tropical rainforests

Question 1

3 facts about tropical rain forest

Answer 1

occupy 7% of worlds surface
they contain many useful resources
help the fight against global warming

Question 2

where are rainforests mainly situated

Answer 2

south east asia
maazon basin in brasil
central africa

Question 3

which is the largest tropical rain froest

Answer 3

amazon

Question 4

what are the 2 main characteristics of the tropical rainforest

Answer 4

climate and vegetation

Question 5

describe the climate of the rainforest

Answer 5

warm and wet as they are close or on the equator
average temperature is 26 degrees
annual rainfall above 2500m

Question 6

describe the vegitation

Answer 6

rich cover, tall trees

Question 7

describe the soil

Answer 7

1 thin and poor
2 nutrients are rapidly recycled
3 litter decomposes quickly
4 nutrients are washed away before they join the soil so they are infertile 
4 nutrients are stored in tree trunks

Question 8

how is the rainforest interdependent

Answer 8

the climate soils vegetation and animals interact
1 nutrients fall to ground when plants and animals die
2 the nutirnts become part of the soil plants take up the nutirents disolved in the soil

Question 9

what are indiginous people

Answer 9

natives

Question 10

are they interdependent

Answer 10

yes but human activity can upset the balance

Question 11

how much biodiversity is there in the rainforest

Answer 11

more than 2/3 of world plants and 1/2 of known animals are found in the rain forest

Question 12

what are the effects of humans on bio diversity

Answer 12

they exploit resourses reducing biodiversity endangering species some becoming extinct

Question 13

what is the effect of loss of biodiversity

Answer 13

decline in ecosystym productivity

Question 14

if soil in the rainforest is poor how do plants cope

Answer 14

1 rapid recycling of nutrients
2 absorb sunlight for photosynthesis
3 warm humid climate is ideal for plant growth
4 plants adapt to compete for sunlight and nutrients

Question 15

how have plants adapted

Answer 15

leaf canopy catches rain stops it hitting the ground hard and eroding the soil
they have shallow roots to take water and nutrients from the litter
waxy leaves allow water to run off
leaves are flexible to move to the sun to maximise photosyntheis

Question 16

what are the 4 layers of the tropical rainforest

Answer 16

continuous canopy
under canopy
dense shrub layer
shrub layer

Question 17

what do plants adjust to

Answer 17

the physical conditions particulaly the available sunlight

Question 18

where is most and least sunlight available and what is the result of little sunlight

Answer 18

most - top of the trees
least- forest floor
result little photosynthesis

Question 19

if only a little photosynthesis takes place where do plants get their food

Answer 19

from soil or parasitic plants attaching to host trees to share food and water

Question 20

there are many trees in the rainforest what does this impact on

Answer 20

a lot of competition for food

Question 21

give examples of how animals are adapted to get food

Answer 21

parots have sharp beaks for hard nuts some animals are camoflaged to avoid being eaten

Question 22

what is scale of deforestation

Answer 22

estimated 1/2 of worlds tropical rainforests have been cleared at a rate of 1 hector per second

Question 23

where has brazilian rainforests clearance been

Answer 23

to south of amazon

Question 24

what have indiginous tribes used rainforests for

Answer 24

harvest fruit, cut wood for fuel and timber, discover cures

Question 25

what methods of clearance did indienous people use

Answer 25

slash and burn or subsistence farming

Question 26

what is the impact of slash and burn or subsistence farming - clearance methods used by indiginous people

Answer 26

little lasting damage, when soil in one area is exhausted they move else wheremso forest degenerates - so human use doesnt always cause deforestation

Question 27

what is forest degradation

Answer 27

ecosystems change in a negative way and the supply of resources decline

Question 28

name 2 ways brazilian rainforests are being exploited

Answer 28

using resources- timber water minerals

clearing the forest to make way for livestock and crops

Question 29

what are the main exploiting activities in the brazilian rainforests

Answer 29

1 logging - for furniture or fuel
2 mine extraction - rainforest cleared to extract gold
3 energy development - dams built for hydroelectric power so large areas of rain forest flooded
4 illegal trade in wildlife - endangering species and upsetting ecosystem

Question 30

what activities are causing forests to be cleared

Answer 30

1 subsistence farming - moving to another area when area is exhausted
2 commercial cattle farming- cleared to make way for rearing livestock
3commercial farming- forest cleared to make way for crops
4 road building - roads need to bring in equipment and transport products
5 settlement and population growth - the workers for other activities need homes and serves so forest is cleared for settlements

Question 31

what are the global impacts of deforestation

Answer 31

global warming and loss of diversity

Question 32

what are the local impacts of global warming

Answer 32

decline of indiginous tribes
soil erosion
river polution
conflicts
local climate change

Question 33

how does deforestation cause global warming

Answer 33

tress felled so they cant absorb CO2 from atmosphere

fire is often used for clearing so carbon returns to the atmosphere

Question 34

how does deforestation cause loss of biodiversity

Answer 34

individual species become endangered or extinct so reduces biodiversity
as species disappear do do possible cures for disease

Question 35

what is the local impact of climate change (5)

Answer 35

1 deforestation disrupts water cycle

2 top soil is removed by rain so nothing can grow
3 mercury is used to separate gold it enters and pollutes rivers poisons fish and people
4 tribes are forced to leave they find it hard to adjust to change - they take with them the knowledge of the rainforest
5 conflicts arise betwen indiginous and loggers

Question 36

what goods come from rain forst

Answer 36

cocoa sugar bananas spices vanilla

Question 37

why is it in the interest of global health care to protect the rainforests

Answer 37

there are plants used to treat diseases

Question 38

what are 3 levels of sustainable action that could be taken to protect the rainforest

Answer 38

1 international agreements to protect resources
2 debt reduction most countries with rainforests are LICs and have large debts HIC could run debt for 2 2 nature swaps
3 conservation and education

Question 39

what should governments do to protect rainforests

Answer 39

create protected areas
stop abuse by developers
make environmental studies part of the curriculum

Question 40

why dont governments take action to protect the rainforest

Answer 40

slows economic development

Question 41

what can be done at a local level for sustainability

Answer 41

1 respect environment and culture of locals
2 use traditional skills and knowledge
3 give people control over their land
4 generate income from locals
5 use appropriate technology

Question 42

what can be done for stainability at a local level in areas of logging

Answer 42

selective logging - fell only fully grown trees
stop illegal logging
replant and collect seeds