Tropical Rainforests Flashcards
Define biodiversity
The range of animals and plants in a given area
Describe the climate of a tropical rainforest
Very wet with over 2,000 mm of rainfall per year
Very warm with an average daily temperature of 28c and rarely exceeds 35c
The climate is consistent all year round with no seasons
Describe the soil in a tropical rainforest
Most of the soil is not very fertile ( rich in nutrients )
A thin layer of fertile soil is found at the surface where the dead leaves decompose
It is red in colour as it is rich in iron
Due to heavy rainfall the nutrients are quickly washed out of the soil
Describe why there are a large amount of plants and animals in tropical rainforests
The very warm and wet climate provides perfect conditions for plant growth
The wide range of plant species supports many different animals, birds and insects
Species have adapted to the conditions of the rainforest eg trees and plants have shallow-reaching roots to absorb nutrients from the thin fertile layer in the soil
Define species
A type of organism that is the basic unit of classification individuals of the same species will be able to produce fertile offspring together
What is the structure of a tropical rainforest (down up)
Forest floor, shrub layer, understory , canopy, emergent
How have lianas adapted to survive in the rainforest
Lianas are woody vines that have roots in the ground but climb up the trees to reach the sunlight. Their leaves and flowers grow in the canopy.
How have tree trunks adapted to the rainforest
they are tall and thin to allow trees to reach the sunlight. The bark on these trees is smooth to allow water to flow down to the roots easily.
Why have some leaves adapted to have drip tips
Plants that have leaves with pointy tips allow water to run off the leaves quickly without damaging or breaking them
Why have some trees adapted to have buttress roots
Because the large buttress have ridges which create a large surface area that help to support large trees
How have epiphytes adapted to rainforest
These plants live on the branches of trees high up in the canopy they get their nutrients from the air and water not the soil
How have sloths adapted to the rainforest
The sloth uses camouflage and moves very slowly to make it difficult for predators to spot
How have spider monkeys adapted to the rainforest
They have long strong limbs to help it climb through the rainforest trees
How have the flying frog adapted to the rainforest
The flying frog has fully webbed hands and feet and a flap of loose skin that stretches between its limbs which allows it to glide from plant to plant
How has the toucan adapted to the rainforest
The toucan has long, large bill to allow it to reach and cut fruit from branches that are to weak to support its weight
How has farming contributed to deforestation
large areas are cleared for pastoral farming ,as the global demand for meat has increased many cattle farms have opened in the Amazon Basin for beef farming. Arable farming (growing crops) is also responsible for the loss of tropical rainforest as many farmers are clearing land to grow cash crops, such as soya beans
How has logging contributed to deforestation
Tropical rainforests are cut down so that valuable trees like mahogany can be accessed and sold for timber to make furniture, other trees are cut down for making paper products
How has mining contributed to deforeststion
The amazon basin is rich in natural resources such as iron ore, copper , tin and gold, this has led to the development of mines which results in the clearance of tropical rainforest. The carajas mine in brazil is the worlds largest iron ore mine
How have roads contributed to deforestation
the construction of access roads for farmers, loggers and miners results in large parts of the tropical rainforest being destroyed.
What is soil erosion
Once the land is cleared of rainforest vegetation the soil is left bare. When it rains, the nutrients in the soil are washed away. The nutrient cycle stops because there are no plants or trees shedding leaves to replace the nutrients in the soil. The soil is no longer able to support plant life because it is not fertile. The roots of plants and trees no longer hold the soil together so it is easily eroded.
Loss of biodiversity due to deforestation
Many different species of plants and animals die because of deforestation. As plants and animals are closely connected through the food web, the amount of biodiversity, or variety of species found in the tropical rainforest are reduced
Climate change due to deforestation
The plants of the amazon basin absorb carbon dioxide during the process of photosynthesis, if there are fewer trees and plants, due to deforestation then less carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere in this way deforestation contributes to global warming and therefore climate change
Economic development due to deforestation
The creation of mines farms and roads-which caused deforestation-has also led to economic development. The money created from these enterprises allows a country to generate foreign income which can be used to pay off debts or be invested in further development projects
Sustainable management - logging and replanting
Selective logging of mature trees ensures that the rainforest canopy is preserved this method allows the forest to recover because younger trees gain more space and sunlight to grow, planned and controlled logging ensures that for every tree logged another is planted
Sustainable management- education
Promoting the value and benefits of biodiversity associated with tropical rainforests
Sustainable management- ecotourism
This encourages sustainable tourism that creates jobs for local people whilst ensuring that the money generated is used to protect and conserve the tropical rainforests for future generations
Sustainable development- international agreements
Agreements to protect tropical rainforests have been made between different countries through debt-for-nature-swaps this is when a country is owed money by another country cancels part of the debt if an agreement is made by the debtor country to ensure the conservation of its tropical rainforests
