Forests Under Threat

Question 1

Why is biodiversity high in rainforests? 3 reasons

Answer 1

Perfect climate for year round growth

They’re ancient and have a stable climate so thousands of different species have evolved.

Layers are specialised habitats for different species.

Question 2

What is the equatorial climate like?
Season
Rainfall
Temperatures

Answer 2

No winter or summer

No dry season, at least 60mm of rainfall each month; some get three metres of rain each year

High temps at 26-32°C all year round

Question 3

Emergent Layer

Answer 3

Hardwood evergreen trees, broken through dense canopy, monkeys live here

Question 4

Canopy Layer

Answer 4

Dense layer, home to tree snakes, birds, tree frogs and other as food is in abundance

Question 5

Understory Layer

Answer 5

Young trees and ones with large leaves to capture most sunlight, lots of insects

Question 6

Forest floor

Answer 6

Due to darkness, shade-loving ferns with large leaves live here alone with mammals e.g. the jaguar

Question 7

Evergreen hardwood trees - adaptations

Answer 7

Mahogany, teak, ebony trees.
All have slender trunks with no branches, do have huge triangular buttress roots. They support weight of tree.
Leaves and branches at the top where there is sunlight

Question 8

Epiphytes - Adaptations

Answer 8

Live in the canopy on trees
Get all nutrients from water and air instead of soil.
So their roots dangle in the air

Question 9

Lianas - adaptations

Answer 9

Climbing plants use trees as their ‘trunk’

The climb to the top to reach sunlight while still getting nutrients from the soil and water on the ground.

Question 10

Drip tip leaves - adaptations

Answer 10

thick waxy leaves on rainforest trees

drip tips shed water quickly to prevent leaves rotting

Question 11

Sloths - adaptation

Answer 11

Huge claws allow them to hang upside down.
Fur grows away from their feet to help shed rain when upside down
Green algae growing in fur helps camouflage

Question 12

Primates - adaptations

Answer 12

Lemurs and monkeys live in the canopy where the most food is.
Strong claws

Question 13

Big cats - adaptations

Answer 13

Jaguars, tigers and leopards all have camouflaged fur

Question 14

Birds - adaptations

Answer 14

loud calls as is easier to hear a mate than see in the dense canopy.

parrots and macaws have powerful beaks to break open nuts

Question 15

Larger biomass store

Answer 15

layers of vegetation and huge trees store large amounts of nutrients

Question 16

Smaller litter store & larger decay transfer

Answer 16

In hot and wet conditions, bacteria and fungi decay dead matter quickly, returning nutrients to the soil.

Question 17

Larger growth transfer

Answer 17

Plants grow all year, so draw nutrients up from the soil rapidly

Question 18

Larger weathering input

Answer 18

Chemical weathering processes are faster in hot wet climates, so release nutrients into the soil from rocks.

Question 19

Larger leaching output

Answer 19

heavy rainfall throughout the year brings in nutrients, but the constant flow of water through the soil removes them.

Question 20

What is the order of the food chain in the rainforest?

Answer 20

Primary producers -> primary consumers -> secondary consumers -> tertiary consumers -> detritivores

OR

Plants -> herbivores -> carnivores -> top carnivores -> decomposers

Question 21

Give 2 examples of organisms at each trophic level in the rainforest.

Answer 21

Plants: trees, ferns, flowers
Herbivores: sloths, ants, butterflies
Carnivores: birds, frogs
Top carnivores: snakes, jaguars
Decomposers: fungi, bacteria

Question 22

Basic Taiga info:
Latitude
Countries
Trees

Answer 22

Between 50-70° latitude, northern hemisphere usually
Found mainly across norther Canada and Russia
Coniferous (evergreen) trees. Shaped so that snow falls instead of weighing down branches. Pine needles prevent damage by wind and snow

Question 23

Taiga climate:
Summers
Winters
Precipitation

Answer 23

• Short wet summers, temp can rise to 20°C
• Long cold and dry winters, several months below freezing, low as -20°C
• Rainfall is low in winter months (below 20mm) and only gets 350-750mm a year. There is snow on the ground for many months

Question 24

Why is biodiversity in the taiga low? 2 reasons

Answer 24

• Only specially adapted animals can survive in the cold, so reptiles and amphibians are rare
• Growing season is 4-5 months long meaning food in winter is scarce

Question 25

How have mammals adapted in the taiga?

Answer 25

Many mammals have thick, oily fur to retain heat and provide waterproofing

Question 26

Adaptation of coniferous trees
Roots
Branches
Needles

Answer 26

The roots of pine trees are not deep but wide, this helps for stability and to avoid permafrost below
The branches are flexible to bend under the weight of snow
The needles are waxy and poisonous to avoid being eaten