Geography: Chapter 5 & 6 Flashcards
What is natural vegetation?
Plant life which covers particular parts of the world’s land areas and develops without human interference.
In a climograph, what is ‘mean annual temperature’?
(can someone help me confirm this please because i’m stumped) It’s the total/12.
ok help idk bro i so scared for geog tmr
ok
What is ‘annual temperature range’?
The difference of the hottest and the coldest months.
e.g. 31-20=11
What does it mean when a forest is evergreen?
The trees do not shed all of their leaves at particular leaves of the year. Tropical rainforest plants continuously grow new leaves to replace older ones that die and fall off, thus maintaining a constantly green appearance.
What is the forest structure of a tropical rainforest?
Emergent, Canopy, Undergrowth.
Undergrowth Layer
Found beneath the canopy layer. Very little sunlight reaches here, hence not many plants are able to grow here, except smaller ones that are able to grow in the shade and and the seedlings of taller trees.
Canopy Layer
20-30 metres in height. Because so many rainforest trees grow up to this height and are so close together, their crowns interlock to form a thick and near-continuous mass of branches and leaves. It also blocks most of the sunlight from reaching the forest floor.
Emergent Layer
30 metres or more. The crowns of trees form the emergent layer.
What are some rainforest plant adaptations?
Broad leaves, waxy leaves, drip tips, and buttress roots.
What are broad leaves?
When the leaves of a tree is broad, it means that it has a large surface area and can absorb as much sunlight as possible to make food to grow and survive.
What are waxy leaves?
Waxy leaves gives its surface a glossy appearance. It helps the plant to reduce the amount of water vapour that it loses to the atmosphere through transpiration as the forest has a high temperature.
Water are drip tips?
Drip tips are small, narrow tips that point downwards. Drip tips, along with waxy texture, allow rainwater that falls on them to flow off easily. As there is a frequent heavy rainfall in the tropical rainforest, it helps the leaves to dry quickly and prevent the growth of fungi or bacteria on them.
What are buttress roots?
Buttress roots help keep trees upright and prevent them from toppling over. Buttress roots can grow up to five metres above the ground surface.
What are environmental functions of tropical forests?
Generate oxygen, contribute to carbon storage, provide habitats for diverse animal life, provide protection from soil erosion.
How do tropical forests generate oxygen?
Rainforest plants carry out oxygen generation through photosynthesis. They are capable of producing oxygen throughout the year as they are evergreen.
How do tropical forests contribute to carbon storage?
When they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis.
1) Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed.
2) The absorbed carbon dioxide is stored in solid form in the plants - leaves, stems, roots, branches.
3) Dead leaves and branches that fall to the ground add carbon to the soil.
How do tropical rainforests help prevent soil erosion?
Rainforest plants provide a protection cover over the ground surface.
1) The leaves, branches and stems of rainforest plants slow down falling raindrops before they reach the ground.
2) More rainwater can infiltrate and percolate into the soil, thus reducing surface runoff
3) The roots of rainforest plants also bind the soil together, making it harder to erode. Hence, the overall soil erosion is minimised.
How are tropical forests used by people?
Place for habitation, place for recreation, source of food, source of raw material.
How are tropical forests used for habitation?
Many people still continue to live in tropical forests. They depend on the physical environment to meet their basic needs, such as food, water, shelter, and clothing. For example, the Korowai tribe lives on the island of New Guinea in Indonesia.
How are tropical forests used for recreation?
Tropical forests are recreational sites for people who live in towns and cities to get close to nature. For example, trekking, camping and birdwatching. Visiting forests for recreation is also a way to exercise and to lead an active lifestyle.
How to tropical forests provide a source of food?
Many common types of food are found in tropical forests. For example, cashew nuts, mangoes, eggplants, cocoa pods and beans.
How do tropical forests provide a source of raw material?
Tropical forests are known for being valuable sources of wood for building and carpentry. Flooring, doors, furniture and even musical instruments can be made from wood. Iron and diamonds can also be found in the ground beneath tropical rainforests.
What are the consequences of extracting resources from tropical forests?
Wood and oxygen are often considered as renewable as they are replenished when trees and plants grow back. However, cutting down tropical forests faster than they can regrow can lead to deforestation and enhanced greenhouse effect.
