Booklet 2 Case Studies

Question 1

Physical characteristics of a tropical rainforest

Answer 1

5 degrees north and south of the equator
Same temp all year round
Wet season
Very fertile soil
High biodiversity
High annual rainfall 2600 per year
Multilayered vegetation
Traditional tribes

Question 2

How is a tropical rainforest interdependent

Answer 2

Nutrient cycling
Vast majority stores in biomass of trees
Soil contains few nutrients
Few in litter store
Rapid transfer of nutrients

Question 3

Plant adaptations

Answer 3

Need access to sunshine so strong vertical growth on emergent trees
Buttress roots help anchor trees in shallow soil
Tall thin tress trunks to let sunlight through
Drip tips and waxy cuticles
Lianas that clime up trees to get sunlight

Question 4

Animal adaptations

Answer 4

Sloths slow algae to grow in there fur for camouflage
Spider monkey has long limbs to swing across canopy
Brightly coloured poisonous frogs

Question 5

Issues with biodiversity

Answer 5

Species declining because of habitat destruction and hunting

Question 6

Changing rates of deforestation

Answer 6

Despite the huge losses in Brazil the rate of deforestation has started to decline
I have half of the remaining forest in Brazil is now protected from deforestation
However some countries such as Malaysia have one of the fastest growing rates of deforestation
even places where deforestation has decreased the practice system, continuing with an estimate of 31,000,000 ha being filled each year

Question 7

Value of tropical rainforests to people

Answer 7

Resources– rich, inward nuts, fruits and minerals, spices, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla,
Medicine/25% of medicines come from the rainforest
Indigenous tribes, thousands of people live in harmony with the rest of the rainforest
Energy dash high rainfall creates hydroelectric power
Employment – rainforest provide employment, opportunities in tourism, farming and mining

Question 8

Value of a tropical rainforest to the environment

Answer 8

Water – about 20% of the worlds fresh water comes from the Amazon basin
Biodiversity contains 50% of the worlds plants animals
Climate – known as the lungs of the world contribute 28% of the worlds oxygen
Climate change – rainforest absorb carbon dioxide acting as a carbon sink
Soil erosion prevent soil erosion

Question 9

Ways to manage the rainforest sustainably

Answer 9

Selective logging and replanting
Internat agreement about the use of hardwoods
Conservation and education
Ecotourism
Debt reduction

Question 10

Selective, logging and replanting

Answer 10

Involves felling of individual trees rather that clear felling
Trees are selected by professionals and extracted to minimise damage to surrounding trees
Officials monitoring the logging
New trees planted

Question 11

International hardwood agreements

Answer 11

Eg the international tropical timber agreement
Only buy if it has a registration mark that it’s from a sustainability managed forest

Question 12

Conservation and education

Answer 12

Have designated national parks
Some large international organisations have projects in exchange for carrying out scientific research on raw materials
Hi aiding and Tonka beans

Question 13

Ecotourism

Answer 13

Very low impact
Supports local communities
Employment opportunities for locals

Question 14

Debt reduction

Answer 14

Debt reduction most countries with tropical rainforests are LICs or NEEs
To promote development they have taken large loans wich they find hard to repay
So some LICShave agreed to write of debts
USA - Brazil £13.5mill
Nature swapping