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Q

Tropical Rainforest - weather and climate

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Found between tropics of cancer and Capricorn.

Conditions-Hot/humid conditions encourage biodiversity, 60% of worlds rainforest found in Brazil, Trees hold all the nutrients, good source of medicinal plants, 6/10 species found there.

Invasive-Mining/farming/timber/transport developments.
Non invasive-Medicinal uses(drugs derived from plants) , rubber tapping, eco tourism.

1970’s pressures that created debts- Oil prices rose, oil rich companies had money to lend, export profits used to pay interests on debts, prices for exports fell on the world market.

Effects of clearance- increase soil erosion by rain wash processes without roots to bind soil together, more soil is eroded and lost to the rivers, extra sediment can block dams, causing river overflow.
Effects on people- Tribal groups have lost land and have been marginalised.

Greenhouse effect- If trees are lost processes of converting 02 is reduced and C02 amount increased causing temperature increase and then polar ice caps melting.

Strategies for the future

1) Pressure groups-raise awareness of effects of courses of action
2) Boycotting- Timber uses encouraged to not buy from non-sustainable sources.
3) Encouraging non evasive organisations .e.g Eco-tourism and medical research.
4) Encouraging use of softwoods which grow more quickly
5) Timber tax- On all timber cut from tropical sources.
6) Selective ring forestry- Small scale clearance in rings so it recolonises faster
7) Creation of international biome reserves- cannot be touched.

1
Q

Weather and climate - Storms over Britain

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Description of weather event- Experienced wettest Autumn since records began, 492mm of rain fell between September and November, high rainfall, strong winds and floods all over the country , the storms linked to low pressure systems over the Atlantic to the west.

Causes of weather- Low pressure systems dominated the Atlantic to the west of Britain brought warm moist air from the tropics fighting with cold dry air form the Arctic, warm/cold air clashed - fuelled storms as worm tropical air evaporated off the ocean creating huge storm clouds, winds including jet stream in upper atmosphere blow these over Britain. Series of fronts where cold/warm air meet, at the fronts cold air(more dense) sinks and warm air (less dense) rises, as it rises, it creates clouds. Warm temperatures brought rapid evaporation off the Atlantic. Strong south westerly winds brought the heavy rain clouds over Britain and the dominating low pressure systems made these stay for a long period of time.

Effects on people and environment
Unexpected flooding in Cambridge
Storm drains built in the 1990’s were inadequate.
Homes along riverside flooded, sandbags did not protect homes.
Cyclists and pedestrians could not go across footbridges
Cambridge colleges lost valuable books
Trees fell into the river-ruined ecosystem
People were under-insured and lost possessions.