tropical rainforests

Question 1

characteristics - climate

Answer 1

-temp between 20 and 28 degrees, suns energy is more intense near the equator
-rainfall very high, 2000mm per year

Question 2

characteristics - plants

Answer 2

-most trees are evergreen
-tall trees, vegetation cover is dense
-epiphytes, plants that grow on other living plants

Question 3

characteristics - soil

Answer 3

-not very fertile
-heavy rain washes nutrients away
-surface nutrients due to decayed leaf fall

Question 4

characteristics - animals

Answer 4

-contains more animal species than any other ecosystem

Question 5

what is an interdependent ecosystem

Answer 5

all of the parts of the ecosystem are dependent on each other, if one changes, they are all affected

Question 6

interdependence between CLIMATE and PLANTS

Answer 6

warm and wet climate helps fungi and bacteria on the floor to decompose dead plant material rapidly, making the surface soil high in nutrients, allowing plants to grow

Question 7

interdependence between PLANTS and SOIL

Answer 7

plants pass on their nutrients when eaten by animals, dense vegetation increases the animal population, when the animals die their nutrients is returned to the soil

Question 8

4 layers of the rainforest

Answer 8

-emergent trees
-main canopy
-undercanopy
-shrub layer

Question 9

how have trees adapted

Answer 9

-compete for sunlight by growing tall
-smooth, thin bark as there is no need to protect the trunk from cold temps
-large stable roots support tall trees

Question 10

how have plants adapted

Answer 10

-thick, waxy leaves with pointed drip-tips (no standing water)
-climbing plants use tree trunks to reach sunlight
-plants drop their leaves gradually throughout the year

Question 11

why do animals have strong limbs

Answer 11

so that they can move around the canopy quickly

Question 12

why do birds have short pointed wings

Answer 12

easily manoeuvre between dense trees

Question 13

why are some animals nocturnal

Answer 13

feed at night when its cooler, helps them save energy

Question 14

main threats to biodiversity in rainforests

Answer 14

-mining causing water pollution
-unsustainable timber harvesting
-development of roads and settlements

Question 15

causes of deforestation (7)

Answer 15

-commercial farming
-subsistence farming
-commercial logging
-mineral extractions
-energy developments
-population growth
-road building

Question 16

commercial farming - deforestation

Answer 16

-forest cleared for cattle grazing and plantations

Question 17

subsistence farming - deforestation

Answer 17

-forest cleared by small-scale farmers faring for themselves and families

Question 18

commercial logging - deforestation

Answer 18

logging of valuable hardwood trees by legal and illegal businesses

Question 19

mineral extraction - deforestation

Answer 19

gold, iron ore and copper are mined and exported to help boost countries’ development

Question 20

energy development - deforestation

Answer 20

building hydroelectric dams floods large areas

Question 21

population growth - deforestation

Answer 21

Brazilian gov. offers land in rainforest to poor people from overcrowded cities, puts pressure on the forest

Question 22

road building - deforestation

Answer 22

4000km trans-amazonian highway connects Brazilian coast to Ecuador, Peru and Colombia through the rainforest. new roads built for logging

Question 23

impacts of deforestation

Answer 23

-climate change
-soil erosion
-economic

Question 24

impacts of deforestation - climate change

Answer 24

-trees remove CO2 from the atmosphere
-deforestation releases CO2, causing global warming

Question 25

how many tonnes of carbon does the Amazon store

Answer 25

140 billion

Question 26

impacts of deforestation - soil erosion

Answer 26

-with less tree canopy to intercept rainfall and fewer tree roots to absorb it, more water reaches the soil, reducing fertility as the nutrients are washed away

Question 27

impacts of deforestation - economic

Answer 27

-economic development has brought wealth to many amazonian countries
-mining industry creates jobs
-logging contributes, but can destroy resources the country depend on

Question 28

what products are sourced from the rainforest

Answer 28

rubber, coffee, chocolate and medicines

Question 29

what do rainforests regulate

Answer 29

climate and water cycle

Question 30

strategies to maintain the rainforest sustainably (7)

Answer 30

-selective logging
-replanting
-ecotourism
-education
-conservation
-reducing debt
-international hardwood agreements

Question 31

strategies to maintain the rainforest - selective logging

Answer 31

-only some trees are felled
-less damaging than clearing a whole area, keeps the structure of the forest
-horse logging

Question 32

strategies to maintain the rainforest - replanting

Answer 32

-new trees replace old ones
-some countries have laws to make logging companies replant when they clear an area

Question 33

strategies to maintain the rainforest - ecotourism

Answer 33

-minimises damage to the area and benefits local people
-provides jobs and income for local people

Question 34

strategies to maintain the rainforest - education

Answer 34

-encourages people to buy products from sustainable sources
-teaches how to make money alternative ways

Question 35

strategies to maintain the rainforest - conservation

Answer 35

-national parks and nature reserves within rainforests, restricted areas

Question 36

strategies to maintain the rainforest - reducing debt

Answer 36

-reducing debt in exchange for the money being spent on conservation

Question 37

strategies to maintain the rainforest - international hardwood agreements

Answer 37

-international agreements prevent illegal logging and promote the use of hardwood from sustainably managed forests