Rainforest Flashcards
Adaptation
a change in a species that helps it survive in it’s habitat
Biome
a large area with similar plants and animals.
Buttress Roots
large roots that support a tree.
Climate
the usual weather in a place.
Drip Tip
a leaf shape that helps shed excess water.
Ecosystem
a community of living and non-living things interacting.
Equator
an imaginary line dividing the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Emergent
a tree that rises above the forest canopy.
Epiphytes
plants that grow on other plants but don’t harm them, non-parasitic
Lianas
long vines that climb trees in a forest.
Shrub Layer
the area in a forest with shrubs and small plants.
Tropical Rainforest
A tropical rainforest is a dense, warm, and humid forest biome found near the equator.
Under Canopy
the layer below the main tree canopy in a forest.
Canopy
The upper layer of a forest formed by tree tops, the layer underneath the emergents,
- Apex Predator
an animal at the top of the food chain with no natural predators.
- Climate Graph
a chart that shows average temperature and rainfall over time for a specific place.
- Flora
the plants naturally found in a specific area or region.
- Fauna
the animals naturally found in a specific area or region.
- Food Chain
a sequence of organisms where each one is eaten by the next.
- Food Web
a complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem.
- High Pressure
an area where air is sinking
- Indigenous
referring to species or people native to a specific place.
- Low Pressure
an area where air is rising
- Primary Consumer
an organism that eats producers (plants or algae) in the food chain.
- Producer
An organism or plant that is able to absorb energy from the sun through photosynthesis.
- Secondary Consumer
an animal that eats primary consumers.
- Subsoil
the layer of soil beneath the topsoil
- Substratum
The layer of material or rock beneath the soil that supports or underlies it. It is above the bedrock.
- Topsoil
the uppermost layer of soil
- Tropics
the regions of Earth near the equator
Give 3 ways to prevent deforestation
- Banning sales of hard wood across the world
- Cancel debts, if countries start protecting rainforests
- Campaign to raise awareness of deforestation and to encourage people to change their habits
- Ban the selling of rainforest products that have come from deforested trees
- Reserves for people already living in the rainforest to protect their way of life and land rights
Define Agro-forestry
Growing trees and crops at the same time. This lets farmers take advantage of shelter from the canopy of trees. It prevents soil erosion and the crops benefit from the nutrients from the dead organic matter.
Selective logging
Trees are only felled when they reach a particular height. This allows young trees a guaranteed life span and the forest will regain full maturity after around 30-50 years.
Define Education in the terms of deforestation
Esuring those involved in exploitation and management of the forest understand the consequences behind their actions.
Define Afforestation
The opposite of deforestation. If trees are cut down, they are replaced to maintain the canopy
Define Forest reserves
Areas protected from exploitation.
Define Monitoring
Use of satellite technology and photography to check that any activities taking place are legal and follow guidelines for sustainability.
Define Rubber tapping
Rubber trees grow in the wild. For generations, rubber tappers have made their living by extracting the milky sap (called latex) without harming the trees.
Define Eco-tourism
Tourism that encourages responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.
What are the 5 main causes of deforestation?
- Farming
- Ranching
- Forestry and logging
- Mining
- Hydro-electric power (HEP)
How does farming cause deforestation?
Deforestation occurs when forests are cleared to create land for agriculture, especially for crops like soy and palm oil, often using slash-and-burn methods.
How does ranching effect deforestation?
Large areas of forest are cut down to establish pastures for livestock, particularly cattle, which contributes significantly to deforestation, especially in regions like the Amazon.
How does Forestry and Logging effect deforestation?
Trees are harvested for timber, paper, and other wood products, leading to the degradation or complete removal of forested areas
How does mining effect deforestation?
Forests are cleared to access mineral resources beneath the ground, such as gold, diamonds, and coal, often resulting in significant land disturbance.
How does HEP effect deforestation?
Large dams and reservoirs built for hydroelectric power require clearing vast forest areas, which floods ecosystems and displaces wildlife.
What is a good and what is a service?
Goods – Things taken from the rainforest and used either for individual or commercial profit
Services – The way the rainforest serves/helps the planet
Name 2 goods of the rainforest.
- They provide 80% of all western foods- like pineapple, coffee
- Rainforests are places we can visit on treks and holidays, Goods increasingly as eco-tourists
- Small monkeys called marmosets from rainforests are used to test drugs before human tests
Name 2 services of the rainforest
- They provide homes for many endangered animals species- such as Orang-Utans, Bonobos, Poison Arrow frogs.
- They store carbon, a contributor to global warming
- They provide nutrients for soil to be productive
- They regulate the water cycle
Define Indigenous
Refers to ethnic groups that are native to a particular area.
Define Sustainable
When something can continue without having a negative impact on the quality of life for future generations.
What is the name of the tribe we learnt about?
Yanomami Tribe
Name 3 ways tribes use the rainforest (Korowai tribe)
- The men whip each other before hunting to show their strength.
- From the age of 5 years old children learn to hunt and eat Tarantula spiders.
- They build their treehouse in emergent trees.
- They have to learn to distinguish dinner from danger to survive.
- All family and pets (pigs and dogs) live together in one wooden treehouse.
- Tribesmen use smoke to draw bees from their nest. This means they can get honey without being stung.
- Everything has to be carried up and down a giant wooden ladder to enter the treehouse.
Why is the climate of the rainforest the way it is?
The sun is more curved near the equator so it receives more concentrated sunlight. Also being closer to the equator means the sea evaporates because it is hot, the water rises and forms clouds, then it condensates and it rains a lot in the rainforest.
What is a tropical rainforest?
A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator .This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall.
Where are tropical rainforests located? (Include contents)
They are located 28 degrees North and 28 degrees south of the equator in the continents of South America, Africa and Asia.
Which animal is this:
1. They swing from tree to tree using their arm only. They can carry things with their feet when they do this.
2. Has suction cups on its toes that enable it to climb trees
and on leaves
3. Huge tails for balance in the canopy where they live.
- A siamang
- Red tree frog
- Squirrel monkey
What is the adaptation of a toucan or great horn bill?
The large colourful bill is meant to deter predators. Strong bill to crack open nuts. Bright colours are to attract a mate.
Define Exports
When something made in one country is sold to other countries
What are the two tropics and where are they located?
Tropic of Cancer (North of the equator)
Tropic of Capricorn (South of the equator)
What are the different levels of organisms in a food chain?
Producers (e.g., plants, algae)
Primary Consumers (e.g., herbivores like rabbits)
Secondary Consumers (e.g., small carnivores like frogs)
Tertiary Consumers (e.g., top carnivores like foxes)
Apex Predator (e.g., lions, great white sharks)
