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GCSE Geography > 7) Forests Under Threat > Flashcards

7) Forests Under Threat Flashcards

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1
Q

Why can rainforests support large animal populations?

A

The vegetation is very dense creating lots of food for plant eating animals who become prey for meat eating animals

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2
Q

What effect does deforestation have on the quality of rainforest soil?

A

Soil erosion increases, reducing quality of soil and ability to support large animal populations

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3
Q

Why does deforestation happen quickly in the rainforest?

A

The climate is humid, warm and moist

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4
Q

What does nutrient rich soil mean for plant growth?

A

Plants grow very fast

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5
Q

What are characteristics of the top layer of the rainforest?

A

Emergent layer
Captures most sunlight
Tallest plants live here

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6
Q

What are characteristics of the lower layer of the rainforest?

A

Forest floor

High surface area leaves to absorb sunlight

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7
Q

How have plants adapted to tropical rainforests?

A

Waxy coating prevents leaves being pulled from trees
Smooth layer of thin bark helps rain run off tree
Climbing vines/ plants compete for sunlight by growing up trees’ trunks
Buttress roots spread to cover a wide area deep underground to absorb more nutrients

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8
Q

How are monkeys adapted to the rainforest?

A

Strong limbs and tails to live in trees

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9
Q

How are flying squirrels adapted to the rainforest?

A

‘Wings’ made of skin to glide between trees

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10
Q

How have chameleons adapted to rainforests?

A

Change skin colour to blend in with trees

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11
Q

How have sloths adapted to rainforests?

A

Nocturnal to preserve energy

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12
Q

How have anteaters adapted to the rainforest?

A

Nocturnal to preserve energy

Increased sense of hearing and smell due to low light levels

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13
Q

How have jaguars adapted to the rainforest?

A

Skin camouflages to jungle

Jaguars swim across rivers

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14
Q

What are tropical animals adapted to do?

A

Find food

Escape predators

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15
Q

Where are most nutrients stored in rainforests?

A

Biomass

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16
Q

What factors cause most nutrients in the rainforest to be biomass?

A

Evergreen trees drop leaves year round
Warm, humid, moist climate cause quick decomposition
Large biodiversity and plant life

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17
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

How many different species of plant and animal life are in an ecosystem

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18
Q

What percentage of Earth’s species live in the rainforest?

A

50%

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19
Q

Why is the rainforest a stable ecosystem?

A

Similar climate year round

No extreme weather events such as snow or heatwaves

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20
Q

What are threats to rainforests’ biodiversity?

A

Deforestation
Construction
Economic development

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21
Q

Why do rainforests have complex food webs?

A

There are lots of primary and secondary consumers

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22
Q

What percentage of Earth do tropical rainforests cover?

A

6%

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23
Q

What are boreal forests also called?

A

Taiga forests

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24
Q

What is the most common biome on Earth?

A

The taiga

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25
Q

What plants are found in the taiga?

A

Evergreen plants
Coniferous pines and firs
Moss

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26
Q

What is the climate of the taiga?

A

10°C peak in summer
-20° C winter
Little rainfall

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27
Q

What animals are found in the taiga?

A

Not much biodiversity due to freezing temperatures

Wolves, eagles, black bears

28
Q

What is the soil like in the taiga?

A

Permafrost
Decomposition takes a long time due to lack of enzyme function
Soil layers thin
Little nutrients

29
Q

What effect does deforestation have in the taiga?

A

Removed shade for permafrost

Melting frost releases carbon and water creating floods

30
Q

What preserves permafrost year round in the taiga?

A

Shade from the tree canopy

31
Q

How are plants adapted to the taiga?

A

Evergreen trees allow year round photosynthesis
Cone shaped trees store little heavy snow
Pine needles reduce surface area and water loss

32
Q

How are animals adapted to the taiga?

A

Hibernation to save energy in long winters
Small animals for a small surface-area to volume ratio preserving heat loss
White camouflage
Consumers migrate away in coldest months

33
Q

What is the rate of nutrient cycling in the taiga?

A

Slow

34
Q

Why is the nutrient cycle slow in the taiga?

A

Evergreen trees drop leaves year round

Dry and cold climate causes decomposer enzymes to operate slowly

35
Q

Where is the majority of nutrients stored in the taiga?

A

Dead leaves (litter)

36
Q

What are reasons for the lack of biodiversity in the taiga?

A

Low temperature and rainfall prevents nutrient rich soil

Made of ice 20,000 years ago

37
Q

Why is deforestation happening so quickly in the rainforest? (5)

A 
Farming and agriculture 
Mining and raw materials
Construction of power plants 
Growing population
Commercial logging
38
Q

What are reasons for farming and agriculture in tropical rainforests?

A

Rising population needs more rescources

39
Q

What threats does climate change pose to the rainforest?

A

Drought and ecosystem stress

Forest fires

40
Q

What is an indirect threat to the rainforest?

A

Climate change

41
Q

What is a direct threat to the rainforest?

A

Deforestation

42
Q

What are economic impacts of Amazonian deforestation?

A

Fuels economic development of poor countries

Creats jobs

43
Q

What are environmental impacts of Amazonian deforestation?

A

100bn tonnes of carbon stored in wood of trees in Amazon

Trees anchor soil and without them soil fertility would be damaged

44
Q

What are indirect threats to the taiga?

A

Exploitation of minerals and fossil fuels (tar sands)

HEP

45
Q

What are direct threats to the taiga?

A

Pulp and paper production

Logging for softwood

46
Q

What are non-human causes of biodiversity loss in the taiga?

A

Pests and diseases
Forest fires and climate change
Acid precipitation

47
Q

Why are wildfires common in the taiga in the summer?

A

Needles and the ground is very dry

48
Q

Why is the taiga suffering from acid rain?

A

Combustion of fossil fuels can release sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which reduce soil fertility and kill fish in lakes

49
Q

What are the 2 key methods of rainforest conservation?

A

REDD

CITES

50
Q

What are advantages of REDD?

A

Supported by UN so has support of large NGOs
Pays countries that reduce their levels of deforestation
Helps to increase the number of trees

51
Q

What are disadvantages of REDD?

A

Countries are only payed if they can prove that their emissions have fallen
A country can cut down trees and replace them with palm oil plantations
Does not monitor if changes are sustainable

52
Q

What are advantages of CITES?

A

Protects 5,800 animal species and 29,000 plant species
Global treaty so everyone has to abide by it
Can limit or control the trade of certain species between countries

53
Q

What are disadvantages of CITES?

A

Controlled trade of species only regulates transport of life between nations, hutning and selling could occur nationally
Not all nations have signed the treaty and not all signed nations abide by it

54
Q

What is the price per ton of carbon dioxide not emitted under REDD?

A

$5

55
Q

What is the aim of REDD?

A

Incentivise forest owners in poorer countries to look after their forest

56
Q

What is the aim of CITES?

A

Strictly control the trade of wild animals and plants

57
Q

What are strategies of sustainably managing the rainforest?

A 
Replanting
International hardwood agreements
Economic development and debt forgiveness
Ecotourism
Conservation and education
Selective logging
58
Q

What are challenges to sustainable forest management?

A

LIC need the economic benefits
Replanting trees is not guranateed to have the same impact as not cutting down trees
Change is only beneficial long term and people think short term
An individual is better off logging

59
Q

What are short term vs long term challenges to sustainable forest management?

A

Eco tourism is only profitable long term
Logging and mining provide higher income short term
Deforestation and climate change is felt over decades whereas losing a job is felt today
Unemeployment could cause governments to lose short term elections

60
Q

What is the tragedy of the commons?

A

Every individual has access to forests but the costs are felt by everyone

61
Q

What industries could provide alternative employment than logging?

A

Ecotourism

Sustainable farming

62
Q

What are the 3 ways of conserving the taiga?

A

National Parks
Wilderness areas
Sustainable forestry

63
Q

What are wilderness areas?

A

Areas humans are not allowed to disturb

64
Q

What is sustainable forestry?

A

Logging in a sustainable way
Selective logging
Replanting

65
Q

What are national parks?

A

Areas which limit certain activities such as logging

GCSE Geography (9 decks)

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