Rainforest Key Points

Question 1

What is E-CUF
E-CUS

Answer 1

Emergent -> Canopy -> Understory -> Floor

Emergent -> Canopy -> Understory -> Shrub

Question 2

Describe the Distribution of Tropical Rainforests.

Answer 2

Tropical Rainforests are located:

• Equator, around the equator, between the tropics of Cancer (N) and Capricorn (S)
• Primarily in Northern South America
• Central and West Africa

Question 3

What is the temperature in Rainforests?

Answer 3

21* to 28*

Question 4

How many mm of annual rainfall do rainforests receive?

Answer 4

2000mm to 10000mm

Question 5

How tall is the Emergent Layer?

Answer 5

Up to 40m tall

Question 6

What is the Soil fertility like?

Answer 6

Due to excess rainfall, nutrients in soil are washed away

This is worsened by deforestation as there’s less interception

Question 7

Does the Rainforest Have any inhabitants?

Answer 7

A minute amount of tribal people live in the Rainforests of Brazil

Question 8

How have leaves adapted in the Shrub Layer?

Answer 8

In the shrub layer, leaves have more chlorophyll and chlorophyll, making them a darker green, but also able to absorb as much sunlight as possible in the darker shrubs.

Question 9

How are trees strengthened?

Answer 9

The trees that can exceed 40m tall, must be reinforced.

Thick woody buttress roots grow from the roots to achieve this

Question 10

What are lianas?

Answer 10

Lianas are climbing plants that can rise up to the emergents for sunlight.

Question 11

How do trees and plants ensure year-long growth?

Answer 11

Plants drop leaves across the year to ensure plants can grow and replenish lower down

Question 12

What do drip tips do?

Answer 12

Drip tips, in combination with waxy leaves, ensure runoff of water to prevent stagnant, lingering water that can cause fungi and disease

Question 13

The Amazon Rainforest is a C________ S_________

Answer 13

Carbon Sink

• It absorbs more CO2 than it produces

Question 14

Which drug originates from the Amazon?

Answer 14

Aspirin

Question 15

True or False: Cures for Cancer can originate in Rainforests

Answer 15

True! 3000 Plants are linked to Anti-cancer properties

Question 16

How does the Amazon contribute to the water cycle?

Answer 16

Transpiration and Evaporation

Question 17

Name an Animal Adaptation

Answer 17

Howler Monkeys - Strong arms for climbing trees

Tree Frogs - Suction Cups for climbing

Question 18

Name some Economic and Social Opportunities

Answer 18

Logging
Medicine
Cattle Ranching
Farming
EHP Electricity Development
Water
Tourism/Ecotourism

Question 19

What is Subsistence Farming?

Answer 19

Subsistence farming involves a farmer farming not for profit, but for his own sustenance

Question 20

What is the primary crop in Brazil?

Answer 20

Soy - 250,000km^2 land used

Question 21

Trans-_____________
H_________-

Answer 21

The 4000km long Trans-Amazonian Highway destroyed tribal villages and vast areas of trees

Question 22

What kind of energy development is occurring in Brazil? What are it’s flaws?

Answer 22

HydroElectricity - 2500km^2 Area flooded in HEP Development in the Amazon

Question 23

What is the largest cause of deforestation?

Answer 23

Cattle Ranching - 200million cattle - 250,000km^2

Question 24

How is Mineral Extraction, although damaging, beneficial?

Answer 24

Provides 8,000 Jobs in Buenaventura

Question 25

What type of Hardwood is illegal logging for?

Answer 25

Mahogany

Question 26

How does deforestation in rainforests lead to climate change?

Answer 26

75% of Brazil’s CO2 emissions are from Deforestation

Removes the “Carbon Sink” that would otherwise remove 140bn tonnes of CO2

Question 27

What social impacts does deforestation have?

Answer 27

Disrupts the lives of Tribal people

Question 28

How does soil erosion have a social impact?

Answer 28

Infertile soil, means no crops, no crops means no food

Question 29

What is a Logging Agreement?

Answer 29

Prevents illegal logging

Question 30

What Is a logging quota?

Answer 30

Prevents logging from exceeding certain figures

Question 31

What is selective logging?

Answer 31

Trees are specially selected to be cut down with the primary goal of not damaging the canopy layer

Question 32

What is replanting?

Answer 32

Replacing trees that have been cut down.

Question 33

How can Ecotourism be beneficial but also detrimental to rainforests?

Answer 33

+: People working in tourism means less people working in fields that exploit natural resources

-: Littering and footfall

Question 34

How do Debt Write offs Work?

Answer 34

An HIC will often write off a Rainforest nation’s debt, in exchange for a pledge to spend money on rainforest conservation

Question 35

What are Epiphytes?

Answer 35

Plants which live on trunks and branches of other plants, allows them to make the most of the sunlight in the canopy layer

Question 36

What are Epiphylls?

Answer 36

Tiny plants which live on the surface of leaves

Question 37

Why do sloths move slowly?

Answer 37

To prevent predation

Question 38

The flying frog has….

Answer 38

webbed hands and feet, and a flap of loose skin that stretches between its limbs, allows it to glide

Question 39

Why is deforestation bad for the land in the Amazon?

Answer 39

800 Million Metric tonnes of soil per year is eroded.

Question 40

How are tribal people impacted?

Answer 40

90 Tribes have died out in the past 100 years