages experience more frequent heat stress, 65% observe earlier onset of dry spells, and 58% report agricultural yield declines attributed to these microclimatic shifts. In contrast, residents in forested villages report minimal change. These convergent lines of evidence underscore the role of forest cover in modulating local climate through evapotranspiration, canopy shading, and soil moisture retention. The findings highlight the urgent need for reforestation, sustainable land management, and community-based conservation strategies to preserve microclimatic stability in the Western Ghats—a biodiversity hotspot and vital water tower for peninsular India.

Keywords
Deforestation, Microclimate, Temperature, Humidity, Precipitation, Western Ghats

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