tropical rainforest (amazon rainforest) COPY Flashcards
conservation and education and ecotourism
protect places and teach people. this means that in LICs teaching people about the rainforest teaches them about their value reducing the amount that they chop down as they will see the value of the trees.
ecotourism. holidays that help the rainforest by contributing to habitat correction. if you have this resort it gives jobs to local people and allows them to replant all the time.
describe the plants in tropical rainforests
most trees are evergreen to help them take advantage of the continual growing season
many trees are really tall and the vegitation cover is dense- very little reaches the forest floor
there are lots of epiphytes (plants that grow on other living plants and take nutrients and moisture from the air)
describe deforestation between 1988 and 2014
in 1988 deforestation was up to 20,000 km^3 of trees cut down and the amazon rainforest cleared. in 2014 it reduced to 4,000 overall between 1988 and 2014 deforestation has decreased massively.
local climate Amazon rainforest
the amazon makes the air more humid as the plants release water into the air which can add rain to the area as excess water released by the plants get condensed and increase the rate of precipitation
the amazon rainforest accounts for 28 percent of the world’s CO2 in the whole world 28 percent of the world’s oxygen supply is from rainforests.
rainforest advantages (medicine, resources, and water
medicine- plants from the rainforest have special chemicals that allow us to come up with cures for viral diseases.
resources- wood from the Amazon is a lot of money that generates income for most people. also animals and plants.
water from the rainforest is extremely high as 20 percent of the world’s supply comes from the Amazon.
define drip tip leaves
The leaves of forest trees have adapted to cope with exceptionally high rainfall. Many tropical rainforest leaves have a drip tip. It is thought that these drip tips enable raindrops to run off quickly. Plants need to shed water to avoid the growth of fungus and bacteria in the warm, wet tropical rainforest.
debt reduction and FSC labeling.
FCS forestry stuward ship council. this makes sure that wood is grown more sustainably. this means that old wood will have a stamp on it allowing people to buy from them.
debt reduction- cutting down the rainforest pays for the bills. however by reducing their debt you reduce the need to cut down the rainforest.
describe the people in tropical rainforests
many indigenous people have adapted to life in the rainforests
they make a living by hunting and fishing, gathering nuts and berries, and growing vegetables in small garden plots
define epiphytes
Epiphytes establish aerial roots that absorb moisture from the humid air, allowing them to develop on other plants without harming their hosts.
describe the animals in the tropical rainforests
rainforest ecosystems contain more animal species than any other ecosystem
define buttress roots
Buttress roots share the weight of the tree and such roots from nearby trees might also intertwine creating an intricate mesh that helps support several trees. The larger surface area results in a higher nutrient intake and allows for the gaseous exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide also helping with the transportation of water
define liana
Trees grow tall to reach the sunlight. These trees are known as emergents. Lianas and vines hug trees to take advantage of nutrients and sunlight and maximize the use of space.
how are humans interfering with ecosystems
changing one part of an ecosystem can have a knock-off effect
cutting down trees can contribute to climate change
trees intercept and take up lots of water, and release it back into the atmosphere, providing moisture for further rainfall. reducing tree cover may increase the risk of drought, affecting the plants and animals that live in the rainforest ecosystem
trees stabilize soil with their roots and provide some nutrients when they drop their leaves. with fewer trees, the soil would have less protection from the heavy rainfall, the few nutrients present will then wash away more easily and plants would struggle to grow
describe the water cycle & rainfall in the tropical rainforest
During the day sunlight heats the ecosystem
Cool air sinks to replace the rising air
The air temperature is high close to the ground
The air is heated. It rises and expands.
Strong air currents rise
Water vapour condenses and forms a cloud
Heavy rainfall
Cool air sinks to replace the rising air
