Deforestation

Question 1

Afforestation

Answer 1

the establishment of a forest in a region that has not previously been forested

Question 2

Biodiversity

Answer 2

the variety of living organisms (plants, animals, microorganisms) in a particular region

Question 3

Carbon sequestration

Answer 3

the absorption and subsequent storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as by plants through photosynthesis

Question 4

Carbon sink

Answer 4

a natural or artificial reservoir that accumulates and stores some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period.

Question 5

Clear felling

Answer 5

the complete clearance of trees in a region for timber harvesting or the make land available for infrastructure or agriculture

Question 6

Deforestation

Answer 6

the long-term reduction of tree canopy cover to below 10-30 % of its original cover (depending on the type of forest)

Question 7

Forest

Answer 7

natural land cover covering at least half a hectare dominated by trees having a height of at least five metres and a crown cover of at least 10%.

Question 8

Forest canopy cover

Answer 8

the uppermost forest layer that is formed by the foliage of the highest trees within a forest biome. Where the canopy forms over 70% it is defined as a closed forest, and where it is less than this it is deemed to be an open forest.

Question 9

Forest degradation

Answer 9

various processes whereby forests are subjected to substantial modification through human activities with for loss of up to 30%

Question 10

Forest fragmentation

Answer 10

the deterioration of a forest resulting from the clearing of pockets of forest leaving a series of separate fragments of intact forest. Over time the periphery of each remnant becomes degraded and may become too small to support viable forest ecosystems

Question 11

Forest rehabilitation

Answer 11

the restoration or rehabilitation of a degraded forest through various methods

Question 12

Illegal logging

Answer 12

occurs when there is an absence of government permission to log forest areas through logging concessions or licenses

Question 13

Net forest change

Answer 13

the total change in area of land under forest cover when both loss of forest through deforestation and the regrowth resulting from afforestation and reforestation are taken into account.

Question 14

Old forest growth

Answer 14

a relatively undisturbed forest in which natural processes prevail

Question 15

Plantation

Answer 15

a forest of trees entirely created through planting, typically in rows, to form a monoculture of native or non-native trees.

Question 16

Primary forest

Answer 16

a forest which remains in its natural state, virtually untouched, containing the full array of native species which have evolved over thousands of years and subject to predominately or exclusively natural processes and systems

Question 17

Reforestation

Answer 17

the reestablishment of a forest cover that had been removed either naturally or through human actions; also known as reafforestation

Question 18

Secondary forest

Answer 18

a forest of native species that has been modifies in some way by human activities, such as through selective logging, or assisted restoration through replanting or reseeding with native species

Question 19

Selective logging

Answer 19

long-practiced forestry method of selecting specific trees for felling within a forest; can reduce the cost of timber-getting and reduce wastage in timber milling and processing

Question 20

Global distribution of deforestation

Answer 20

• Forests cover 31% of the earth’s terrestrial surface, it is believed that it would be 47% before agriculture
• Over 5000 years, human activities have been responsible for the deforestation of approx. 1.9 billion hectares of forest
• 18% of global emissions = deforestation

Question 21

Human causes of deforestation

Answer 21

• ↑ infrastructure
  -Farming in forested areas
  -Forestry management is diffucult
  -LDCs and NEEs lack the ability to enforce forest protection
  -Land rights and forest ownership issues
  -Wars and civil disruption
  -Economic development

Question 22

Natural processes causing deforestation

Answer 22

• Insects, pests, and disease
  -Wildfires
  -Ocean circulation pattern changes