Forest under threat

Question 1

Abiotic

Answer 1

non-living part of a biome, includes the atmosphere, water, rock and soil

Question 2

Acid rain

Answer 2

rain with a pH lower than 5.7

Question 3

Afforestation

Answer 3

the planting of trees

Question 4

Agroforestry

Answer 4

growing trees and crops together to maintain biodiversity of agricultural land

Question 5

Biodiversity

Answer 5

the number of different plant and animal species in an area

Question 6

Biofuels

Answer 6

any kind of fuel made from living things, or from the waste they produce

Question 7

Biomass

Answer 7

renewable organic materials such as wood, agricultural crops or wastes, when used as a source of fuel or energy

Question 8

Biotic

Answer 8

living part of a biome, made up of plant (flora) and animal (fauna) life

Question 9

Boreal forest

Answer 9

the taiga – the world’s largest land biome

Question 10

Clear-cutting

Answer 10

the logging of all trees in a wide area of forest

Question 11

Climate

Answer 11

the average weather conditions over a 30-year period

Question 12

Coniferous tree

Answer 12

type of tree which includes pine, spruce and fir, which grow tall and narrow to form a dense canopy

Question 13

Conservation

Answer 13

protecting threatened biomes, e.g. setting up national parks or banning trade in endangered species

Question 14

Deforestation

Answer 14

the deliberate cutting down of forests to exploit forest resources (timber, land or minerals)

Question 15

Detritivores

Answer 15

animal which feeds on dead or decaying plant and animal matter

Question 16

Drought

Answer 16

a long, continuous period of dry weather

Question 17

Ecotourism

Answer 17

small-scale tourism that attracts visitors that are interested in wildlife and culture

Question 18

Epiphytes

Answer 18

plants that live in the canopy on trees and have evolved to get all their nutrients from water and air rather than soil

Question 19

Geographical conflict

Answer 19

disagreement and differences of opinion linked to the use of places and resources

Question 20

Geographical Information

Systems (GIS)

Answer 20

a form of electronic mapping that builds up maps layer by layer

Question 21

Global warming

Answer 21

the increase of Earth’s temperatures, also known as the

greenhouse effect

Question 22

Hydroelectric power (HEP)

Answer 22

electricity generated by turbines that are driven by moving water

Question 23

Invasive species

Answer 23

(or alien species) – a plant, animal or disease introduced from one area to another which causes ecosystem damage

Question 24

Leaching

Answer 24

when nutrients are washed out of the soil by water moving through it

Question 25

Lianas

Answer 25

climbing plants which cling to trees and climb up to the sunlight in the canopy, while getting water and nutrients from the soil below

Question 26

Litter

Answer 26

decaying leaves and twigs

Question 27

Migration

Answer 27

movement from one place to another

Question 28

National parks

Answer 28

natural landscapes that are protected by the government for the conservation of wildlife or enjoyment of the general public

Question 29

Net primary productivity

NPP

Answer 29

a measure of how much new plant and animal growth is added to a biome each year

Question 30

Non-governmental

organisation (NGO)

Answer 30

NGOs work to make life better, especially for the poor. Oxfam, the Red Cross and Greenpeace are all NGOs

Question 31

Nutrient cycle

Answer 31

The circulation of nutrients between abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) parts of ecosystems

Question 32

Primary forest

Answer 32

the original forest

Question 33

RAMSAR wetland

Answer 33

international treaty dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands with global importance

Question 34

Secondary forest

Answer 34

regenerated or replanted forest

Question 35

Selective logging

Answer 35

the removal of large, valuable trees leaving some of the forest intact

Question 36

Strip mining

Answer 36

the digging of large holes in the ground to extract ores and minerals that are close to the surface

Question 37

Sustainable management

Answer 37

meeting the needs of people now and in the future, and limiting harm to the environment

Question 38

Tar sands

Answer 38

sediment that is mixed with oil, can be mined to extract oil to be used as fuel

Question 39

UNESCO World Heritage

Sites

Answer 39

a natural or man-made site that is protected because of their global importance

Question 40

Wilderness

Answer 40

isolated, hard-to-reach places with little human interference or settlement

Question 41

Wildfire

Answer 41

uncontrolled burning though forest, grassland or scrub. Such fires can ‘jump’ roads and rivers and travel at high speed