Tropical Rainforests And Ecosystems Flashcards
How does deforestation affect the nutrient cycle?
Deforestation takes away nutrients from the location, causing desertification. The land becomes fallow as nutrients are removed from plants, leading to infertile soil.
What happens to the litter layer after deforestation?
The litter layer will no longer receive organic matter, causing the soil to quickly become infertile.
How does deforestation contribute to soil erosion?
Without vegetation cover, nutrients are rapidly leached by heavy rainfall, leading to soil erosion.
What is the impact of deforestation on flooding?
No interception occurs on leaves, causing soils to quickly become saturated and increasing the risk of flooding.
Why is the Tropical Rainforest being deforested?
Reasons include cattle farming for beef, land for settlements, wood extraction for timber, urbanization, and agricultural expansion.
How does ecotourism in Costa Rica help protect the Tropical Rainforest?
Ecotourism encourages sustainable tourism that creates jobs for locals and funds conservation efforts.
What are debt for nature swaps?
Debt for nature swaps reduce a country’s financial debt in exchange for conserving ecosystems like the Tropical Rainforest.
What is agroforestry?
Agroforestry is tree planting combined with agriculture to control surface runoff and soil erosion, preserving organic matter and nutrients.
How do National Parks protect the Tropical Rainforest?
National Parks use rangers to enforce rules and protect against illegal activities like hunting and deforestation.
What are some human effects on the Tropical Rainforest?
Human effects include logging, mining, tree sap extraction, agriculture, cattle farming, scientific research, tourism, and deforestation.
Why do biomes change as you move away from the equator?
Biomes are determined primarily by temperature and precipitation. Biomes at higher and lower latitudes are cooler and drier, while those closer to the equator are generally warmer and wetter, as warmer air holds more moisture than cooler air.
Where are Tropical Rainforests (TRF) typically located?
Typically found in Central and South America, Western and Central Africa, Western India, and Southeast Asia along the equator and no more than 30° of the tropics either side.
What is the climate of a Tropical Rainforest (TRF)?
Approximate rainfall: 2,000-10,000mm per year. Temperatures range from 21-30°C, with an average annual temperature of 20°C. It maintains a high humidity of 77-88% year-round.
What are the layers of the Tropical Rainforest?
- Forest Floor: Darkest, humid layer. No animals live here.
How do buttress roots help plants adapt to the TRF climate?
Buttress roots provide support for a tree and prevent it from falling down while growing tall and gaining nutrients from the soil.
How does fast growth help plants in the TRF?
Fast growth allows trees to reach sunlight quicker as the ground layer of the rainforest is very dark.
What is the function of waxy leaves in TRF plants?
Waxy leaves repel water and let it run quickly off the leaves to avoid rotting and ensure photosynthesis isn’t affected by fungal growth.
What role do lianas play in TRF plant adaptation?
Lianas/aerial roots grow above ground to give trees extra support so that they can reach sunlight.
What are the components of the nutrient cycle in a TRF?
Components include biomass, litter, soil, leaf fall, decomposition, leaching, and solid erosion.
Define abiotic.
Abiotic: the non-living parts of an ecosystem (e.g., sunlight).
Define biotic.
Biotic: the living parts of an ecosystem (e.g., plants and animals).
Define producer.
Producer: green plants that make food by photosynthesis.
Define primary consumer.
Primary consumer: organisms that eat plant material, herbivores (e.g., rabbits).
Define secondary consumer.
Secondary consumer: organisms that eat animal material, carnivores (e.g., sloth).
