Tropical Rainforests WIP

Question 1

What is the climate like in tropical rainforests?

Answer 1

• Same all year round
• hot (20-28°C)
• high rainfall (2000mm per year)

Question 2

What are plants like in tropical rainforests?

Answer 2

• Most trees are evergreen
• Trees are tall and vegetation is dense
• Many epithytes (orchids and ferns)

Question 3

What is the soil like in tropical rainforests?

Answer 3

Infertile

Question 4

What animals are in the tropical rainforests?

Answer 4

• Gorillas
• Jaguars
• Anacnodas
• Tree frogs
• Sloths

Question 5

What is biodiversity?

Answer 5

The variety of organisms living in a particular area.

Question 6

What is the biodiversity like in rainforests?

Answer 6

They contain about 50% of the world’s plant, animal and insect species.

Question 7

Why are rainforests stable and productive environments?

Answer 7

Because it’s hot and wet all the time.

Question 8

What makes it easy for plants to grow in the rainforest?

Answer 8

The warm and wet climate helps fungi to decompose dead plants rapidly. This makes the surface soil rich in nutrients.

Question 9

What symbiotic relationships exist in the rainforest?

Answer 9

Agouti and Brazil nut, Cecropia trees and Azteca ants

Question 10

What is the relationship between agouti and brazil nut trees?

Answer 10

Agouti are the only animals that can crack brazil nuts. Sometimes they bury them which causes them to sprout.

Question 11

What is the relationship between cecropia trees and Azteca ants?

Answer 11

Cecropia trees have hollow stems and produce foodstuff at the base of their leaves. This is an ideal home for Azteca ants. The ants fight off other insects and lianas.

Question 12

How do plants adapt to conditions in the rainforest?

Answer 12

• Trees grow tall
• Leaves have drip-tips
• Lianas use tree trunks to reach the sun
• Trees have smooth, thin bark
• Large buttress roots
• Plants drop their leaves gradually

Question 13

How do animals adapt to conditions in the rainforest?

Answer 13

• Strong limbs to move around
• Short pointed wings to manoeuvre around trees
• Suction cups
• Flaps of skin to glide
• Camoflauge
• Nocturnal
• Can swim

Question 14

How large is the Amazon?

Answer 14

8 million km^2

Question 15

How much of the forest was lost between 2001 and 2012?

Answer 15

18 million hectacres.

Question 16

How much of the Amazon will be deforested by 2030 at the current rate?

Answer 16

30%

Question 17

Why is the Amazon being cut down?

Answer 17

• Commercial farming
• subsistence farming
• Commercial logging
• Mineral extraction
• Energy development
• Population growth
• Road building

Question 18

Give an example of commercial farming.

Answer 18

Cattle ranching is the main cause of deforestation. About 200 million cattle are on about 450 000 km^2 of pasture.

Question 19

What is subsistence farming?

Answer 19

Where forest is cleared by small scale farmers.

Question 20

What minerals are extracted from the Amazon and why?

Answer 20

Gold, iron ore and copper is exported to boost development.

Question 21

Give an example of energy development.

Answer 21

Construction of the Balbina Dam flooded 2400km^2 of rainforest.

Question 22

Give an example of road building.

Answer 22

The 4000km Trans-Amazonian Highway.

Question 23

How does deforestation in the Amazon cause climate change?

Answer 23

The Amazon stores 140 billion tonnes of CO2 which is released. 75% of Brazil’s CO2 emissions come from deforestation.

Question 24

What does soil erosion cause in Brazil?

Answer 24

100 tonnes of topsoil per hectacre are lost a year, leading to landslides and flooding in the future.

Question 25

What are some economic impacts of deforestation in the Amazon?

Answer 25

• Buenaventure mineing company in Peru employs over 8000 people.
• Local Brazilian rubber tappers have lost their livelihoods

Question 26

How is the global rate of deforestation changing?

Answer 26

From 2007 to 2017, 22 million hectacres were lost per year, and it’s increasing.

Question 27

How has the rate of deforesation decreased in some countries?

Answer 27

In Brazil, the rate has decreased by 80% from 2004 to 2012.
As part of the Paris agreement, Brazil

Question 28

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