LW- Tropical Rainforests Flashcards
Where are tropical rainforests located?
Amazon Basin: Brazil and other parts of South America.
Congo Basin: Central Africa.
Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand.
Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, Panama.
Madagascar: Off the southeastern coast of Africa.
What are the advantages of developing Tropical Rainforests?
Economic Growth: Exploiting resources like timber, minerals, and agricultural land can boost local and national economies.
Job Creation: Development projects can create jobs in logging, mining, farming, and tourism.
Infrastructure Development: Building roads, schools, and hospitals can improve living standards for local communities.
Energy Production: Hydroelectric power plants can harness the rivers in rainforest regions to provide renewable energy.
What are the disadvantages of developing Tropical Rainforests?
Deforestation: Leads to loss of biodiversity and extinction of species.
Climate Impact: Trees absorb CO2; cutting them down worsens climate change.
Displacement: Indigenous communities often lose their homes and livelihoods.
Soil Degradation: Removing trees can lead to soil erosion and loss of fertility.
Economic Dependency: Over-reliance on resource extraction can hurt long-term economic stability.
What is Ecotourism?
a form of sustainable travel that aims to conserve the environment and improve the well-being of local people. It involves visiting natural areas, promoting conservation, and providing economic benefits to local communities.
How does ecotourism benefit local communities?
Ecotourism provides economic benefits by creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and funding conservation efforts, thus improving the livelihoods of local communities.
How can rainforests be managed sustainably?
Selective Logging: Cutting down only a few selected trees and leaving the forest ecosystem largely intact.
Agroforestry: Integrating crops and trees to maintain biodiversity and soil health.
Protected Areas: Establishing national parks and reserves to protect large areas from deforestation.
Ecotourism: Promoting responsible travel that funds conservation efforts and supports local communities.
Sustainable Agriculture: Using farming methods that don’t degrade the soil, like permaculture and organic farming.
Community Involvement: Engaging local communities in conservation efforts and giving them a stake in sustainable practices.
Environmental Costs of Deforestation?
Loss of Biodiversity: Deforestation leads to the destruction of habitats, resulting in the loss of numerous plant and animal species.
Climate Change: Trees absorb carbon dioxide, so cutting them down increases greenhouse gas levels, contributing to global warming.
Soil Erosion: Without trees, soil is more vulnerable to erosion, which can lead to decreased agricultural productivity and water quality issues.
Disruption of Water Cycles: Trees play a crucial role in maintaining water cycles, and their removal can lead to changes in precipitation patterns and water availability.
Economic Benifits of Deforestation?
Agricultural Expansion: Deforestation provides land for agriculture, which can boost local economies by increasing food production and creating jobs.
Timber and Resources: Logging operations generate revenue through the sale of timber and other forest products.
Infrastructure Development: Clearing forests can make way for infrastructure projects like roads and dams, which can stimulate economic growth.
Job Creation: Deforestation-related activities, such as logging and farming, create employment opportunities in rural areas.
How do paths on stilts in Tropical Rainforests help?
- No trampling
- Kept of path, don’t wonder off
- Littering
- Fires
- Ectourism- local accomodation made of local wood
What is an example of an International Hardwood Agreement?
The 2006 International Tropical Timber Agreement
- restricts trade in tropical rainforest hardwoods
- made it more difficult to sell them
- made it more difficult to make money from them
