deforestation in tropical rainforests Flashcards
what are the main causes of rapid deforestation?
construction of power plants and renewable energy, mining and raw materials, growing population, logging, farming and agriculture
how does the construction of power plants and renewable energy contribute to rapid deforestation?
the world’s growing population requires more energy and the desire to slow climate change leads to the construction of renewable sources of energy. However, deforestation occurs to make space for renewable energy development
how does mining and raw materials contribute to rapid deforestation in tropical rainforests?
trees are cut down to make space for intense mining campaigns
how does growing population lead to rapid deforestation in tropical rainforests?
cutting down trees to create space for new housing and towns/cities to cope with growing population
how does logging lead to rapid deforestation in tropical rainforests?
timber is cut down and sold for profit. As well as this, trees are chopped down to clear area for roads
how does farming and agriculture contribute to increased deforestation in tropical rainforests?
the growing population requires more and more food and trees are cut down to make space for farmland and grazing land
what are the environmental impacts of deforestation in tropical rainforests?
fewer trees means less carbon dioxide is absorbed from the atmosphere,
increased soil erosion as excess soil on the surface is blown away and not caught by trees,
often the deforestation itself includes burning which releases greenhouse gases
what are the economic impacts of deforestation in tropical rainforests?
the mining industry creates jobs,
hydroelectric power plants create lots of jobs,
tourism industry may suffer as reputation can be destroyed by deforestation
what are the reasons for defending the rainforests from deforestation?
photosynthesis removes greenhouse gases from the air,
source of many useful products and medicines,
moral perspective: habitats destroyed,
tactics to reduce deforestation in tropical rainforests?
debt reduction,
ecotourism,
replanting of trees,
selective logging,
conservation and education
how does debt reduction reduce the amount of deforestation in tropical rainforests?
usually countries that carry out a lot of deforestation do it as a way to pay off debt to other countries,
if the debt is reduced then there is less of an incentive to deforest
how does ecotourism reduce the amount of deforestation in tropical rainforests?
areas of rainforests are adapted to accommodate tourists, providing alternate income instead of deforestation
how does replanting reduce the effects of deforestation in tropical rainforests?
trees that are chopped down are replaced by new ones.
how does selective logging reduce the effects of deforestation in tropical rainforests?
only trees of an older age are cut down, maintaining the structure of the rainforest
