Rainforests Flashcards
The location of most the rainforests
They are on the equator in developing countires (usually in debt):
Brazil
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Indonesia
Peru
Colombia
They are in-between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer with low continentality.
Why are rainforests on the equator?
This is because the hot/humid climates are perfect for the rainforest and the equator is where it is the most hot. As there is a lot of water from evaporation it also means it is humid.
Why does the rainforest have a lot of biodiversity
This is because of the climate and ecosystem as well as sustainable temperatures ext.
Vegetation naturally would grow as there is a lot of sunlight, soil and rainwater (abiotic).This attracts primary such as caterpillars for food. These animal attracts small predators and omnivores such as birds and small mammals which attracts big predators such as jaguars.
When animals and plants die they decompose and their minerals are recycled creating more life.
What are global TNCs
companies that operate in more than one country. They often have factories in countries that are not as economically developed because labour is cheaper.
How does global consumers effect deforestation?
Global consumers are causes a high demand of recourses as middle classes are gaining more wealth. This causes a want of luxury products such as palm oil or cocoa which results in more farming of deforestation and developing countries deforesting for ‘cash crops’. Most middle class growth is occurring in South America and Asia… just where the world’s rainforests are!
How do global TNCs cause deforestation?
Global TNCs make money and profit out of ‘commercial farming’ in the rainforest. They use the poverty and debt of developing countries to get products they can sell to the global consumers.
This includes cattle ranching and palm oil plantations.
How does population increase causes deforestation?
95% of population increase in in developing countries with 95% of the worlds rainforest. Economic developing countries have to support the growing population with energy, food ext. This is also a larger demand for resources.
How debt causes deforestation.
countries are driven to cut down forests to export timber or grow cash crops. In Brazil, a major cause of deforestation has been to make way for cattle ranches to earn money from internal exports to pay off debt. The grass is grazed by cattle, the meat sold domestically or traded internationally.
How will deforestation cause economic problems
Privileged consumers will have to pay more for products from the rainforest in everyday life.
On the other side it means more income for bigger companies.
How deforestation causes social issues
Climate change effects peoples life’s. Also, 70% of cancer/leukaemia medicine is from the rainforest as well as ingredients for 150 prescription drugs. On 10% of the rainforests plants have been researched so there are many more cures to find.
Who does deforestation effect the soil
as trees are cut down there is less leaves meaning that there are less leaves falling onto the ground and decompose. This gives the nutrients soil so without this the soil become infertile.
The thick canopy of the rainforest, if cut down means the heavy rain will wash away the nutrients of the soil into the rivers. (It also blocks the river causing flooding as the surface erodes).
How does deforestation effect the climate and atmosphere.
If the trees are cut down CO2 would release and can not be absorbed and are released into the atmosphere. This makes the climate unpredictable and extreme (flooding and forest fires).
Also the local climate of the rainforest would become hotter and drier as there is no transpiration from trees if they are cut down.
Global air circulation may change creating climate phenomena such as El Nino which changes air patterns in the Pacific Ocean
How does deforestation of the rainforest effect biodiversity
The rainforest holds 50% of the species on earth, not to mention the plants. We have only researched 10% of the plants in the rainforest. All this will be lost if we cut down trees.
A single pond in Brazil can sustain a greater variety of fish than is found in all of Europe’s
rivers. A 25-hectare (25 rugby pitches) plot of rainforest in Borneo may contain more than 700
species of trees -double the total in the UK!! This same location may contain 1500 species of
plants, more than 5 times the amount than in the UK.
What does access mean
What is the significance of something Point Evidence Judgement Explanation Conclusion
What does explain mean
Why?
