Indonesia Rainforest Case Study

Question 1

Country profile

Answer 1

Largest economy in SE Asia
Industries- petroleum,natural gas, textiles
GDP per capita- $13,900

Question 2

Current issues

Answer 2

Poverty, improving education, preventing terrorism

Question 3

Location

Answer 3

South east Asia, South east of Malaysia, south west of Philippines
Sumatra is west Indonesia, Central Kalimantan is central Indonesia

Question 4

Climate of Kalimantan

Answer 4

High rainfall from November to April
Temperature stays constant through the year, peak of 28degrees

Question 5

Climate of Sumatra

Answer 5

Lowest rainfall in June/july
More rain fluctuation, 300mm in November
Consistent temperature

Question 6

What happens to most rainfall on tropical rainforests

Answer 6

Canopy intercepts up to 70%
About 25% evaporates
Of remaining 75%, half used by plants, other half infiltrated

Question 7

What flow is minimal in tropical rainforests

Answer 7

Ground water- base flow

Question 8

Transfers in the rainforest

Answer 8

Evapotranspiration
Precipitation
Drip flow
Stem flow
Evaporation

Question 9

Stores in the rainforest

Answer 9

Atmospheric moisture
Interception storage
Water in plant tissue
Surface storage
Soil water

Question 10

What is the Climate of the rainforest

Answer 10

Warm and wet climate, helps promote photosynthesis
Rainforests release a lot of oxygen

Question 11

Why are rainforests carbon sinks

Answer 11

Wood is about 50% carbon so rainforests are good carbon sinks

Question 12

Releasing co2 from rainforests

Answer 12

Decomposers thrive in warm wet conditions
This released co2 to the atmosphere

Question 13

Key stores and transfers

Answer 13

Carbon is lost through respiration, and decomposition
Some carbon is internally transferred from above ground to below ground

Question 14

Palm oil usage in Indonesia

Answer 14

Caused 22.8% of deforestation in 2001-16
Large amounts of palm oil exports, and used in goods

Question 15

Timber usage in Indonesia

Answer 15

Used for construction and exported
13.9% of deforestation in 2001-16

Question 16

Growth of palm oil

Answer 16

Production has grown significantly in the past 10 years
Multi purpose crop, used in foods and shampoos.
85% of all palm oil is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia

Question 18

Impact on interception storage after localised deforestation

Answer 18

Size decrease due to cut down trees

Question 19

Impact on evapotranspiration after localised deforestation

Answer 19

Increase, higher amounts of rainfall hitting the ground, more surface water

Question 20

Impact on throughflow after localised deforestation

Answer 20

Decrease, smaller amounts of trees intercepting water

Question 21

Impact on overland flow after localised deforestation

Answer 21

Increase, higher amounts of water hitting soil, not infiltrating

Question 22

Impact on channel flow after localised deforestation

Answer 22

Increase, due to higher quantities of water over the ground

Question 23

Changes to water balance through extensive deforestation

Answer 23

Less through flow and overland flow due to less precipitation
Evaporation and precipitation become equal
Rainfall reduced due to lack of evapotranspiration, less water in the atmosphere

Question 24

Predicted forest loss in south east Asia

Answer 24

Loss of 20% between 2000-2100
Precipitation per month loss of 7mm

Question 25

Why will removal of trees replaced by palm oil impact the water cycle

Answer 25

Biomass clearing makes surface flow faster, ground becomes drier, rapid erosion Loss of trees breaks the rainfall cycle, causing rain reduction Soil will become damaged

Question 26

Deforestation impact on carbon cycle

Answer 26

Carbon stored in the forest is released Trees no longer present to absorb carbon Peat soils lie beneath rainforests, soils get drained, exposed to air

Question 27

How are fires a cause and impact of deforestation

Answer 27

Cause: slash and burn for land clearing, logging, trees burned Impact: leaves amounts of dead dry matter, drier conditions due to less transpiration

Question 28

Why are peat soils significant

Answer 28

Peat soils store mass amounts of carbon, deforestation causes drying, becomes flammable When peat is wet, decomposition is slow, carbon is locked in

Question 29

Links between flooding and changes to water and carbon cycle

Answer 29

Lack of forest cover increased surface runoff, less water stores by vegetation, surplus Deforestation links to climate change, extreme weather

Question 30

Indonesia attempts to reduce deforestation

Answer 30

Banned new plantations in primary forests, protects forest and maintain carbon store However only applies to primary forests

Question 31

Harapan Rainforest Southern Sumatra

Answer 31

Maintenance and production of 101,000 hectares of rainforest Ensured 10-15 million tonnes of co2 sequestered over 30 years

Question 32

Harapan as a pilot project

Answer 32

Model for a further 24 million hectares unprotected in Indonesia Project covers roughly 1,000 square km, home to at risk species

Question 33

Unsustainable palm oil production

Answer 33

Big contribution to habitat loss, clearing and burning forest and peat land Draining of peat swamps

Question 34

Sustainable palm oil

Answer 34

70% of producers assessed by ZSL’S SPOTIF team committed zero deforestation Better for biodiversity and climate change

Question 35

Katingan Mentaya project Central Kalimantan

Answer 35

Re-wetting peat lands, creating carbon sinks Delivers credible GHG emissions reductions, through avoiding deforestation

Question 36

What does the Katingan Mentaya project include

Answer 36

Reforestation Fire management Forest protection Sustainable energy