Chapter 12 Flashcards
Forests cover ______% of land and forages cover ______% of the world lands.
- 30%
2. 30%
What environmental services/benefits do forest provide?
- Provide many essential resources such as lumber, paper pulp, and livestock grazing.
- They also provide environmental services such as regulating climate, controlling water run-off, purifying water and air, and providing wildlife habitat. They also have scenic, cultural, and historic value.
By definition of forest covers, trees cover more than ___% of the land.
10%
The largest tropical forest is located in _________, which has ______% of the world’s forests.
- South America
2. 22%
What is the definition of primary forest?
•Or Old Growth Forests are those forests composed primarily of native species in which there is little indication of human activity and ecological processes are not significantly disturbed.
Grasslands occupy ______ of the world’s land surface, and the rate of disturbance is ____ times that of tropical rainforest.
- 1/4
2. 3 Times
What percent of forest harvests is used for firewood?
50% Is used for firewood
How much of wood consumption is for paper pulp?
•1/5 of all wood consumption
What is monoculture forestry?
•When a single species is used and managed for wood production
What is so special about tropical rain forest?
•Tropical forests occupy less than 10% of land surface but contain half of all plant, animal, and microbial species on earth.
List the causes of deforestation.
- Conversion of forest to agriculture;
- Large Scale Commercial Logging;
- Biofuel production.
- Fires destroy 350 million hectares of forest/year. Many of these are set intentionally to clear land for other uses
What percent of the world’s forests is now protected, and which country is the leader of establishing forests reserve?
- About 12% of the world’s forests are now protected.
* Brazil is the leading country of establishing forest reserves.
What is Debt for Nature Swap?
•Debt for Nature Swaps - Conservation organizations buy debt obligations, then offer to cancel the debt if the debtor country protects biologically important areas
Per fire management, why eliminating fire is a bad practice?
- Recent studies indicate many biological communities are fire-adapted and require periodic burning for regeneration.
- Eliminating fires has caused woody debris to accumulate over the years. As a result, many fires are now larger and more severe
What problems are associate with overgrazing of the Rangelands?
•Degrading Rangelands. Leads to desertification. When cattle graze freely, they eat the tender grasses leaving the tough species to gradually dominate the landscape.
