Concept: Deforestation removes the protective cover of trees from the land, making the soil surface more exposed and vulnerable to agents of erosion.
Explanation:Tree roots bind the soil together and help it absorb rainwater.
When forests are cleared, the soil loses this root support and protection.
Rainwater and wind can then easily wash or blow away the topsoil.
This process is the direct cause of accelerated soil erosion.
Mass wasting and drought may be linked to vegetation loss in some cases, but they are not the immediate or most direct results.
Water pollution can occur later due to eroded sediments entering rivers, but it is a secondary effect.
Therefore, the most direct hazard from deforestation is the loss of fertile topsoil through soil erosion.
Answer: A. soil erosion