Forest under threat Flashcards
Define abiotic components
Non-living environmental factors that have influence over the ecosystem (e.g climate, light exposure, soil type)
Define acid rain
Rain with a pH of around 4, formed when chemicals from industrial processes react with water in clouds to form acids
Define adaptation
An evolved trait of an animal or plant that helps them to cope with environmental stresses
Define biodiversity
A large variety of animal and plant life living in the same ecosystem
Define biofuels
Fuels produced from biomass ( i.e organic matter)
Define biomass
Total mass organisms in a set area
Define biome
Also known as global-scale ecosystem; a large, distinct region of the Earth with similar climate, soil, plants and animals
Define biotic components
Living organisms that interact with the environment and other organisms within an ecosystem
Define buttress roots
Large, thick tree roots that grow above the ground in tropical rainforest
Define camouflage
An animal adaptation where animals purposefully look like their surroundings to hide from predators
Define canopy
The layer of tropical rainforest where the tops of trees touch, forming a dense area of vegitation
Define carbon sink
Something that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits, causing a net loss of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Define cattle ranching
The rearing of cows on large areas of land, usually to produce meat to sell for a profit
Define CITIES
(The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora) an international agreement that works to protect threatened wildlife from exploration)
Define Clear Felling
A form of logging where all trees in an area are cut down
Define Climate change
A distinct change in global or regional patterns of climate, such as changes in temperature or precipitation patterns
Define commercial farming
Agriculture that is intended to create surplus produce to sell for a profit
Define Conifers
Cone-bearing trees that are usually evergreen and have needle-shaped leaves, native to colder environments
Define Conservation
Taking action to ensure a resource or environment is not depleted and over-exploited
Define consumers
Organisms that receive energy from consuming (i.e. eating) living organisms
Define Debt-for-nature swaps
Agreements where one country reduces the amount of debt owned by another country in return for the owning country putting efforts into environmental conservation
Define Decomposers
Organisms that break down organic material and release the nutrients back into the ecosystem
Define Deforestation
The permanent (and usually large-scale) removal of trees
Define Drip-tip
An adaptation of a leaf where the end of the leaf is tapered, allowing rainwater to drip off
Define Drought
A sustained period of abnormally dry weather
Define ecosystem
A natural system in which a community of plants and animals interact with each other and their physical environment
Define ecosystem
A natural system in which a community of plants and animals interact with each other and their physical environment
Define Ecotourism
Tourism that aims to have reduced environmental impact and supports conservation efforts, making it sustainable
Define Epiphytes
Plants that live on the surface of other plants, receiving nutrients from these plants
Define Food Web
A representation of interactions between multiple producers and consumers within a specific ecosystem, show through a series of different food webs
Define forest fire
An uncontrolled fire that burns woodland and vegetation (also wildfire)
Define fossil fuels
Fuels made up of the remains of organic material, such as oil, coal and gas
Define Fuel Wood
Wood that is burnt to provide energy
Define Growing Season
The time of the year when temperatures and perception levels are high enough that plants can grow
Define Hibernation
An adaptation where animals sleep through the entire winter by entering a state of extremely reduced activity to conserve energy
Define Hydro Electric Power (HEP)
Energy harnessed from the movement of water
Define Indigenous Peoples
The earliest known settlers in an area
Define Interdependence
The concept of multiple things depending on each other for survival
Define Leaching
A process in soils where minerals are washed away by water (usually rainfall)
Define Lianas
Woody vines found in tropical rainforest; their roots grow on the forest floor, but vines stretch high into the canopy
Define Litter
Organic matter that falls onto a forest floor
Define Logging
The process of cutting down trees for wood
Define Migration
The seasonal movement of animals
Define nutrient cycling
The transfer of nutrients through an ecosystem, from the decay of organic material into the production and energy of living organisms
Define Nutrients
Elements or compounds that support the growth of plants and animals, such as phosphates, potassium, magnesium, and nitrogen
Define Open-cast mining
A mining technique where an area is cleared and resources are mined close to the surface, rather than underground (also called strip mining)
Define Plantations
Farms where crops are grown in large amounts with the intention to sell for a profit
Define Producers
Organisms that convert energy from environment (mainly sunlight) into sugars (glucose)
Define productivity
A measure of new plant and animal growth in a given time, usually measured in grams per square meter per year
Define Pulp and Paper Production
The process of making paper from soft wood
Define REDD
(Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) a group of United Nations-run schemes with the aim to reduce the environmental impact of poorly managed forests
Define replanting
Planting a tree after cutting down a tree, so that theoretically the environmental impact of deforestation is reduced
Define Runoff
Rainwater that flows over the Earth’s surface
Define Selective Logging
A form of logging where only certain trees are cut down to reduce the environmental effects of logging
What is slash-and-burn
A farming practice where plants and trees are cut down and then purposefully burnt to clear the area
Define subsistence farming
Agriculture that is intended to produce only enough food for the farmer and their family to eat
Define sustainability
Meeting to the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future
Define Sustainable forestry
Management strategies that work to reduce the environmental impacts of commercial forest use, allowing forestry to continue into the future at the same rate
Define Taiga biome
A biome located at high latitudes, characterised by conifer trees and a cold climate
Define Tar sands
An area with natural deposits of oil mixed with sediments and water
Define Tropical rainforest biome
A biome located near the equator, characterised by very high precipitation and sustained warm temperatures
Define Understory
The layer of a tropical rainforest that lies beneath the canopy but above the forest floor
Define weathering
The breakdown of soil and rock through chemical or physical processes
Define wilderness
An area that is untouched by humans, and therefore remains unaffected by human activity
