rainforests

Question 1

what is leaching?

Answer 1

water will soak into the soil, dissolving and transporting away nutrients

Question 2

reasons behind deforestation

Answer 2

roads building - trans amazonian road more than 4000 km long

population and settlement

Question 3

environmental effects of deforestation

Answer 3

with no trees to bind soil together, soil is washed away

with no tree canopy rainfall hits soil with more power and causes soil erosion

trees remove c02 from atmosphere

Question 4

climate of the rainforest

Answer 4

more than 2000mm of rainfall each year
27 degrees
low pressure so storms throughout the year

Question 5

what is latosol

Answer 5

after soil erosion, soil is left that leaves an infertile red, iron-rich soil.

Question 6

adaptations of plants

Answer 6

large butress roots anchor trees in shallow soil
drip tips to help water reach to plants underneath the canopy
waxy cuticle to make the transportation of water easier

Question 7

where is deforestation the most present and the least present?q

Answer 7

most present in peru and indonesia

there is not a lot of deforestation in brazil due to the government implementing new regulations to protect it.

Question 8

how to indiginous tribes contribute to forest degradation

Answer 8

clear small areas called slash and burn (subsistence farming)

Question 9

causes of deforestation

Answer 9

logging - hardwood trees like mahoghany and ebony
difficult to be selective so the whole area is just cleared instead
transport -trans amazonian road more than 4000km long
mining for gold and bauxite. bauxite is used for the production of aluminium.

Question 10

nutrient recycling

Answer 10

vast majourity of nutrients are stored in biomass (the trees)

there is a rapid transfer of nutrients due to the warm and wet conditions which encourage chemical weathering

Question 11

animal adaptations

Answer 11

bats thrive on fruits growing in the canopy which they can reach by flying. the seeds go straight through their digestive system so they help disperse them

animals may use colour to camouflage or warn predators to stay away

Question 12

why is TRF biodiverse

Answer 12

wet and warm conditions encourages a wide range of plants and trees

rapid recycling system

Question 13

what is a keystone species

Answer 13

a species that has multiple connections with other species

Question 14

the rainforest being interdependent can be problematic because

Answer 14

indigenous tribes may have to abadon lands
plants and animals may become extinct
important medical plans can become extinct

Question 15

value of the rainforest to the people

Answer 15

resources - bananas, palm oil, chewing gum, nuts
medicine - have lots of anti-cancer plants, 25% of medicine comes from the rainforest
indigenous tribes
energy - waterfalls to generate HEP
employment - construction, mining, farming or tourist steward

Question 16

value of the rainforest to the environment

Answer 16

water - important source for fresh water
biodiversity - contains 50% of the worlds plants
contributes 28% of the worlds oxygen
‘carbon sink’ for the rest of the world
soil erosion- can silt up rivers and reservoirs

Question 17

how can TRFs be managed sustainably.

Answer 17

selective logging - trees selected by professionals and there are observers to ensure there is no illegal activity

debt reduction-

international agreement on the use of hardwoods

conservation and education

ecotourism - make locals aware of nature. by focusing on nature, it gives locals a financial return on preserving the rainforest