The Value of Tropical Rainforests - Paper 1 Flashcards
What are 4 goods provided by tropical rainforests?
-Native food and crops (fruit and nuts)
-Building materials (timber)
-Water
-Medicines
What are 4 services provided by tropical rainforests?
-Air purification (absorbing CO2)
-Water and nutrient recycling
-Biodiversity
-Employment opportunities
What are 3 things that come from the rainforest which we eat?
-Cocoa
-Sugar
-Bananas
What are 2 other useful products that come from the rainforest?
-Rubber
-Rope
-Baskets
What are 3 uses of chemicals found in plants from the tropical rainforest?
-Perfumes
-Soaps
-Polishes
What type of companies are finding ingredients in plants to help treat and cure diseases?
Pharmaceutical companies.
Currently, how many prescription drugs sold world wide come from plant sources?
Over 120.
What fraction of drugs used today in the developed world are derived from rainforest ingredients?
1/4
What percentage of tropical rainforest trees and plants have been tested by scientists to find out whether they have any medicinal value?
1%
What fraction of drugs with cancer-fighting properties come from the rainforest?
2/3
How many pharmaceutical companies were researching possible new drugs and cures from plants in 1980 compared to now?
None in 1980, today there are over a hundred
What 2 things does protecting the remaining rainforest require?
-Making sure that much of it is left untouched, so that it stays in a pristine state
-Allowing the resources of the rainforest to be used, but only in a controlled and sustainable way.
Where is vincristine derived from and what does it treat?
From rosy periwinkle, used to treat Leukaemia and Hodgkin’s Disease.
Name 2 medicinal drugs derived from rainforest plants:
-Vincristine
-Novocaine
Where is novocaine derived from and what is it used for?
From the Coca plant, used as a local anaesthetic.
