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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
Q

Plant adaptation: lianas use trees for support

A

-grow quickly towards main canopy
-more light = photosynthesis

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26
Q

Plant adaptation: colourful fleshy fruits with seeds

A

-animals consume seeds
-disperse widely over rainforest
-germination

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27
Q

Animal adaptation: toucan’s strong beaks

A

-hard shells of nuts can be cracked
-curved shape = accessibility to hard to reach food

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28
Q

Animal adaptation: Apes have strong limbs

A

-strength to climb to tops of trees
-most food and sunlight here

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29
Q

Animal adaptation: red-eyed tree frog = long sticky tongue

A

-hide in canopy
-swallow insect species whole

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30
Q

Animal adaptation: poison dart frog is bright blue

A

-colour acts as a warning
-poisonous to predators

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31
Q

Animal adaptation: sloths can camouflage

A

-hide to protect themselves
-from predators

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32
Q

Social value of rainforests:

A

-medicines are derived from here (2/3 for cancer)
-indigenous tribes who depend on rainforest

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33
Q

Economic value of rainforests:

A

-wide range of local foods
-industrail products (timber)

34
Q

Environmental value of rainforests:

A

-intercepts rainfall = less chance of flooding and soil erosion
-huge diversity of species
-global carbon sink

35
Q

carbon sink

A

-absorbs huge amounts of co2
-offsest high emissions
-slows down effects of climate change

36
Q

Deforestation changing

A

-more exploitation for resources = economic development
-conservationists argue against this

37
Q

High rates for deforestation reasons

A

-farming/logging
-growing populations

37
Q

Low rates for deforestation reasons

A

-stricter laws
-protected national parks
-international pledges to reduce rates (COP26)

38
Q

Cause for deforestation: farming description

A

-90% of Amazon is deforested due to commercial agriculture
-cattle ranching = 70%
-monoculture / pesticides
-‘slash and burn’

39
Q

Cause for deforestation: farming effect

A

-exhausts soil of nutrients

40
Q

farming pros

A

-economic increase
-highest value exports are from here

41
Q

farming techniques to help

A

shifting cultivation:
-gives soil time to recover

42
Q

Cause for deforestation: Logging description

A

-Brazil = 55% of exports is timber
-make furniture
-sold cheaply
-readily available

43
Q

Cause for deforestation: logging effect

A

-after forest is cleared
-other economic activities take place
-not time to recover

43
Q

Cause for deforestation: road building description

A

-support trade
-allows development in inaccessible location

43
Q

Cause for deforestation: road building effect

A

-new highway = 10km of trees lost
-destroys habitats

44
Q

Cause for deforestation: Mineral extraction description

A

-large copper,tin,nickel reserves
-attract TNCs
-Carajas mine = largest iron ore mine
7.2 bn tonnes

45
Q

Cause for deforestation: mineral extraction effect

A

-10% of amazon deforestation
-loss of 70km

46
Q

Cause for deforestation: energy development description

A

-hydro electric power = 66% of all brazil’s power
-cheap production = powers manufacturing

47
Q

Cause for deforestation: energy effect

A

-flooding from dams
-drowns rainforest
less fossil fuels but removing carbon sinks

48
Q

Cause for deforestation: settlement description

A

-high demand for workers
-ppl settle here then

49
Q

Cause for deforestation: settlement effect

A

-4.8% of amazon was occupied in 2002
-jumped to 8.3% in 2014

50
Q

Cause for deforestation: population growth description

A

-more demand
-meat, crops, energy, timber

51
Q

Cause for deforestation: population growth effect

A

-loss of wildlife

52
Q

Economic opportunities for deforestation of Amazon for Brazil

A

-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
Q

Economic challenges for deforestation of Amazon for Brazil

A

-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
Q

amazon carbon sink?

55
Q

why is the amazon starting to emit more than it absorbs

A

-slasha n burn = carbon through combustion

56
Q

Tribes are impacted how

A

-development = displacement
-introduction to diseases they aren’t vaccinated against = death

57
Q

Sustainable management: selective logging description

A

-older tress are felled for timber
-most are left to grow
-existing trees protect canopy
-helicopters remove trees not trucks - less invasive

58
Q

Sustainable management: selective logging social pros

A

-timber exports
-more GNI
-better investment

59
Q

Sustainable management: selective logging environment pros

A

-forest structure is maintained
-good soil fertility + habitats
-less damage to soil and less pavement

60
Q

Sustainable management: selective logging sustainability?

A

-may continue as forest will always be there as it is being protected

61
Q

Sustainable management: replanting description

A

-when cut down
-same species is replanted

62
Q

Sustainable management: replanting social pros

A

-provides employment
-better wages
-high GNI
-reduces unemployment rate

63
Q

Sustainable management: replanting environmental pros

A

-maintains biodiversity
-protects habitats

64
Q

Sustainable management: International agreements description

A

-hardwood demand in HICs
-so high taxes or bans on imports of this

65
Q

Sustainable management: international agreements economic pros

A

-timber industry = higher taxes
-GNI increases

66
Q

Sustainable management: international agreements environmental pros

A

-demand decreases
-less deforestation

67
Q

Sustainable management: Education/conservation description

A

-reduces damage
-educate on sustainable ways of making money
-nut harvesting

68
Q

Sustainable management: education social pros

A

-local benefit = learn strategies = more moeny
-tribes are protected as ppl understand better

69
Q

Sustainable management: education environment pros

A

-nut harvesting = no deforestation
-eco tourism relies on protecting rain forest = gov will protect as it bring in income

70
Q

Sustainable management: eco tourism description

A

-doesn’t harm environment
-benefits locals = employment
-small numbers of tourists = respectful eg no litter

71
Q

Sustainable management: eco tourism social pros

A

-locals have a wage (guides, hotels)
-tourists are from HICs = higher prices
-more GNi

72
Q

Sustainable management: eco tourism environmental pros

A

-respectful towards rainforest
-small number = less damage
-travelling by foot = less damage

73
Q

Sustainable management: eco tourism sustainability?

A

-valued tertiary industry = GNI increases
-decline of deforestation

74
Q

Sustainable management: debt reduction description

A

-countries in debt exploit forest to pay it
-debts are cancelled = less need to deforest
-conservation swaps ensure money is used on rainforests

75
Q

Sustainable management: debt reduction social pros

A

-benefit due to less debt
-more wealth invested into services

76
Q

Sustainable management: debt reduction environmental pros

A

-less pressure to deforest
-more funding to protect them - national parks

77
Q

Sustainable management: debt reduction sustainability?

A

-once debt is paid
-LICs can invest in industries that don’t exploit rainforest

78
Q

How eco tourism can help manage tropical rainforests sustainably

GCSE Geography (24 decks)

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