Forestry - Chapter 15 Flashcards
Albedo
A measure of the reflectivity of a surface. More reflective surfaces have higher albedos.
Biodiversity
A measure of the variety and abundance of wildlife species.
Canopy
The uppermost layer of vegetation in a forest.
Carbon Sequestration
Any process that is used to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as afforestation or underground storage.
Cellulose
The carbohydrate made of linked glucose molecules, which is a major component of plant cell walls and wood.
Climax Community
A stable, self-perpetuating community that has reached equilibrium with its environment, and no further change occurs (The community of organisms at the end of primary succession).
Community Forest
A deliberately managed and planted forest for the benefit of the community.
Conifers
Trees that produce their seeds in cones e.g. pine and fur trees.
Coppicing
The processing where trees are cut to ground level every few years. The regrowth produces long narrow stems.
Deciduous
The process of shedding all leaves at the same time.
Ecological Succession
The sequences of changes in community composition that changes as an area is colonised and develops until a climax community is eventually produced.
Evapotranspiration
The process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants.
Forest Parks
Forestry commission forest areas that are open to the public for recreational use.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
An organisation that certifies sustainable forestry operations.
Forestry Commission
The UK governmental forestry organisation, which manages research, commercial timber production, learning and leisure.
Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)
The greatest sustainable yield that can be sustainably harvested.
National Forest
An area in the East Midlands of England where woodland creation and countryside management is being carried out for the benefit of the local communities and wildlife.
NPP
Net Primary Productivity-The energy captures by an autotroph during photosynthesis but which has not been used in respiration.
Pollarding
The process whereby trees are cut back to 4 to 8ft above the ground every few years. The regrowth produces long, narrow stems.
Primary Productivity
The energy captured during photosynthesis.
Programme For Belize (PfB)
Independent conservation organisation that manages the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management area in Belize, Central America.
Stomata
The pores on a leaf through which gases are exchanged and transpiration water is lost.
Stratification
Layering, as seen with vegetation layers in forests.
Subsistence
The collapse of the ground surface caused by undermining or a reduction in aquifer rock volume following the over-abstraction of water.
Taiga
The northern conifer forest biome found in Canada, Scandinavia and Russia.
Temperate
A temperate climate has summers and winters of roughly equal length and rarely have temperature extremes.
Tropics
The region of the earth within 22 1/2 degrees of the equator, where the sun is overhead at sometime during the year.
Understorey
The layer of a tree vegetation beneath the canopy layer.
Why does Taiga have relatively low biodiversity?
Few species can survive the harsh conditions and the amount of energy that is captured by photosynthesis is to drive the food web is lower than in other forests.
Why do trees in temperate deciduous forests shed their leaves?
To reduce water loss by evapotranspiration and to reduce the damage that would be caused by the weight of snow that could build up on them.
What are the main benefits of forests to humans?
They provide…
- Physical resources.
- Life support services.
What physical resources do forests provide?
They provide wood for things such as... -Building construction. -Furniture/tools. -Fibres, paper cotton etc. -Fuelwood. They are also important in providing a food resource (There may be more species that could be cultivated/domesticated) and medicines (E.g. aspirin from willow bark).
How do forests provide life-support services?
- They regulate the atmosphere (Carbon sequestration).
- They regulate the climate (Evapotranspiration increases cloud cover which keeps heat in at night and reflects it back in the day, as well has having a low albedo).
- They create a forest microclimate.
- Regulation of the water cycle.
- Soil conservation.
- Habitat & wildlife refuge.
- Recreation and amenity use.
How do forests aid in soil conservation?
- Dead vegetation contributes hummus and nutrients to the soil.
- Trees help prevent soil being washed/blown away.
- Trees and leaf litter help reduce wind velocity and the impact of raindrops.
- Tree roots help hold the soil together.
- Hummus binds the soil together.
- Lots of detritivores increases the ease with which water infiltrates into the soil, decreasing runoff.
After the shortage of wood during the war, how was timber supplies increased?
- Large scale conifer plantations on low value land
- Large areas were planted at the same time.
- Chosen species were non-native which grew quickly with few pests.
- Monocultures.
- Trees planted close together making them tall and straight.
What are the main features of a tropical plantation?
- Habitat loss.
- Monoculture production.
- Species selection.
- Selective breeding.
When will deforestation happen?
When the rate of removal exceeds the rate of recovery and regrowth.
Why will area be deforested?
- For timber.
- For farmland.
- Urban expansion.
- Mineral extraction.
- Reservoirs and HEP stations.
- Roads.
What are the consequences of deforestation?
- Reduced biodiversity.
- Soil erosion.
- Effect on indigenous people.
- Loss of carbon storage reservoir.
- Reduced rainsfall
- Edge effects.
- Increased ground albedo.
- Loss of visual amenity/ecotourism opportunity.
- Loss of potential medicines.
