Forests Under Threat Flashcards
Where are tropical rainforests found?
near equator
Describe TR climate
warm and wet because close to equator so higher conc of suns radiation
Name the layers in the rainforest highest to lowest
- Emergent layer
- Canopy Layer
- Under Canopy
- Forest floor
Emergent layer
- sparsely populated
- birds and butterflies
- seeds are often winged so they can spread by the wind
- eagles, bats, monkeys
- 100m trees
Canopy layer
- Tall and straight trees, 20-40m
- leaves have pointed tips for rain to drip off
- large leaves - abosrb lots of light
- 90% organisms live here
Under Canopy
- 10-20m
- young trees that fight for sunlight
- sloths, howler monkeys
- plants have a difficult time with pollination because of lack of air movement
- vines and creepers and lianas hitch up a lift to sunlight on tree trunks
What are lianas adaptations?
- vines that climb up trees to get sunlight
- pulls nutrients out of tree - death
- start from base, humus layer, means they absorb more nutrient becayse humus is nutrient rich
- also get water from bottom
Forest floor
- 2% of sunlight
- steamy, damp and humid
- rapid decomoposition
- 0-10m high
- jaguars, alligators, insects (earthworms and beetles)
- little rainfall reaching plants here so nearly none grow here
- buttress roots
What are buttress roots adaptations?
- smooth bark so lianas cant attach
- wide base to stabalise tree so tree doesnt fall, large SA, grow taller to reach sunlight
- shallow roots because humus layer is where leaves decompose - rich in nutrients
Humus layer
- found on forest floor
- layer of dead decaying plants and animals
- lots of nutrients at surface of soil
- improves soil structure and moisture
Describe the nutrient cycle of a TR
- Large biomass
- Small litter
- Medium soil
Why is there a high biomass in TR
- TR is hot and wet, therefore vegetation grows better due to rapid decomposition
- high rainfall
- high biodiversity,
Why is there small litter in TR?
- Fast decomposition of organic matter due to warm and humid conditions
- nutrient poor soil - constant cycle of FD = nutrients are locked in the biomass itself instead of soil, so forest floor is free of organic matter
Why is soil nutrient poor in TR?
- Leaching caused by heavy rainfall - nutrients washed away from soil, loss of minerals and nutrients for plants to grow in
- nutrients mainly in living plants rather the in soil
- rapid decomposition - nutrients released by it are absorbed by plants so little organic matte rin soil
Why is soil medium sized in nutrient cycle?
- stores some nutrients but not as many as plants
- due to leaching - rainfall washes minerals away
- nutrients taken up quickly by plants due to rapid decomposition
- so soil doesnt store a lot nutrients
Drip tips adaptations
- smooth glossy outer layer - traps moisture, stops it drying out
- drip tips - rainwater flow off quickly - prevents fungus and pathogens to grow
- fan shape - directs water through main channel
- wax - prevents water loss
Adaptations of sloths
- long curved claws to hook on tree branches - remain attached for long, out of reach of predators
- camouflage greenish fur - avoid predators
- fur grows away from feet so rain drips off - algae gives greenish tint
Adaptations of macaw
- strong beak - open nuts
- colourful feathers - communication, blend in
- large wings - long flights
TR Direct Threats
- urbanisation
- mining
- fires
- climate change
- farmland - cattleranching - 60%
- deforestation - logs
- illegal activities
detrivore
eats dead animals and faeces
Indirect threats to TR
- Clmate change
- Pollution
- Global trade
- Mining
- Unsustainable tourism
- Gov regulations
How does climate threat TR
- High temp and rainfall patterns
- droughts and flooding + storms
- stress organisms, harder to survive
How does global trade TR
- high demand for palm oil and timber - high deforestation to make space for plantations
- destroys habitats, bad biodiversity
How does pollution TR
- chemicals from agriculture pollute soil and water
- reduces health
How does tourism TR
- trampling vegetation or waste
- disturb
How does government policies threat TR
- corrupt - encourage deforestation through lack of regulation
- less trees
How does fires threat TR
- to clear land for farming
- air pollution + climate change
How does illegal activities threat TR
- poaching- more deforestation, harm wildlife
How does transpiration threat TR
- more water loss
- herbivores haveno food
- carnivores have no food
- extinction due to broken food chain
Why should we protect TR?
- indigenous tribes
- habitat for animals
- resources
- balanced with urbanisation
- carbon sink - reduces pollution, stores co2 like ocean
What are global actions?
internation organisation tried to create int agreements to protect TR
Mmeber countries receive aid when they singn up
CITES
- monitors int trade in endangered species to ensure it doesnt endanger
- ensure trade in wild organisms is sutainble and legal
stops animal trade
Adv of CITES
- Success in reducing ivory trade and stopping decline of african elephant
- many countries signed up + co operate on trade of animals
disad of CITES
- relies on countries setting up, monitoring and funding project - developing countries cant afford
- protect species, not ecosystems therefore doesnt prevent deforestation
- species need to be under threat before action taken, butmight be too late to make a diff that point
G20 Green Climate Fund
- helps developing countries build renewable energy sources and ensure forest conservation
disad of G20 fund
- lengthy waiting periods for financial aid
- lots of commmunication needed and money
adv of G20 Green Climate Fund
- financial assitance to countries
- sustainable development and solutions to climate change
How much did Brazil receive for reduing deforestation?
96.5m dollars
better policing, laws
ecotourism
tousim that beneefits local ppl and does little harm to environment
agroforestry
a sustainable form of farming where crops are grown between trees
selective logging
allowing some trees to grow
REDD
- stop deforestation
- afforestation
- reduce their own co2 emissions
- Provides funding which results in forest being protected
advan of REDD
- countries more likely to take direct actionsbecause they are getting a financial reward, rather than simply doing it for environmental benefit
- they’re monitorying and reporting to ensure countries are doing smth. Means action must be taken to earn money
disad of REDD
- scheme fousses on low income countries - may shift blame towards them rather than developed countries who deforest more
- criticised for putting an economic value on forests
Kilum-Ljim (cameroon africa)
- conserve forest so future gen can use it rather than destroying it
- mountainous area
- biodiversity hotspot
- endangered species
- deforestation
- managed by local communities and NGOS
- benefit from ecoturism
Climate of taiga
- 2 seasons - winter and cummer
- harsh winters
- 20 to -20
plant adaptation in taiga
- needle shaped leaves - reduced water loss, minimising transpiration, snow shedding - prevent braches from breaking under heavy snow, wax coated = prevents water loss
diff between taiga and TR
- Taiga - plants have deep roots, not shallow
- colder in taiga
- lower biodiversity in taiga
- nutrient poor and acidic soil in taiga, TR = rich in iron and Al
- coniferous trees, sparse vegetation in taiga but dense broadleaf evergreen trees in TR
One animal adaptation in taiga
- Bears hibernate = store fat, live unerground in caves = warmer.
- strong paws and claws for digging and piercing fish and moving around terrain
Pine Tree adaptations
- seeds protected by woody cones
- tree roots are shallow but wide to support tree
- cone shape allows it to shed snow
- thick layer of pine needles on forest floor, they’re acidic - prevents other plants from growing
- branches are flexible and bend downward to shed winter snow and not break
- evergreen - photosynthesis in short growing season as tem prises
Boreal
type of forest in high nothern latitudes also called taiga
Coniferous
Having needles instead of leaves; most trees have cones and are evergreen
Subartic climate
climate zone that runs around the northern hemis. just south of the Arctic, plants from growing taiga
Tundra
cold,treeless biome found in highest latitudes Arctic and Antarctic or tops of mountains, low precipitation
Taiga
A forest ecosystem in the subsarctic regions of canada, russia and alaska
How has the moose adapted in the taiga?
- largest animal in the taiga
- eats aquatic plants + grass
- eat pine needles and spruce needles by thick lips
- Thick coat keeps warm
- long legs to walk in snow
How is the Great Horned Owl adapted in the taiga?
- sharp, big talons to grasp prey
- thick plumage to trap air for warmth
- large beak to kill
- “silent flight” - catch prey quietly
Nutrient cycle in the taiga
- slow
- largest = litter = decomposes slowly due to coil and acidic soil
- soil - small because snow covers it
Threats to the taiga
- logging for soft wood
- paper and pulp production (deforestation)
- tar sand oil mining
Direct threat to taiga - logging for soft wood
- mills built in taiga
- trees cut down and logs transported to sawmills where they are cut for timber
- long term - disrupt carbon stroage, fire vulnerability, degrade biodiversity, irreversible changes in ecosystem
- no efforts to replant trees
Direct threat to taiga - paper and pulp production
- logs send to paper mills where trees –> pulp
- logging releases lots of stored carbon = climate change
- degrades critical wildlife habitats
- LT = causes carbon storage capacity to decrease, loss f biodiversisity
Strip mining
involves digging large holes in the ground to es + minerals
Indirect threat to taiga - Tar sands/ oil and gas (ff)
- clcearing lots of land to reach oil rich sand deposits
- wastewater from tar sand extraction - leakage to ecosystem + affects water quality
- clicmate change by ghg
- habitat fragmentation, loss of biodiversity, deforestation
conif tree
Forest fire in taiga - what increases its chance
- coniferous trees have sticky resin that burn easily
- summers = hot and dry
- summer storms = lighting strikes
- thick carpet of pine needlelitter = can start a fire
Protecting taiga project
Wood Buffalo National Park,Canada
* to protect mountain bison from hunting
* mix of taiga + wetland, important for migratory birds
* UNESCO WHS due to rarity of bison
* tourism
* canadian gov not doing enough to protect it
2 global actions which help protect the rainforest + explain
- REDD - Provides funding - protects rainforest
- CITIES - stops animal trade - helps endangered animals
biodiversity
diversity of animals and plants
