Paper 1: Tropical Rainforest Flashcards
Describe the distribution of tropical rainforests
-Most found close to equator
-All are found between the tropics
climatic characteristics of a rainforest
-no seasonal temp diff
-high annual rainfall
-‘hot and wet’
-high humidity
Why do the rainforests have high solar insolation
-located between tropics
-sun directly overhead all year
-heats air = rises
-low pressure = rain
biomass importance in maintaining soil fertility
-leaf litter decomposes
-releases nutrients
ideal conditions for decomposition
-warm and humid
-moisture
fertile soil importance in rainforest
-allows plants to survive
-support organisms at other trophic levels
Nutrient Cycle: stores
-biomass
-soil
-litter
Nutrient Cycle: inputs
-weathering of parent rock
-rainfall
Nutrient Cycle: ouputs
-surface runoff
-leaching
Nutrient Cycle: flows
-plant uptake
-decomposition
-littering
poor nutrients is because of
-plant competition for nutrients
-nutrients stay in soil briefly
-heavy rainfall = leaching
leaching
washing out of nutrients from soul giving it low fertility
Emergent layer
-tallest tress
-emerge above canopy
-absorb best sunlight
Canopy
-densest layer
-50% of wildlife is here
-below emergent layer
undercanopy
-bare tree trunks and lianas
-younger tress grow toward canopy but not all are successful
lianas
vines that climb vegetation in a bid to reach sunlight
shrub layer
-shrubs and ferns
-plants that need less light
-sapling are here
saplings
young trees
forest floor
-dar
-damp
-layers of dead organic matter (leaf litter)
Plant adaptation: leaves waxy surface + drip tips
-shed excess rainwater quickly
-prevents mould in humid climate
Plant adaptation: flexible bases
-turn to face sun
-maximise light for photosynthesis
Plant adaptation: emergent tress are tall + fast growing
-maximise light for photosynthesis
-grow above main canopy
Plant adaptation: trees’ shallow roots
-maximise nutrient uptake
-absorb rapid decomposing leaf litter on soil
Plant adaptation: emergent trees’ wide buttress roots
-width = extra support
-as roots are shallow
Plant adaptation: lianas use trees for support
-grow quickly towards main canopy
-more light = photosynthesis
Plant adaptation: colourful fleshy fruits with seeds
-animals consume seeds
-disperse widely over rainforest
-germination
Animal adaptation: toucan’s strong beaks
-hard shells of nuts can be cracked
-curved shape = accessibility to hard to reach food
Animal adaptation: Apes have strong limbs
-strength to climb to tops of trees
-most food and sunlight here
Animal adaptation: red-eyed tree frog = long sticky tongue
-hide in canopy
-swallow insect species whole
Animal adaptation: poison dart frog is bright blue
-colour acts as a warning
-poisonous to predators
Animal adaptation: sloths can camouflage
-hide to protect themselves
-from predators
Social value of rainforests:
-medicines are derived from here (2/3 for cancer)
-indigenous tribes who depend on rainforest
Economic value of rainforests:
-wide range of local foods
-industrail products (timber)
Environmental value of rainforests:
-intercepts rainfall = less chance of flooding and soil erosion
-huge diversity of species
-global carbon sink
carbon sink
-absorbs huge amounts of co2
-offsest high emissions
-slows down effects of climate change
Deforestation changing
-more exploitation for resources = economic development
-conservationists argue against this
High rates for deforestation reasons
-farming/logging
-growing populations
Low rates for deforestation reasons
-stricter laws
-protected national parks
-international pledges to reduce rates (COP26)
Cause for deforestation: farming description
-90% of Amazon is deforested due to commercial agriculture
-cattle ranching = 70%
-monoculture / pesticides
-‘slash and burn’
Cause for deforestation: farming effect
-exhausts soil of nutrients
farming pros
-economic increase
-highest value exports are from here
farming techniques to help
shifting cultivation:
-gives soil time to recover
Cause for deforestation: Logging description
-Brazil = 55% of exports is timber
-make furniture
-sold cheaply
-readily available
Cause for deforestation: logging effect
-after forest is cleared
-other economic activities take place
-not time to recover
Cause for deforestation: road building description
-support trade
-allows development in inaccessible location
Cause for deforestation: road building effect
-new highway = 10km of trees lost
-destroys habitats
Cause for deforestation: Mineral extraction description
-large copper,tin,nickel reserves
-attract TNCs
-Carajas mine = largest iron ore mine
7.2 bn tonnes
Cause for deforestation: mineral extraction effect
-10% of amazon deforestation
-loss of 70km
Cause for deforestation: energy development description
-hydro electric power = 66% of all brazil’s power
-cheap production = powers manufacturing
Cause for deforestation: energy effect
-flooding from dams
-drowns rainforest
less fossil fuels but removing carbon sinks
Cause for deforestation: settlement description
-high demand for workers
-ppl settle here then
Cause for deforestation: settlement effect
-4.8% of amazon was occupied in 2002
-jumped to 8.3% in 2014
Cause for deforestation: population growth description
-more demand
-meat, crops, energy, timber
Cause for deforestation: population growth effect
-loss of wildlife
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
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
amazon carbon sink?
why is the amazon starting to emit more than it absorbs
-slasha n burn = carbon through combustion
Tribes are impacted how
-development = displacement
-introduction to diseases they aren’t vaccinated against = death
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
Sustainable management: selective logging social pros
-timber exports
-more GNI
-better investment
Sustainable management: selective logging environment pros
-forest structure is maintained
-good soil fertility + habitats
-less damage to soil and less pavement
Sustainable management: selective logging sustainability?
-may continue as forest will always be there as it is being protected
Sustainable management: replanting description
-when cut down
-same species is replanted
Sustainable management: replanting social pros
-provides employment
-better wages
-high GNI
-reduces unemployment rate
Sustainable management: replanting environmental pros
-maintains biodiversity
-protects habitats
Sustainable management: International agreements description
-hardwood demand in HICs
-so high taxes or bans on imports of this
Sustainable management: international agreements economic pros
-timber industry = higher taxes
-GNI increases
Sustainable management: international agreements environmental pros
-demand decreases
-less deforestation
Sustainable management: Education/conservation description
-reduces damage
-educate on sustainable ways of making money
-nut harvesting
Sustainable management: education social pros
-local benefit = learn strategies = more moeny
-tribes are protected as ppl understand better
Sustainable management: education environment pros
-nut harvesting = no deforestation
-eco tourism relies on protecting rain forest = gov will protect as it bring in income
Sustainable management: eco tourism description
-doesn’t harm environment
-benefits locals = employment
-small numbers of tourists = respectful eg no litter
Sustainable management: eco tourism social pros
-locals have a wage (guides, hotels)
-tourists are from HICs = higher prices
-more GNi
Sustainable management: eco tourism environmental pros
-respectful towards rainforest
-small number = less damage
-travelling by foot = less damage
Sustainable management: eco tourism sustainability?
-valued tertiary industry = GNI increases
-decline of deforestation
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
Sustainable management: debt reduction social pros
-benefit due to less debt
-more wealth invested into services
Sustainable management: debt reduction environmental pros
-less pressure to deforest
-more funding to protect them - national parks
Sustainable management: debt reduction sustainability?
-once debt is paid
-LICs can invest in industries that don’t exploit rainforest
How eco tourism can help manage tropical rainforests sustainably