Unit 3- Deforestation

Question 1

Why are forests important?

Answer 1

• Forests cover 30% of land surface
• 350 million Ppl live within or close to forests
• One-third of humanity depends on forests for income and subsistence
• Water regulation
• 50% of biodiversity exists in tropical forests
• Create oxygen, absorb CO2

Question 2

Forest def.

Answer 2

Biomes dominated by trees, where the foliage of trees forms a canopy. Land spanning more than 0.5 ha with trees higher than 5 meters, and a canopy cover of more than 10%, or trees able to reach this threshold in situ

Question 3

Biome def.

Answer 3

A type of natural environment encompassing its biotic components of plants and animals, as well as the physical landscape they inhabit, especially covering large areas

Question 4

3 levels/ types of forests

Answer 4

Primary
Secondary
Plantations

Question 5

Primary forest

Answer 5

Intact, old-growth forests have remained relatively undisturbed for centuries and are still dominated by natural processes (34% of forests)

Question 6

Secondary forests

Answer 6

Regrowth or regenerated forests, recently disturbed by human activities, regenerated by replanting or seeding (59% of forests)

Question 7

Plantations

Answer 7

Monoculture of native or non-native trees for the commercial production of a particular species or for environmental services such as erosion control (7% of forests)

Question 8

Deforestation def.

Answer 8

The long-term reduction of tree canopy cover to below 10-30% of its original cover (depending on forest type)

Question 9

Forest degradation def.

Answer 9

Forests modified by human activities (selective logging, replanting, shifting cultivation and wood fuel collection). More than 10-30% of forest remaining

Question 10

Forest fragmentation

Answer 10

Protracted deforestation- clearing of pockets of land mostly for roads, leaving pockets of forests. Over time, edges of forest pockets become degraded and too small to support viable ecosystems.

Question 11

Afforestation def.

Answer 11

Trees are planted on land that was not previously forested (seeding or replanting)

Question 12

Human causes of deforestation

Answer 12

Urban expansion
Infrastructure
Mining
Agriculture (local/ subsistence)
Agriculture (commercial)
Lack of laws and regulations
Poor forest management
Issues re. land rights and forest ownership
Global warming

Question 13

Natural causes of deforestation

Answer 13

Insects, pests and diseases
Wildfires/ forest fires/ bushfires
Irregular ocean circulation patterns

Question 14

Location of the Amazon Basin

Answer 14

6 million square km
The majority lies in Brazil, but it extends to 9 countries’ including Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia

Question 15

Specific geospatial tech name (also a global response)

Answer 15

Global Forest Watch 2.0

Question 16

Type of GT Global Forest Watch 2.0

Answer 16

Remote sensing

Question 17

Economic advantages of Amazon deforestation