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GCSE Geography > Paper 1: Tropical Rainforest > Flashcards

Paper 1: Tropical Rainforest Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the distribution of tropical rainforests

A

-Most found close to equator
-All are found between the tropics

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2
Q

climatic characteristics of a rainforest

A

-no seasonal temp diff
-high annual rainfall
-‘hot and wet’
-high humidity

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3
Q

Why do the rainforests have high solar insolation

A

-located between tropics
-sun directly overhead all year
-heats air = rises
-low pressure = rain

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4
Q

biomass importance in maintaining soil fertility

A

-leaf litter decomposes
-releases nutrients

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5
Q

ideal conditions for decomposition

A

-warm and humid
-moisture

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6
Q

fertile soil importance in rainforest

A

-allows plants to survive
-support organisms at other trophic levels

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7
Q

Nutrient Cycle: stores

A

-biomass
-soil
-litter

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8
Q

Nutrient Cycle: inputs

A

-weathering of parent rock
-rainfall

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9
Q

Nutrient Cycle: ouputs

A

-surface runoff
-leaching

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10
Q

Nutrient Cycle: flows

A

-plant uptake
-decomposition
-littering

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11
Q

poor nutrients is because of

A

-plant competition for nutrients
-nutrients stay in soil briefly
-heavy rainfall = leaching

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12
Q

leaching

A

washing out of nutrients from soul giving it low fertility

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13
Q

Emergent layer

A

-tallest tress
-emerge above canopy
-absorb best sunlight

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14
Q

Canopy

A

-densest layer
-50% of wildlife is here
-below emergent layer

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15
Q

undercanopy

A

-bare tree trunks and lianas
-younger tress grow toward canopy but not all are successful

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16
Q

lianas

A

vines that climb vegetation in a bid to reach sunlight

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17
Q

shrub layer

A

-shrubs and ferns
-plants that need less light
-sapling are here

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18
Q

saplings

A

young trees

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19
Q

forest floor

A

-dar
-damp
-layers of dead organic matter (leaf litter)

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20
Q

Plant adaptation: leaves waxy surface + drip tips

A

-shed excess rainwater quickly
-prevents mould in humid climate

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21
Q

Plant adaptation: flexible bases

A

-turn to face sun
-maximise light for photosynthesis

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22
Q

Plant adaptation: emergent tress are tall + fast growing

A

-maximise light for photosynthesis
-grow above main canopy

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23
Q

Plant adaptation: trees’ shallow roots

A

-maximise nutrient uptake
-absorb rapid decomposing leaf litter on soil

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24
Q

Plant adaptation: emergent trees’ wide buttress roots

A

-width = extra support
-as roots are shallow

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25
Plant adaptation: lianas use trees for support
-grow quickly towards main canopy -more light = photosynthesis
26
Plant adaptation: colourful fleshy fruits with seeds
-animals consume seeds -disperse widely over rainforest -germination
27
Animal adaptation: toucan's strong beaks
-hard shells of nuts can be cracked -curved shape = accessibility to hard to reach food
28
Animal adaptation: Apes have strong limbs
-strength to climb to tops of trees -most food and sunlight here
29
Animal adaptation: red-eyed tree frog = long sticky tongue
-hide in canopy -swallow insect species whole
30
Animal adaptation: poison dart frog is bright blue
-colour acts as a warning -poisonous to predators
31
Animal adaptation: sloths can camouflage
-hide to protect themselves -from predators
32
Social value of rainforests:
-medicines are derived from here (2/3 for cancer) -indigenous tribes who depend on rainforest
33
Economic value of rainforests:
-wide range of local foods -industrail products (timber)
34
Environmental value of rainforests:
-intercepts rainfall = less chance of flooding and soil erosion -huge diversity of species -global carbon sink
35
carbon sink
-absorbs huge amounts of co2 -offsest high emissions -slows down effects of climate change
36
Deforestation changing
-more exploitation for resources = economic development -conservationists argue against this
37
High rates for deforestation reasons
-farming/logging -growing populations
37
Low rates for deforestation reasons
-stricter laws -protected national parks -international pledges to reduce rates (COP26)
38
Cause for deforestation: farming description
-90% of Amazon is deforested due to commercial agriculture -cattle ranching = 70% -monoculture / pesticides -'slash and burn'
39
Cause for deforestation: farming effect
-exhausts soil of nutrients
40
farming pros
-economic increase -highest value exports are from here
41
farming techniques to help
shifting cultivation: -gives soil time to recover
42
Cause for deforestation: Logging description
-Brazil = 55% of exports is timber -make furniture -sold cheaply -readily available
43
Cause for deforestation: logging effect
-after forest is cleared -other economic activities take place -not time to recover
43
Cause for deforestation: road building description
-support trade -allows development in inaccessible location
43
Cause for deforestation: road building effect
-new highway = 10km of trees lost -destroys habitats
44
Cause for deforestation: Mineral extraction description
-large copper,tin,nickel reserves -attract TNCs -Carajas mine = largest iron ore mine 7.2 bn tonnes
45
Cause for deforestation: mineral extraction effect
-10% of amazon deforestation -loss of 70km
46
Cause for deforestation: energy development description
-hydro electric power = 66% of all brazil's power -cheap production = powers manufacturing
47
Cause for deforestation: energy effect
-flooding from dams -drowns rainforest less fossil fuels but removing carbon sinks
48
Cause for deforestation: settlement description
-high demand for workers -ppl settle here then
49
Cause for deforestation: settlement effect
-4.8% of amazon was occupied in 2002 -jumped to 8.3% in 2014
50
Cause for deforestation: population growth description
-more demand -meat, crops, energy, timber
51
Cause for deforestation: population growth effect
-loss of wildlife
52
Economic opportunities for deforestation of Amazon for Brazil
-exports of soybeans, sugar, meat, coffee -largest iron ore mine - 10% of total exports -supports manufacturing business -HEP powers 75% -reduces household bills + cheap for industry
53
Economic challenges for deforestation of Amazon for Brazil
-exhausts soil from monoculture/ pesticides -mining = costly as most is being exhausted so inaccessible areas are being explored -flooding due to HEP -HEP = unreliable so drought caused increased prices for energy -no tax for illegal exports
54
amazon carbon sink?
-stores 150 -200 bn tonnes of carbon -
55
why is the amazon starting to emit more than it absorbs
-slasha n burn = carbon through combustion
56
Tribes are impacted how
-development = displacement -introduction to diseases they aren't vaccinated against = death
57
Sustainable management: selective logging description
-older tress are felled for timber -most are left to grow -existing trees protect canopy -helicopters remove trees not trucks - less invasive
58
Sustainable management: selective logging social pros
-timber exports -more GNI -better investment
59
Sustainable management: selective logging environment pros
-forest structure is maintained -good soil fertility + habitats -less damage to soil and less pavement
60
Sustainable management: selective logging sustainability?
-may continue as forest will always be there as it is being protected
61
Sustainable management: replanting description
-when cut down -same species is replanted
62
Sustainable management: replanting social pros
-provides employment -better wages -high GNI -reduces unemployment rate
63
Sustainable management: replanting environmental pros
-maintains biodiversity -protects habitats
64
Sustainable management: International agreements description
-hardwood demand in HICs -so high taxes or bans on imports of this
65
Sustainable management: international agreements economic pros
-timber industry = higher taxes -GNI increases
66
Sustainable management: international agreements environmental pros
-demand decreases -less deforestation
67
Sustainable management: Education/conservation description
-reduces damage -educate on sustainable ways of making money -nut harvesting
68
Sustainable management: education social pros
-local benefit = learn strategies = more moeny -tribes are protected as ppl understand better
69
Sustainable management: education environment pros
-nut harvesting = no deforestation -eco tourism relies on protecting rain forest = gov will protect as it bring in income
70
Sustainable management: eco tourism description
-doesn't harm environment -benefits locals = employment -small numbers of tourists = respectful eg no litter
71
Sustainable management: eco tourism social pros
-locals have a wage (guides, hotels) -tourists are from HICs = higher prices -more GNi
72
Sustainable management: eco tourism environmental pros
-respectful towards rainforest -small number = less damage -travelling by foot = less damage
73
Sustainable management: eco tourism sustainability?
-valued tertiary industry = GNI increases -decline of deforestation
74
Sustainable management: debt reduction description
-countries in debt exploit forest to pay it -debts are cancelled = less need to deforest -conservation swaps ensure money is used on rainforests
75
Sustainable management: debt reduction social pros
-benefit due to less debt -more wealth invested into services
76
Sustainable management: debt reduction environmental pros
-less pressure to deforest -more funding to protect them - national parks
77
Sustainable management: debt reduction sustainability?
-once debt is paid -LICs can invest in industries that don't exploit rainforest
78
How eco tourism can help manage tropical rainforests sustainably
-raised walkways = prevents ppl walking on vegetation so less damage -

GCSE Geography (24 decks)

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