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Geography > Living World (RAINFORESTS) > Flashcards

Living World (RAINFORESTS) Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a tropical rainforest?

A

A warm, wet ecosystem located within the tropics

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2
Q

What is rainfall like in tropical rainforests?

A
  • Extremely high rainfall
  • Rainfall exceeds 2000mm per year
  • Usually seasonal rainfall (6 months)
  • Very humid
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3
Q

What is temperature like in tropical rainforests?

A
  • High temperatures (26-27°C)
  • Consistent temp throughout the year
  • Sun shines directly on equator throughout the year, explaining consistency of climate
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4
Q

What are the soils like in tropical rainforests?

A
  • Very infertile and nutrient deprived (due to leaching)
  • Soil is called latosol
  • Thin layer of nutrients from decay of dead organisms at the top layer
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5
Q

Why are soils so nutrient deprived?

A
  • Nutrients are washed away and dissolved by intensive rainfall (LEACHING)
  • So a soil called LATOSOL is left behind (infertile, iron-rich soil)
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6
Q

What is the nutrient cycle in tropical rainforests?

A
  • Vegetation and trees rapidly grow and shed leaves
  • Vegetation decays and decomposes rapidly
  • These nutrients enter the topsoil and are either
    absorbed by plants or washed away by rain, so nutrients to not penetrate to deeper soils
  • Shallow roots take up the nutrients on the forest floor and use them to grow
  • Cycle continues
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7
Q

Where can tropical rainforests be found?

A

Between the tropics -

  • South-East Asia
  • Central Africa
  • Northern Australia
  • South America
  • Central America
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8
Q

What are the characteristics and layers of tropical rainforests?

A

Lush and dense

  • Emergent Layer
  • Canopy Layer
  • Understory Layer
  • Forest Floor
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9
Q

Climate of tropical rainforests summarised

A
  • Hot, temps average 27°C
  • Wet, rainfall over 2000m per year
  • Humid
  • Wet season lasts around 6 months
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10
Q

Leaching

A

Where heavy rainfall dissolves nutrients and carries nutrients away from the soil

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11
Q

Adaptations of plants in rainforests

A
  • Leaves have flexible bases so they can turn and face the sun
  • Drip top, to allow excess water to drip off
  • Thin, smooth tree bark allows water to quickly flow down
  • Epiphytes live on branches high up to obtain sunlight and extracting nutrients from air and water
  • Buttresses, which are massive ridges to support the base of tall trees
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12
Q

Causes of deforestation in Malaysia

A
  • Logging (trees cut for timber)
  • Road building for access to mining areas (tin) and new settlements
  • Energy development
  • Subsistence farming
  • Slash and burn to clear space
  • Commercial farming (Malaysia is the world’s largest palm oil exporter)
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13
Q

What is clear felling?

A

Where all the trees in an area are cut down destroying the forest habitat

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14
Q

What is selective logging?

A

Where mature trees only are cut down, and trees with ecological importance are left unharmed

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15
Q

Impacts of deforestation

A
  • Soil erosion
  • Loss of biodiversity
  • Climate change
  • Economic development
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16
Q

Economic gains of deforestation

A
  • Improved transport
  • Hydroelectric power
  • Minerals (gold)
  • Palm oil industry benefits
  • Jobs created
17
Q

Economic losses of deforestation

A
  • Water pollution may lead to shortages
  • Fires can cause pollution and burn out of control which cost money to fix
  • Climate change may have great effects of industries, eg. Certain crops may struggle to grow in different climates which would have negative effects economically
  • Tourist numbers decrease
18
Q

Before and after - Area covered by rainforests

A

Before - 15.5 million km^3

After - 6.2 million km^3

19
Q

What did Brazil do to reduce deforestation in 2004?

A
  • Government crackdowns

- Consumer pressure not to use products gained from deforested areas

20
Q

Reasons why tropical rainforests should be protected

A
  • Biodiversity
  • They are carbon sinks
  • Produce 28% of the world’s oxygen
  • Prevent climate from becoming too hot and dry
  • Potential medicines
  • Resources are finite
21
Q

Ways to sustainably manage rainforests

A
  • Selective logging and replanting
  • Conservation and education
  • Ecotourism
  • International agreements
22
Q

What are some international agreements to protect rainforests?

A
  • Sustainable hardwood forestry promoted by the international FSC
  • Debt reduction where lenders reduce debts in exchange for agreement that rainforests will NOT be deforested

Geography (26 decks)

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