Rainforest

Question 1

What is a biome?

Answer 1

A large scale ecosystem

Question 2

Where are rainforests situated? And why , also give example rainforests.

Answer 2

They are situated through in parts of Africa, Indonesia and Malaysia. 5 degrees north and south. They are here because these countries run through the equator, where it is hot and humid- the rainforest species wouldn’t thrive anywhere else. The sun rays are very concentrated here with maximum coverage over the forests. Amazon basin , Manaus And zaine basin.

Question 3

What is a tropical rainforest?

Answer 3

A tropical rainforest is a vegetation situated in hot, wet and humid locations.

Question 4

Describe and explain the season distribution of temperature and rainfall.

Answer 4

The graphs are almost flipped around. The coldest months receive the most rainfall, those being from July to September. And the hottest months have the lowest rainfall.

Question 5

Describe the process of the water cycle

Answer 5

1. Condensation ,water vapour in the air turns into liquid and forms clouds.
2. Precipitation , water falls to the earth as rain or snow.
3. Runoff, water moves across the ground into rivers or ponds.
4. Evaporation, heat from the sun changes water into gas that goes up into the air.

Question 6

Describe the process of the nutrition cycle

Answer 6

1. The rainforest nutrient cycling is rapid.
2. The hot damp conditions on the floor allow for rapid decomposition of dead plant material.
3. The provides plentiful nutrients that are absorbed by plant roots.
4. However these nutrients are in high demand from rain-forests many fast growing plants, they do not remain in the soil for long and stay close to the surface of the soil.
5. If vegetation is removed the soils quickly become infertile and vulnerable to erosion.

Question 7

What is conventional rainfall?

Answer 7

Rainfall that is caused by lots of warm air rising which causes heavy rainfall and sometimes thunder and lightning.

Question 8

What is an emergent?

Answer 8

A very tall tree that grows above the main canopy to a height of about 50 m. They receive the most sunlight being the closest to the sun.

Question 9

What is the canopy?

Answer 9

This is a continuous layer of tree tops.

Question 10

What is the under canopy?

Answer 10

It is the second level up from the ground. There is limited sunlight here and they eventually grow into the canopy when they find gaps to grow in.

Question 11

What is the shrub layer?

Answer 11

It is dark and gloomy here, with very little vegetation between the trees. During heavy rainfalls this area can flood.

Question 12

What are buttress roots?

Answer 12

Wide roots at the base of the tree that support the very tall tress.

Question 13

What are lianas?

Answer 13

Vine like plants that root in the ground but grow upwards using the tree as support as they grow towards the sunlight.

Question 14

What are epiphytes?

Answer 14

Plants that grow in the branches of a tree. They act like parasites and feed off the tree. Examples are lichens and orchids.

Question 15

What is decomposition?

Answer 15

The breakdown of dead organic matter by living organisms.

Question 16

What is meant by photosynthesis?

Answer 16

When green plants convert the suns light energy into food.

Question 17

How are the leaves and plant roots adapted to the rainforest?

Answer 17

The roots have large deep root networks allowing the maximum water intake.
The leaves are thick and waxy to store lots of water
The leave tips are pointing enabling water to drop off onto the roots/ ground.

Question 18

How could you help maintain the rainforest?

Answer 18

The Brazilian government want roads and infra structure projects in the rain forest. This would be good but it would only be best to have a few easy access roads for busy countries such as Brazil but not to overload the forest by putting a network of roads through it.
We should educate lots of people, giving them the effects of deforestation, we should also not buy luxury woods and reduce our firewood.
Hydroponics- indoor farming without the use of soil instead putting the plants into water with already dissolved nutrients. This can definitely help prevent deforestation.
Crop rotation- the same plot of land is utilised to grow seasonal crops one after another. This prevents cutting down of trees to get new land for cultivation. Crop rotation also increases the productivity of the solo and deal with the poor soil the locals are complaining about.

Question 19

What are the effects of deforestation?

Answer 19

As large areas of forests are cut, there will be a loss in biodiversity therefore many species of animals will become extinct.
If the agricultural plants and trees are slashed then the scientists won’t be able to find potential cures for incurable diseases. There might be natural remedies.
1/4 of the worlds fresh water is in the amazon rainforest and this store will be reduced if the rainforest is cut.

Question 20

Justify this:

Deforestation has an impact on the worlds oxygen supply as one third is stored in the rainforest.

Answer 20

Because due to the trees being cut down , there will be less opportunities to filter the oxygen back from the carbon dioxide in the trees. More co2 will be produced. This is had because it’ll affect the global warming. Meaning more energy in the atmosphere meaning more violent storms , dramatic sea rises and disturbed rainfall patterns.

Question 21

Justify:

Hydroelectric power is an important renewable resource

Answer 21

Renewable so it can be used over again. Doesn’t pollute. Without this it’ll be a loss. For this energy to take place you need water. If the rainforest is cut down it’ll be bad because the locals won’t have a river and this is important because they won’t have shops to buy water bottles from.

Question 22

Justify:

Deforestation had direct effect on global climates contributing to the green house effect.

Answer 22

Removing trees takes away the opportunities for co2 to filter back into oxygen. So it builds up and that contributes to the greenhouse effect. The co2 is stored in the atmosphere, and and changes climates. The consequences are dangerous but we can preserve the rainforest and lower the green house effects.

Question 23

Why it deforestation happening?

Answer 23

Clearing for dam construction
To build new housing
Building roads
Transport network
Clearing land for mining
For logging purposes- high demand in woods
To farm land for cattle beef

Question 24

Why do the loggers want to cut down tropical hardwoods?

Answer 24

They want to cut down hardwoods, like mahogany because there is a large demand for these woods in MEDCs. There is very little replanting. The felled timber provides an essential income for Brazil.

Question 25

What do the mining company do?

Answer 25

The Grand Carajas scheme has been introduced to develop some of the regions vast mineral wealth. The scheme relies upon cheap and plentiful electricity provided by the hydroelectric dam.

Question 26

Why do the locals not want to move from the rainforest?.

Answer 26

They were born in the forest, it is their home and they’ve lived there for their entire life. They know how to harvest the forest sustainably to feed themselves and family. The forest provides them with edible and medicinal plants , fruits, nuts, honey, shelter, woods and many other goods.

Question 27

Tell us about the beef for the MEDCs.

Answer 27

Exporting beef to MEDCs is very profitable and the lands are used for cattle grazing. They believe that their beef is free from foot and mouth disease.

Question 28

What do Eco tourists want to do?

Answer 28

Offers trekking, rafting, diving, cruising and wildlife observation with low environmental impact on the forest. This would benefit the locals.

Question 29

What is rubber tapping?

Answer 29

The process in which you remove latex from a tree by tapping it with a hammer. You tap the tree and the white substance falls out.

Question 30

Is rubber tapping harmful?

Answer 30

No, because you only damage the bark mildly, it can grow back and the trees are able to regenerate themselves after this.

Question 31

Name three reasons why the rainforest is under threat

Answer 31

MEDCs in high demand for hardwood such as mahogany and timber
Clearing the trees for cattle grazing for beef in demand
Government want to boost the trading system and wish to have roads and service ways through the forests.

Question 32

Why is logging damaging?

Answer 32

Because the trees are the homes of many animals and chopping them down means that we are destroying their habitats. This would decrease their population, making them extinct. They aren’t replanting the trees making them disappear quicker. Also logging is very bad because we get all our products from the trees. Also the trees are being clear cut and not selectively cut, which means they could be wasted and not used.

Question 33

Why is mining damaging?

Answer 33

To mine you have to drive the digger through the river banks and land, sometimes it can go too far and bad substances like mercury can leak into the rivers this will pollute the rivers meaning it won’t be safe to drink also the main diet of the tribal people is fish. The fish will be very dangerous to eat so it prevents the tribes from eating their main diet. Mining projects also ruin the natural look of the ground, the machines create deep crates in which lots of water could flood. Also the projects produce harmful pollutants which are not only dangerous for the animals and humans but the plants will also die.

Question 34

What is the tropical rainforest?

Answer 34

It is a biome with a constant temperature and a high rainfall. The level of humidity and density give the ecosystem a unique water and nutrient cycle.