Deforestation And Land Use

Question 1

What are the main causes for it

Answer 1

• to grow biofuel
• mining
• cattle ranching
• raw materials
• growing crops

Question 2

What happens when we lose trees ( in terms of CO2)

Answer 2

• the trees cut down release CO2 from combustion
• less trees = less oxygen produced and less CO2 taken up
• some trees that aren’t burnt decay, which releases CO2
• some forests are a carbon sink, deforestations get rid of carbon sinks

Question 3

What are possible effects of deforestation

Answer 3

• loss of habitats
• decreased biodiversity
• increased CO2
• global warming

Question 4

What is deforestation

Answer 4

The large scale clearance of trees from an area

Question 5

Describe the soil of a peat bog

Answer 5

• acidic
• waterlogged

Question 6

Do peat bogs have high or low levels of oxygen

Answer 6

Low, the soil is waterlogged, so there is no space for air

Question 7

Do peat bogs have higher or lower levels of aerobic respiration, as compared to normal soils?

Answer 7

Lower. No air = no aeorbic

Question 8

Do peat bogs decay organic matter more or less than normal soils?

Answer 8

Decomposition requires aerobic bacteria, so the lack of oxygen reduces decomposition.

Question 9

Why do peat bogs act as carbon sinks?

Answer 9

The dead organic matter doesn’t decay as much, and so a lot of the carbon stays in the soil.

Question 10

Many areas of peat bog have been destroyed. Which human activities contribute to peat bog destruction?

Answer 10

• Draining the peat to use the land for agriculture
• Cutting out the peat to burn as a fuel

Question 11

Explain how draining peat bogs contributes to global warming.

Answer 11

• he draining of water allows air (and oxygen) to return to the soil
• This allows microorganism to carry out aerobic respiration and decay the organic matter
• This releases CO2 which acts as a greenhouse gas, and contributes to global warming