Ecosystem key services, Tropical rainforest ecosystem, how and why humans use the rainforest

Question 1

What do we mean by the term ‘key services’?

Answer 1

The way in which ecosystems provide benefits for people.

Question 2

Give 5 key services that ecosystems provide?

Answer 2

Maintain a steady supply of clean water to rivers, Prevent soil erosion, Reduce the risk of river floods, providing natural materials for building or for medicine, Providing foodstuff such as honey, fruit & nuts, Huge stores of carbon dioxide this helps regulate the greenhouse effect.

Question 3

Where are tropical rainforests found?

Answer 3

Along the equator e.g Brazil, Congo, South East Asia.

Question 4

Why is there a continual growing season in the rainforest?

Answer 4

Because the rainfall amount is often larger than 2000mm per year and the temperatures are high averaging 25 degrees C.

Question 5

What are the different layers of the rainforest?

Answer 5

Emergent Layer
Canopy
Undercanopy
Shrub Layer
Ground Layer

Question 6

80% of the rainforests nutrients come from trees and plants, only 20% of the nutrients are stored in soil. Why is this?

Answer 6

Rapid decomposition due to heat this is easily absorbed by plants, The nutrients are in high demand from the fast-growing plants so they stay near the soils surface, Consumers eat plants when the consumer dies the nutrients are returned to the soil by decomposers so are recycled quickly.

Question 7

Where is most of the rainfall intercepted in the rainforest?

Answer 7

Canopy

Question 8

How does convectional rainfall happen in the rainforest?

Answer 8

Hot rainforest temperatures causes water to evaporate into the atmosphere and together with transpiration mix to form clouds.

Question 9

Is the rainforest a good store of water?

Answer 9

Yes

Question 10

Give a named example of a river in a tropical rainforest.

Answer 10

Amazon

Question 11

If the rainforest water cycle were to be broken why would water supply to people be at risk?

Answer 11

Water flowing into the rivers would be more uneven as convectional rainfall would be reduced.

Question 12

Rainforests store less carbon than other ecosystems?

Answer 12

False

Question 13

The soils of the rainforest are important stores of carbon.

Answer 13

True

Question 14

When rainforests are cleared what happens to the carbon?

Answer 14

It is lost to the atmosphere

Question 15

Give 5 reasons why the rainforest is being destroyed in the Amazon?

Answer 15

Monoculture (Big scale farming - Oil palms & Bananas), Subsistence farmers (Individuals/families) using slash and burn and then moving on once nutrients have gone, Iron ore mining, Roads & Railways, Logging, Hydro electric dams.

Question 16

Give 3 positive impacts of deforestation in the Amazon

Answer 16

Brazil has become richer, Long term jobs in farming and logging, Multiplier effect as other industries have moved to the area.

Question 17

Give 3 negative impacts of deforestation in the Amazon

Answer 17

Native Indians have lost their homes, Habitat loss and extinction, Changes in climate - Interception and transpiration are reduced and more evaporation means dryer climate, Broken nutrient cycle causing soil to be washed away and never recovers so plants and wildlife are reduced

Question 18

What does the word sustainable mean?

Answer 18

Meeting the needs of current generation without compromising the needs of future generations

Question 19

Give 5 ways the rainforest can be managed sustainably

Answer 19

Agro-forestry (Growing trees and crops at the same time.) Selective logging (Cutting down certain trees) Forest reserves (Alto Maues National Park) Wildlife corridors (linked up corridors of vegetation) Eco tourism.