Tropical Rainforest: Changes And Challenges Flashcards
What are they? (9)
Yearly heavy rain 6% land cover Greater than 50% species Vital in understanding the earth Around equator Thick, warm wet forest with broad leaves Constant temp Poor soil (nutrients in trees) Complex (half world biomass)
Why is it difficult to find exact coverage figures? (3)
Some world gastroenterology organisations overestimate scale of deforestation for own political gains.
Some can’t afford surveys
Some countries survey better
Why are some rainforests difficult to access? (2)
Clouds
Bad technique as many want to keep info private (hide petroleum etc)
What are the 6 uses of rainforests?
Response to climate change (absorb CO2 etc)
Atmospheric circulation
To live (tribes)
Food security (people depend on them)
Energy (wood)
Economic growth and development (jobs making wooden products)
What are the two challenges of tropical rainforests?
Fires
Deforestation
What does deforestation impact? (4)
- Climate change
- Flooding and increase sedimentation
- Land degradation
- Decrease in indigenous population
What percent of greenhouse gases are made by deforestation?
12%
Why is it hard to see the problem? (6)
- Hard to say what’s forest and forest land
- Difference in definitions of forest destruction
- Different techniques
- Concentrate if measuring commercial timber rather than none commercial
- Data for individual countries doesn’t show forest type
- Data withheld
Why are rainforests changing? (2 main points)
We’re consumers:
- increase in population
- increase in standard of living
Cattle:
- increase in land use (60/80% amazon used)
- land degradation
- negative yield
Why isn’t efficiency growing?
Increase in start up costs
Poor infrastructure
Social benefits of ranching
Who is Bolsonaro? (4)
President of Brazil
Very supportive of big corporations
Wants to leave Paris agreement
Promised to open indigenous land
What did logging in Liberia cause?
War
