Paper 3: Forests Under Threat - Topic 8

Question 1

Definitions for Biotic, Abiotic, and Interdependant

Answer 1

Biotic: living parts of an ecosystem. e.g. animals, plants.

Abiotic: non living parts of an ecosystem. e.g. CO2, water

Interdependent: two or more things dependent on each other.

Question 2

Examples of how Biotic (living) and Abiotic (non-living) components of a system interact in a Rainforest?

Answer 2

• The warm and wet climate means that plants grow quickly, while dense leaf cover protects the forest floor, while roots systems hold the soil together, stopping it from being eroded
• The lack of wind on the forest floor means that many plants there have to rely on bees, butterflies, or other animals for pollination. Symbiotic relationships between plants and animals (where they each depend on the other for survival) are very common in rainforests, like the Agouti and Brazil nut
• Animals like the Agouti crack open and bury brazil nuts which sprout into new seedlings. If they were to become extinct brazil nut trees would take a huge decline.
• There are lots of epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants. They get access to light by growing high up on other plants, but don’t jave access to nutrients in the soil, meaning they depend on the rain for water and nutreints.
• Changes to the rainforest ecosystem can have knock on effects on the whole ecosystem. For example, deforestation reduces the amount of CO2 being absorbed from the atmosphere, which adds to the greenhouse effect and changes the climate.
• Soil in the rainforest requires vegetation and animals to fall/die. It decays quickly due to the hot, wet climate in the Tropical Rainforest. This requires the soil to have nutrients added to it which will allow plants to get nutrition to grow.

Question 3

How are Lianas Adapted in the Rainforest

Answer 3

Lianas put all their energy into growing tall in height, so they grow up on trees in order to be supported, because they are too weak to grow up alone. Taking advantage of tall trees mean they are able to get more light when they are higher up.

Question 4

How are Epiphytes Adapted in the Rainforest

Answer 4

Epiphytes are plants that live on trees and rely on the rain to supply them with the things they need for growth, as they don’t access any nutrients from their soil.

Question 5

How are Butress Roots Adapted in the Rainforest

Answer 5

Buttress roots are wide deep roots that are used to support emergent trees that grow up to 70m tall.

Question 6

How are Drip-Tip Leaves Adapted in the Rainforest

Answer 6

Drip-Tip Leaves have a high surface area in order to photosynthesise to their maximum. They have ribs to encourage standing water to flow off the leaf and have drip-tips at the edge for the water to flow off, meaning the leaf it clear to recieve as much light as possible.

Question 7

How are The Stratified Layers Adapted in the Rainforest

Answer 7

There are 4 main layers in the rainforest. The sheub layer is nearest to the ground and is quite dark with shrubs and broad leaves living there (10m). The undercanopy is made up of young tress that are still growing (20m). The main conopy is a continuous layer of trees, where trees only have their leaves at the top (30m) Finally, the emergents are the tallest trees that break over the canopy, with large branches and leaves that absorb all of the light (40m+)

Question 8

How are The Bark of Trees Adapted in the Rainforest

Answer 8

Many trees have smooth, thin bark as there is no meed to protect the trunk from cold temperatures. The smooth surface allows water to runoff easily.

Question 9

How Are Animals Adapted To Get Food From The Canopy

Answer 9

Animals will have strong limbs to allow them to spend all day climbing and leaping from tree to tree. Animals will also have a prehensile tail, whicb acts and an extra limb to allow them to climb and swing easier. Some animals have flaps of skin to help them glide between trees.

Question 10

How Are Aniamls Adapted To Be Predators

Answer 10

Some animals will be poisonous in order to kill their prey quickly, while most predators will have strong hind legs in order to keep quiet when sneaking up to their prey, before they use their strong and powerful hind legs to pounce on their prey.

Question 11

How Are Animals Adapated To Withstand High Temperatures

Answer 11

Many animals are nocturnal (active at night), e.g sloths. They sleep through the day and feed at night when it is much cooler. This helps them to save and conserve a lot more energy throughout the day. Some animals adapted to low light levels have a sharp sense of smell and hearing so they can detect lredators without seeing them too.

Question 12

How are Aniamls/Plants Adapated To Withstand/Be In Water And Rain

Answer 12

Many rainforest animals are able to swim, like Jaguars for example. This allows them to cross river channels and get to other sides/areas of land, where other animals may not have been able to get to. Some animals have better grip, or things like toes and claws for example in order to allow them not to slip off a surface like tree bark when it’s wet.

Question 13

Why is the Rainforest Food Chain so Rich and Complex

Answer 13

forest a complex and rich food web, as there are multiple parts/layers of so many different food chains, where so many animals are predators all while being prey, creating a real diverse fight for survival between species.

Question 14

Example of a Food Chain including:

• Primary Consumer
• Sedondary Consumer
• Tertirary Consumer

When the producer is a bannana tree for example

Answer 14

Producer:
Bannana Trees

Primary Consumer:
Grasshoppers

Sedondary Consumer:
Frogs

Tertirary Consumer:
Jaguars

Question 15

What key things affect the Nutrients Found in Rainforests and the Nutrient Cycle

Answer 15

Biomass: Layers of vegetation and huge trees store large amounts of nutrients in order to help them grow.

Rapid Decomposition: Because in hot, wet conditions bacteria and fungi decay dead matter quickly, returning nutrients to the soil.

Poor/Infertile Soil: Becuase as plants grow all year, nutreints is constantly drawn up from the ground.

Nutrients are washed (down/across) out of the soil by the very heavy rainfall throughout the year, which brings in nutrients, but the constant flow of water through the soil actually ends up leaching the nutrients out again.

Question 16

Examples of how Biotic (living) and Abiotic (non-living) components of a system interact in the Taiga Forest?

Answer 16

• Plants gain their nutrients from the soil, and provide to the animals that eat them. In turn, animals spread seed through their dung, helping plants to reproduce.
• The cold climate causes plants to grow slowly and to also decompose very slowly. This means that the soil is relatively low in nutrients - further reducing the ability of plants to grow.
• Herbivores like reindeer that rely on plants like mosses to survive must migrate to areas where plants are able to grow to find food. Carnivores like wolves have to follow the herbivores.
• In summer, the trees absorb heat from the sun and shade the ground down below - this prevents the permafrost below from thawing. The permafrost provides water for the plants.
• Changes to components of the ecosystem such as chopping down trees, can have knock-on effects on the whole ecosystem, e.g by causing permafrost to melt. Melting permafrost can flood land, preventing plants from growing. It also releases trapped greenhouse gases - leading to increased global warming, and changes to the climate of cold environments, threatening plants and animals.
• Herbivores need to mosses from vegetation to survive. Herbivores migrate to find food (South in the winter) as the ground freezes in the North. When animals die, their bodies decompose into the soil.

Question 17

Why are trees in the Taiga forest Cone-Shaped

Answer 17

They are cone-shaped - this means that heavy winter snowfall can slide stright off branches without breaking them. The branches are also quite bendy so they’re less likely to snap.

Question 18

What do Trees in the Boreal Forest have Shallow Roots

Answer 18

Trees have shallow roots, as there is little nutrients on the forest floor.

Question 19

Why do Trees in the Boreal Forest have Needle-like leaves

Answer 19

They have needles instead of flat leaves - this reduces the water loss from strong, cold winds because it reduces surface area

Question 20

What grows on the Forest Floor of the Taiga and why

Answer 20

Only ferns, mosses, and lichens grow on the forest floor because it is dark under the dense canopy.

Question 21

What are Woody Cones (pines) for in Taiga Forests

Answer 21

Woody (pine) cones allow the seed to be protected inside of these wooden structures, which also means they are able to travel further before they reproduce.

Question 22

Why are Trees dark green in the Taiga forest

Answer 22

The trees are dark green, allowing them to absorb as much light as possible. They are also evergreen and do not loose all their leaves at once.

Question 23

Why are trees tall in the Taiga Forest

Answer 23

They are tall trees becuase being tall allows them to be above all the other plants, meaning they will recieve the largest amount of sunlight possible, allowing them to grow and photosynthesise better.

Question 24

Why Do some animals in the Boreal forest migrate

Answer 24

Many larger mammals, e.g caribou, are migratory. This means they move long distances through the forest floor in order to find food.

Question 25

How are Animals adaoted for the Temepratures in the Boreal Forest

Answer 25

Many animals are well-insulated against the cold winter temepratures, like wolves who have thick fur, and birds like ptarmigan have thick layers of downy feathers. Some aniamsl also hibernate to conserve energy and survive the winter, like brown bears and marmots.

Question 26

How are Predators adapated in the Boreal Forest

Answer 26

Camouflage can help predators when sneaking up on their prey, and helps them to stay undetected. However, camouflage can also help prey, like snowshoe hares to hide from predators that may chase them down, as they will be camouflaged against the winter snow.

Question 27

What is the largest Nutrients Store in the Taiga and Why? (3 Factors)

Answer 27

Largest store of nutrients is Dead Organic Material (Litter) The reasons for this are:

Leaf Fall:
Leaf/Needle fall is almost constant in the Taiga Forest.

Decomposition:
Decomposition is slower in the Taiga Forest due to lower temperatures.

Leaching and Runoff:
Leaching and runoff is high as snow melts carry nutrients away, and low evaporation rates lead to leaching.

Question 28

What is the smallest Nutrients Store in the Taiga and Why? (2 Factors)

Answer 28

Smallest store of nutrients is soil the reasons for this are:

Plants Taking Up Nutrients:
The small amounts of nutrients are taken up by the plants, and low evaporation rates lead to leaching.

Few Nutrients Added as:
There is little decomposition and decay that takes place and there is slow breakdown of rock, leading to few nutrients will be added to the soil.

Question 29

How does Biomass in the Taiga Forest have moderate levels of nutrients

Answer 29

Biomass has moderate levels of nutrients as:
Trees only grow for a few months over the year

Vegetation is evergreen so:
Trees will very slowly drop their needles all year round

Question 30

Why is the nutrient cycle slow and plant growth slow

Answer 30

Overall we can say there is slow nutrient cycling and slow plant growth because:
The climate does not allow faster nutrient transfer, therefore the whole nutrient cycle is slowed down.

Question 31

What factors lead to the Taiga having low Rates of Biodiversity?

Answer 31

Taiga forests have much lowerbiodiversity than tropical rainforests. This is because:

• The land was much colder and covered by ice until around 15,000 years ago. Species have had relatively little to adapt to the current climate.
• The simple structure means there aren’t many different habitats - there are fewer ecological niches for organisms to fill, so fewer varieties of species.
• Taiga forests are much less productive than tropical rainforests (pants grow slowly, so there is less biomass) and nutrients take a long time to be returned to the soil because it’s so cold. The growing season is also very short - just a few months in the summer. This means there’s not much food avaliable, so there is a constant struggle for survival.
• Some groups of animals are under-represented - there aren’t many amphibians or reptiles because they can’t cope with the cold climate (e.g reptiles can’t regulate their own body temperature and depend on the sun to stay warm).
• Some types of animals (like reptiles) need warm climates to live as they can’t regulate (warm their own temperature themselves) and so need a warmer climate – so there are less animals found in Taiga

Question 32

How does Local Demand for Fuel Wood lead to Tropical Rainforests being Destroyed

Answer 32

The forest is cleared to make space for cattle grazing, or for huge palm oil soya plantations

Question 33

How does Demand for Mineral Resources lead to Tropical Rainforests being Destroyed

Answer 33

Minerals (e.g. gold, copper, iron ore) are often found in tropical rainforests. Expolsives are sometimes used to clear earth or deep pits are dug to reach the deposits.

Question 34

How does Hydroelectricity (HEP) lead to Tropical Rainforests being Destroyed

Answer 34

Many tropical rainforests have large rivers. Building dams to generate hydroelectric power (HEP) floods large areas of forest behind the dams

Question 35

How does Demand for Biofuels lead to Tropical Rainforests being Destroyed

Answer 35

There is a demand for biofuels. Biofuels are fuels made from plants. Growing the crops needed to make biofuels takes up large amounts of land - trees have to be cut down to make space for them

Question 36

How does Subsistance Farming lead to Tropical Rainforests being Destroyed

Answer 36

Forest is cleared so farmers can grow food for themselves and their families

Question 37

How does Commercial Farming lead to Tropical Rainforests being Destroyed

Answer 37

Local people chop down trees to use as fuel for cooking or to burn to make charcoal

Question 38

How does Commercial Hardwood Logging lead to Tropical Rainforests being Destroyed

Answer 38

Trees are felled to make furniture and for construction. Road building for logging also requires more tree clearance

Question 39

Direct Threat and Indirect Threat Definitions

Answer 39

Direct threat: involves deliberate cutting down of trees for timber, to make roads or to convert the forest to farmland.

Indirect threat: comes from pollution, global warming or disease.

Question 40

Explain why there is a demand for deforestation to increase over the coming years, consider the national and global factors.

Answer 40

One of the main direct threats to rainforests is deforestation, and this can occur for many different reasons, depending on national and global needs. In many low-income countries, local people cut down small areas of forest to farm, in order to make a living, while some countries end up being driven to cut down forests and grow cash crops in order to export timber and make profit to pay off their debts. Other reasons include for economic development, as the forest is sacrificed for building roads, expanding cities, and to dam river in order to build hydroelectric power stations. Finally, the last reason can be for demand for resources, as rainforests contain many raw materials like timber, oil, gas, iron ore, and gold, and the process of obtaining these includes cutting down the rainforest to provide for ever-growing populations.

Question 41

How might the use of satellite technology and GIS help prevent deforestation?

Answer 41

Until recently, it was hard to know hiw much tropical rainforest was being cut. The emergence of satellite technology and Google Earth have allowed technology to make a GIS satellite image of part of the Amazonia near the town of Porto Velho in Brazil. These GIS satellite images show dark green areas (which are tropical rainforest), and light areas (which are deforested places). This will the result in less deforestation as these new ways of montioring deforestation can not only act as a deterrent for tree-cutters, but can also be used to identify people/companies that log illegally and presecute them.

Question 42

Explain why some countries have a decreasing rate of deforestation

Answer 42

Some areas, like Costa Rica and Brazil are reducing deforestation rates as a result of:

Government Policies - e.g the Costa Rican government has invested in ecotourism, and pays landowners to resforest areas. Now, forest cover is increasing

International Condemnation - Puts pressure on companies by naming and shaming those that are involved in deforestation. Many comapnies have pledged a zero-deforestation as a result.

Monitoring Systems - e.g Global Forest Watch (GFW) provides satellite data to track forest loss. This means authorities can act more quickly to stop illegal logging e.c.t

Question 43

What are the 3 Environmental Imapcts of Deforestation

Answer 43

1. With no trees to hold the soil together, heavy rain washes it away (soil erosion). This can lead to landslides and flooding
2. Without a tree canopy to intercept (catch) rainfall and tree roots to absorb it, more water reaches the soil. This reduces soil fertility as nutrients in the soil are washed away, out of reach of plants.
3. Trees remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Also, burning vegetation to clear forest produces CO2. So deforestation means more CO2 in the atmosphere, which adds to the greenhouse effect.

Question 44

Explain how climate change (climate stress) is an indirect threat to the tropical rainforest.

Answer 44

One of the main indirect threats is climate change, as it serverly impacts tropical rainforests, as in some areas, the temperature is increasing and rainfall is decreasing, which leads to droughts. Droughts can then lead to ecosystem stress, as the plants and animals living in tropical rainforests are adapted to moist conditions, so many species die in the drier weather. As a result, the frequent or long periods of drough will lead to some species’s extinction. Finally, droughts caused by climate change can also lead to forest fires, which can destroy large areas of forest.

Question 45

Explain the evidence to suggest that tropical rainforests are being effected by indirect threats

Answer 45

Evidence that suggests that the tropical rainforests are being effected by indirect threats include huge droughts and forest fires. Forest fires are shown to becoming more and more suseptible, as even in 2001, nearly all the rainforest was at high risk of flamability due to the higher levels of soil water depletion. In addition, water storage as moved from the North East Amazon down to the middle of South America as desertification has began to rise across the Amazon between 2005, and 2016.

Question 46

Explain how drought is an indirect threat to the tropical rainforest

Answer 46

Drought is an indirect threat to tropical rainforests, as in the Amazon in 2005, the Amazon switched from absorbing Carbon Dioxide to emitting it because the plants stopped growing, so stopped absorbing Carbon Dioxide. Forest fires broke out in such bpoor conditions, burning trees and litter, and releasing carbon dioxide. Droughts also puts ecosystems under stress by drying leaf litter, meaning decomposers die out, while canopy leaves dry out, which reduces the food supply. Finally, deforestation makes droughts more common and severe, while fewer trees lead to less evaporation and transpiration. This means fewer clouds and less rain as a result; damaging the rainforest.

Question 47

Explain what impact forest fires could have on the rainforest

Answer 47

A long-term stressed tropical forest may begin to recede and turn into a tropical grassland. The forest fires lead to burning of trees, which are the most important supporters of the many ecosystems throughout the whole biome. As a result, with no trees the forest, animal species begin to die out as they have become too dependant on the trees.

Question 48

Give a step by step process to show what happens as global warming increases and the changes this will have on the tropical rainforest

Answer 48

1. Global Warming will increase global temperatures
2. This will result in the tropical rainforest becoming drier and warmer
3. The warmer climate lead to severe droughts
4. Plants begin to stop growing, meaning they stop photosynthesising
5. As photosynthesis stops, plants stop absorbing carbon dioxide
6. The drought led to forest fires, which easily burned down all of the plants
7. As the plants were burned down, the carbon dioxide that they store is released.

Question 49

Explain how droughts can lead to ecosystems stress? Think about Soil, Climate, Vegetation, Animals

Answer 49

Droughts lead to ecosystem stress, as they dynamicallly change the conditions if the habitats. The animals in these habitats are adapated to the hot, humid environment of the rainforest. Droughts change this by making the land dry. This shift in weather means that plants ate more likely to die out and become extinct, as they run out of food that they can eat. This will lead to the soil becoming infertile, which leads to the area becoming desertified.

Question 50

How Does Wealth Lead To Deforestation Rising

Answer 50

Population growth and poverty mean there are many more small-scale subsistence farmers, e.g in Borneo, and greater use of fuel wood (as other fuels are expensive), e.g in Nigeria

Question 51

How Does Debt Lead To Deforestation Rising

Answer 51

There is a huge market for goods from tropical rainforests, so it’s an easy way for poor countries to make money to pay back the debt they owe to richer countries.

Question 52

How Does Development Lead To Deforestation Rising

Answer 52

Road and rail projects to promote development open up areas of the rainforest to logging, mining and farming, e.g Borneo has huge palm plantations for biofuels.

Question 53

How Does Politics/Political Factors Lead To Deforestation Falling

Answer 53

The Costa Rican government has invested in ecotourism and pays landowners to reforest areas. Now, forest cover is increasing.

Question 54

How Does Putting Pressure on Companies Lead To Deforestation Falling

Answer 54

Pressure is put on companies by naming and shaming those that are involved in deforestation. Many companies have pledged zero-deforestation as a result.

Question 55

How Does Technology Lead To Deforestation Falling

Answer 55

The Global Forest Watch (GFW) provides satellite data to track forest loss. This means authorities can act more quickly to stop illegal logging e.c.t.

Question 56

What Is The REDD Scheme

Answer 56

REDD (Reduced Emissions from Desforestation and forest Degradation) is a scheme that aims to reward forest owners in poorer countries for keeping forests instead of cutting them down.

Question 57

Positives of the REDD Scheme

Answer 57

• Deals with the cause of climate change as well as direct impacts of deforestation
• The forest is protected so remains a habitat for species - biodiversity is not lost
• Everyone benefits from reducing carbon emissions and it’s a relatively cheap option for doing so

Question 58

Negatives of the REDD Scheme

Answer 58

• Deforestation may continue in another area
• Aspects of REDD are not clear, meaning that it may be possible to cut down rainforests, but still recieve rewards if they are replaced with other types of forest, e.g with palm oil plantations, which are low in biodiversity
• Preventing activities, e.g, agriculture and mining mag affect local communities who depend on the income from them

Question 59

What is the CITES Scheme

Answer 59

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an agreement to tightly control trade in wild animals and plants, which aims to be tackled globally.

Question 60

Positives of the CITES Scheme

Answer 60

• The issue is tackled at a global level, which means the trade of endangered species is controlled all over the world and not just in a handful of countries
• Raises awareness of threats to biodiversity through education

Question 61

Negatives of the CITES Scheme

Answer 61

• Although individual species are protected from poaching but it doesn’t protect their habitat - they coild still go extinct, e.g due to the impacts of climate change
• Some rules are unclesr, e.g on the trade of ivory
• Not all countries are members - some countries even promote the trade of materials from endangered species

Question 62

How Does Economics/Economic Factors Make Sustainable Forest Management Hard

Answer 62

1. The economic benefits of sustainable management are only seen in the long-term - this affects poorer countries who need income immidiately.
2. Sustainable forestry is usually more expensive, so it can be difficult to persuade private companies to adopt sustainable methods.
3. Many sustainable forestry scheme are funded by government departments and NGO’s. If the priorities of these organisations change, funding could stop quite quickly.

Question 63

How Does Social Factors Make Sustainable Forest Management Hard

Answer 63

1. Sustainable forest management generally provides fewer jobs for local people than conventional forestry, so many locals won’t see the benefits. Some may turn to illegal logging, which is difficult to police.
2. If the population of a forest area increases, the demand for wood and land from the forest increases. Sustainable forestry is unlikely to provide enough resources to match the increasing demand.

Question 64

How Does Environmental Factors Make Sustainable Forest Management Hard

Answer 64

1. If trees are replanted, the new forest may not ressemble the natural forest - the trees are replaced but the entire ecosystem may not be restored.
2. Trees that are replanted for logging in the future can be very slow growing - companies may chop down natural forest whilst they are waiting for the new trees to mature.
3. Even selective logging can damage lots of trees on the process of removing the target trees.

Question 65

How is Ecotourism a Better Long-Term Option for Conserving the Rainforest

Answer 65

1. Ecotourism is a tourism that minimises the damage to the environement and benefits the local people.
2. Only a small number of visitors are allowed into an area at a time. Environmental impacts are minimised, e.g by making sure waste and litter are disposed of properly to prevent land and water contamination.
3. Ecotourism provides a source of income for local people, e.g they act as guides and provide accommodation and transport. It can also raise awareness of conservation issues and bring in more money for rainforest conservation.
4. If local people are employed in tourism, they don’t have to log or farm to make money, meaning fewer trees are cut down. If a country’s economy relies on ecotourism, there’s an incentive to conserve the environment

Question 66

How is Sustainable Farming a Better Long-Term Option for Conserving the Rainforest

Answer 66

Sustainable farming techniques protect the soil so that the land remains productive - there is no need to clear new land every few years. These include the following:

1. Agro forestry - Trees and crops are planted at the same time, so that the tree roots bind the soil and the leaves protect it from heavy rain.
2. Green Manure - Plants which add nutrients to the soil as they grow are planted to maintain soil fertility.
3. Crop rotation - Crops are moved between different fields each year with one left empty, so the soil has time to recover.

Question 67

What are Wilderness Areas

Answer 67

An area that is undisturbed by human activity that is managed with the aim of protecting the landscape.

Question 68

What are National Parks

Answer 68

An area that is mostly in it’s natural state that is manged to protect biodiversity and promote recreation

Question 69

What is Sustainable Forestry

Answer 69

Ways of harvesting the timber from the forest without damaging it in the long-term.

Question 70

Strengths of Creating a Wilderness Area

Answer 70

• Has the highest level of protection - most human activity is banned.
• The area is kept pristine (untouched by humans) as possible.
• Usually covers a very large area so large-scale processes can still take place, e.g animal migrations.

Question 71

Challenges of Creating a Wilderness Area

Answer 71

• The large, remote areas are hard to police
• There is economic pressure on governments from logging, mining, and energy companies who want to use the resources
• There is pressure from companies and tourists to build roads and allow greater access.

Question 72

Strengths of Creating a National Park

Answer 72

• May be estabilshed to protect particular species, e.g wood bison
• Often cover a large area
• Unsustainable human activity such as logging and mining is not permitted
• There is good access for tourists and recreational users

Question 73

Challenges of Creating a National Park

Answer 73

• National parks must take into account the needs of indigenous communities, who may use the land for hunting, e.c.t
• Tourism may be required to pay for the conservation, but access roads, infrastructure and pollution from tourists can harm the ecosystem

Question 74

Strengths of Sustainable Forestry

Answer 74

• Limits can be placed on the number of trees felled or the size of clear-cut areas to allow the forest to regenerate
• Companies may be required to regenerate the area after logging
• Selective logging means some trees remain to become part of the new forest

Question 75

Challenges of Sustainable Forestry

Answer 75

• Some countries struggle to enforce the restrictions, e.g Russia - lots of illegal logging takes place
• There may be a lack of clear management or information about the ecosystem
• Different groups may not agree with the rules and restrictions, e.g indigenous people, loggers, government, environmentalists

Question 76

What Scheme is Mostly Likely to:

• Protect The Forest Most Effectively
• Cover A Large Part Of The Taiga
• Earn The Most Money (Short-Term)
• Earn The Most Money (Long-Term)
• Be Hard To Enforce
• Not Be Effective Due To Loggers In The Area
• Not Be Effective Due To Pressure From Toursim, Development And Roads

Answer 76

Protect The Forest Most Effectively:
Creating a Wilderness Area - Because it offers the highest level of protection with the smallest human activity allowed as possible

Cover A Large Part Of The Taiga:
Creating a Wilderness Area - Because it will cover the largest area out of the other options

Earn The Most Money (Short-Term):
Creating a National Park - Because recreation is promoted, tourists will generate lots of short term income

Earn The Most Money (Long-Term):
Sustaianble Forestry - Because the harvested timber which will be used and sold in the long term will bring on long-term profits

Be Hard To Enforce:
Sustainable Forestry - Because some countries really struggle to fully enforce the scheme as lots of illegal logging takes place.

Not Be Effective Due To Loggers In The Area:
Sustainable Forestry - Because some countries really struggle to fully enforce the scheme as lots of illegal logging takes place.

Not Be Effective Due To Pressure From Toursim, Development And Roads:
Creating a Wilderness Area - Because there is the most pressure from companies and tourists to build roads and allow greater access.

Question 77

Views To Support The Taiga Forest Being Protected

Answer 77

1. Taiga forests store lots of carbon - deforestation will release some of this as CO2, which causes global warming.
2. Some species ars only found in taiga forests. Because they are adapted to the conditions, the destruction of the habitat could lead to their extinction.
3. Many indigenous people, e.g the Sami people of Scandinavia, depend on the forest for their traditional way of life.

Question 78

Views To Support The Taiga Forest Being Exploited

Answer 78

1. The demand for resources is increasing - people need the wood, fuel, and minerals that the forests provide.
2. Forest industries, e.g logging and mining, provide lots of jobs (e.g forestry and logging employ 25,000 people in Canada)
3. The expoitation of the forest generates a lot of wealth for the countries involved (e.g, the forest industry in Sweeden is worth nearly US $15 billion each year.

Question 79

How is Logging for Softwood a Direct Threat To The Biome in the Taiga Forest

Answer 79

Trees are cut down so that they can be made into housing, furniture, and matches.

Question 80

How is Pulp and Paper Production a Direct Threat To The Biome in the Taiga Forest

Answer 80

Felled trees are mashed into pulp and used to make paper

Question 81

How is Exploitation Of Minerals an Indirect Threat To The Biome in the Taiga Forest

Answer 81

Many taiga forests are rich in minerals, e.g iron ore, gold, copper, and silver. Lots of trees are chopped down to make way for mines as well as access roads

Question 82

How is Exploitation Of Fossil Fuels (Tar Sands) an Indirect Threat To The Biome in the Taiga Forest

Answer 82

Trees are cleared to extract gas and oil from the ground

Question 83

How is Hydroelectric Power a Direct and Indirect Threat To The Biome in the Taiga Forest

Answer 83

Dams to generate hydroelectric power from rivers in taiga forests flood large areas of land

Question 84

Describe changes to the forest cover between 1984 and 2011 in the Taiga Forest

Answer 84

.Between 1984 and 2011, the forest cover drastically changes. This is evident in the 2011 photo as in comparison to the 1984 photo, there is a clear increase in open land and lack of shrubbery. The forest cover is gradually being lost, as we can see with the lighter shade of green in areas, suggesting that more and more rainforest is being lost, without being replaced as time goes on.

Question 85

Describe the distribution of deforestation in Canada’s Boreal/Taiga forest

Answer 85

The distribution of deforestation in Canada’s boreal forest is concentrated around areas of high mineral and value. This is because these areas are deforested to build open mines and rigs to extract and then transport all of the valuable minerals and oil for profit. Deforestation also takes place in order to to obtain wood for products like paper, which is another reason why parts of the Taiga is deforested.

Question 86

Explain why demand for paper is such a threat to the taiga

Answer 86

The demand for paper is a huge threat to the taiga as the higher demand means that more trees have to be cut down. This destroys habitats due to the industrialised nature of the operation and the removal of trees. In turn, this means that over time, species will become extinct and the already sparce taiga will become more and more sparce as time goes on.

Question 87

Explain how the Taiga forest is threatened both directly and indirectly by human activity

Answer 87

The taiga forest is threatened both directly and indirectly by human activity mainly through the use of deforestation to extract resources. This threatens the taiga as it means habitats are destroyed in the long term which in turn causes species extinction. This happens through the fact that some species become too interdependant on one another, so when one species in the ecosystem begins to die out, then the rest of the ecosystem will start to suffer.

Question 88

Explain 3 impacts the extraction of tar/oil sands create for the environment in the Taiga Forest

Answer 88

1. Large-scale deforestation to make space for mining increases the greenhouse effect.
2. Steaming out tar so it melts and gets collected can produce toxic waste.
3. Mining uses 2-4 tonnes of water for every tonne of oil produced, plus natural gas to heat water into steam.

Question 89

How Do Forest Fires Indirectly Affect The Taiga Forest

Answer 89

1. Wildfires are a natural part of the ecosystem - they allow new growth and regenerate the forest
2. However, it’s thought that climate change is leading to warmer, drier conditions in taiga forests. This is increasing the frequency of fires and making the fire season longer.
3. Forest fires can destroy huge numbers of trees and may change the distribution of species as some species are better at recolonising burnt areas. They may also break forests up into smaller sections, which makes it hard for migratory animals that need a lot of space to find enough food.

Question 90

How Do Plants and Diseases Indirectly Affect The Taiga Forest

Answer 90

1. Pests and diseases cause damage to organisms
2. Many pests and diseases are specific to one species, e.g Spruce Bark Beetles attack spruce trees. As there is often a single tree species in a particular area in taiga forests, it’s easy for the pests and diseases to spread and multiply - they can do a lot of damage
3. It is thought that warming caused by climate change is making it easier for pests and disease-causing pathogens to survive - new pests and diseases are arriving and the frequency of attack is increasing.

Question 91

How Do Plants and Diseases Indirectly Affect The Taiga Forest

Answer 91

1. Burning fossil fuels releases gases, such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These dissolve in water in the atmosphere to form acids. When it rains or snows, the acids are deposited on plants and soils
2. Acid rain damages plants’ leaves and makes it harder for them to cope with the cold. It can also make the soils too acidic to support growth and kills organisms in lakes and streams.

Question 92

Compare the rate of deforestation between the taiga and tropical biome

Answer 92

There is a higher rate of deforestation in the taiga forest than in the tropical rainforest. In the tropical rainforest, the top 3 most deforested areas contributes 22.1% of global forest deforestation whereas the top 3 taiga forest areas contributes 47.9% of global forest deforestation. This is how there is a higher rate of deforestation in the taiga forest than the tropical rainforest.

Question 93

Explain why deforestation in the taiga is less of an issue than in the tropical rainforest (Think Biodiversity)

Answer 93

There is a higher rate of deforestation in the taiga forest than in the tropical rainforest. In the tropical rainforest, the top 3 most deforested areas contributes 22.1% of global forest deforestation whereas the top 3 taiga forest areas contributes 47.9% of global forest deforestation. This is how there is a higher rate of deforestation in the taiga forest than the tropical rainforest. However, this is less of an issue in the Taiga as there is nowheres near as much biodiversity in the taiga than there is on the tropical rainforest, meaning less plants and animals are as dependant on the trees in the taiga, as well as the taiga forest as a whole (because most aniamls end up migrating throughout certain parts of the year anyway).

Question 94

Explain why the trend of wildfires has changed since 1950’s

Answer 94

Overall, the number of wildfires taking place in the rainforest has increased over the years, as just under 30 recorded in the 1950’s to just over 40 recorded in the 2010’s. During this time, forest fires have generally fluctuated between the 1950-1980 period, before shooting up in the 1990’s and onwards. This sharp rise could be due to climate change, and more specifically global warming, as an increasingly drier and hotter landscape will lead to ever increasing risks of these fires. In addition, deforestation also leads to the disruption of the water cycle which also dries out the environment, leaving the rainforest even more vunerable to floods as the years go on.

Question 95

Explain why logging can have a direct impacts the loss of nutrients in the taiga forest

Answer 95

Logging can have direct impacts on the loss of nutrients in the taiga forest, as logging removes trees, which are key biotic components of the Taiga ecosystem, and removing these trees has an immidiate impact on the ecosystem surrounding it. However, this also has a negative effect on the nutrient cycle, as nutrients is taken up from the soil when trees grow, as well as leaf litter from the trees containing lots nutrients too. Therefore, removing trees will result in the biomass store in the nutrients cycle being greatly affected, while other nutrients stores may become depleted as a result, just highlighting the imapcts that logging can have.