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Geography > The living world - Tropical rainforests > Flashcards

The living world - Tropical rainforests Flashcards

(62 cards)

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1
Q

Biodiversity

A

The variety of life in the world or a particular habitat.

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2
Q

Commercial farming

A

Farming to sell produce for a profit to retailers or food processing companies.

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3
Q

Debt reduction

A

A political agreement where countries are relieved of some of their debt in return for
protecting their rainforests.

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4
Q

Deforestation

A

The chopping down and removal of trees to clear an area of forest.

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5
Q

Ecotourism

A

A type of tourism that involves responsible travel to natural areas that helps to conserve the environment, sustain the wellbeing of the local people, and may involve education. It is
usually carried out in small groups and has minimal impact on the local ecosystem.

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6
Q

Logging

A

The business of cutting down trees and transporting the logs to sawmills.

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7
Q

Mineral extraction

A

The removal of solid mineral resources from the earth. These resources include ores, which contain commercially valuable amounts of metals (e.g. iron and aluminium), precious stones (e.g. diamonds), building stones (e.g. granite), and solid fuels (e.g. coal and oil shale).

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8
Q

Selective logging

A

The cutting out of trees which are mature or inferior, to encourage the growth of the
remaining trees in a forest or wood.

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9
Q

Soil erosion

A

Removal of topsoil faster than it can be replaced, due to natural (water and wind action), animal, and human activity. Topsoil is the top layer of soil and is the most fertile because it contains the most organic, nutrient-rich materials.

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10
Q

Subsistence farming

A

A type of agriculture producing food and materials for the benefit only of the farmer and his family.

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11
Q

Sustainability

A

The practice of using natural resources responsibly, so they can support both present and future generations.

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12
Q

Amazon: causes of deforestation - logging

A
  • Trees such as mahogany and teak are highly valued for furniture and other uses
  • smaller trees are used for fuel, pulped or made into charcoal
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13
Q

Amazon: causes of deforestation - farming

A
  • increasingly land is cleared for commercial farming –> crop plantations and cattle grazing
  • in Brazil cattle farming accounts for 80% of deforestation
  • in Brazil, soyabeans, palm oil and sugar cane are the major crops
  • tax incentives for plantation owners encourage further development
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14
Q

Amazon: causes of deforestation - settlement and population growth

A
  • settlements have developed to service the developments in Brazilian rainforests
    –> such as farming and mineral extraction
  • leads to an increased population
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15
Q

Amazon: causes of deforestation - mineral extraction

A
  • major cause of deforestation
    –> in Brazil mineral such as gold, bauxite and copper are mined extensively
    –> causing large sears and polluted rivers
  • Carajas mine is the largest iron ore mine
    –> 3000 people, 24 hours a day
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16
Q

Amazon: causes of deforestation - road building

A
  • destroys areas of the rainforest
  • increases access deeper within the Amazon basin and previously inaccessible rainforest
    –> can lead to the increase in other activities with deforestation e.g. farming
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17
Q

Amazon: impacts of deforestation - local climate change

A

water cycle is disrupted –> less trees = less evaporation –> less moisture –> fewer clouds –> drier climate

rainforest dries out –> more CO2 in air

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18
Q

Amazon: impacts of deforestation - soil erosion and fertility

A

top soil layer is exposed –> leeching causes loss of nutrients –> hard for vegetation to grow –> impacts marine ecosystems and flooding

more of the forest will be cleared and less vegetation will grow –> decreasing the rainforest size

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19
Q

Amazon: impacts of deforestation - river pollution

A

the leaking mercury from gold mines poisons fish and inhabitants

natural ecosystems will be disrupted without the fish

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20
Q

Amazon: impacts of deforestation - decline of indigenous tribes

A

homes and food supply is taken away –> forced off their land –> many displaced indigenous people have ended up in towns/cities

knowledge is lost, culture and way of life is changed

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21
Q

Amazon: impacts of deforestation - climate change

A

stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere –> made worse by the fact fire is often used to clear areas of forest, emitting even more CO2 –> shift from carbon sink to source

  • effect rising sea levels and more extreme weather –> possible of irreversible climate change
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22
Q

Amazon: impacts of deforestation - biodiversity lost

A

current estimate suggest that 137 plant, animal and insect species are lost every day because of deforestation –> many cures for life threatening diseases are also lost

once species are extinct this is irreversible

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23
Q

Tropical rainforests: distribution/location

A
  • found in a broad belt close to the equator
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24
Q

Tropical rainforests: Plants and animals

A
  • highest level of biodiversity in the world
  • due to range of habitats available
  • birds live in the canopy, feeding on seeds + nectar
  • mammals such as monkeys and sloths live in the trees
  • animals such as deer live on the forest floor, browsing on vegetation
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25
Tropical rainforests: climate
- high temperatures of 27 degree C - high rainfall (over 2000mm per year) - ideal growing conditions for the lush vegetation growth
26
Tropical rainforests: water
- has distinct wet season lasting several months - leads to excess ground water, swelling rivers and some flooding - can leach nutrients from the soi
27
Tropical rainforests: soils
- soils are not very fertile - nutrients are concentrated in the thin top soil and are quickly taken up by plants as they grow - intense leaching removes nutrients from the topsoil and redeposits them further down - this accounts for the red rich soils called latosols
28
Tropical rainforests: people
- traditional tribes have been living in rainforests in harmony with the natural environment --> hunting and gathering only what they need to survive - however, increasingly people are exploiting rainforests for commercial gain, chopping down trees for timber or to make way for commercial plantations
29
Example of how plants rely on soil in tropical rainforests:
soil stores nutrients, which helps plants to grow
30
Example of how people rely on plants and animals in tropical rainforests:
people rely on plants as they produce 20% of Earth's oxygen they rely on animals to help the nutrient cycle
31
How are lianas an adaption to tropical rainforests?
woody vines that climb up trees to o reach sunlight so their leaves can grow
32
How are Buttress roots an adaption to tropical rainforests?
spread out over wide areas to absorb more nutrients from the thin soil layer
33
How are drips an adaption to tropical rainforests?
act as interceptors reduce the rate of run-off and leaching
34
How are poison dart frogs adapted to tropical rainforests?
if they eat poisonous insects they absorb the toxins in their mucus feet have extra-strong suction cups to climb and hold slippery branches
35
How are poison three-toed sloths adapted to tropical rainforests?
extra vertebrae to be able to turn neck 270 degrees to check for predators above and below can swim in floods grow green algae in fur to camouflage
36
What are the threats facing biodiversity in tropical rainforests?
natural events such as: lightning strikes/fire, floods, disease people: mining, roads + settlements, timber harvesting
37
If biodiversity declines, what issues does this lead to?
- indigenous tribes being unable to survive in rainforests and having to abandon original lifestyle - plant and animal species may become extinct - important medical plants may become extinct
38
Strategies used to manage the rainforest sustainability - selective logging
- only felling trees that are fully grown --> these are seen as less valuable ecologically - younger trees can be allowed to mature and continue to provide protection from soil erosion
39
Strategies used to manage the rainforest sustainability - agroforestry
- involves growing growing crops and trees together - farers grow crops in carefully controlled, cleared areas within the rainforest surrounded by plantations of trees
40
Strategies used to manage the rainforest sustainability - replanting
- this technique recreates forest cover that has been lost that is almost the same as the original forest - done by colleting seeds from the remaining patches of the original forest
41
Strategies used to manage the rainforest sustainability - 2006 international tropical timber agreement
- restricts sale in tropical rainforest hardwood - discourages the sale and purchase of hardware timber
42
Strategies used to manage the rainforest sustainability - debt reduction ('debt for nature' swaps)
- The USA agreed to allow Brazil to convert £13.5 million it owed in debt repayments, into a fund to protect large areas of the Amazon rainforest - encourages Brazil to invest in sustainability management of the rainforest by making it economically neutral to do so
43
Strategies used to manage the rainforest sustainability - ecotourism
- small-scale tourism and entirely local - it is run by local people, creates jobs for locals, and only uses local produce - all profit stays in the local community, no economic leakage - provides economically and environmentally sustainable jobs
44
Strategies used to manage the rainforest sustainability - education and conservation
- charities and non-government organisations educate people on the importance of TRF - encouraging people to make sustainable choices when using rainforest products
45
What scale is this strategy happening on - small-scale forestry?
local
46
What scale is this strategy happening on - 2006 international tropical timber agreement?
global
47
What scale is this strategy happening on - debt reduction?
global
48
What scale is this strategy happening on - ecotourism?
local
49
What scale is this strategy happening on - education and conservation?
global
50
Are there any limitations/issues with this strategy - small-scale forestry?
difficult to police and manage may not be socially sustainable for local people who depend on it for income
51
Are there any limitations/issues with this strategy - 2006 international tropical timber agreement?
could push illegal logging underground and create a black market for hardwood and timber
52
Are there any limitations/issues with this strategy - debt reduction?
reliant on other countries to make large economic investments into countries like Brazil, despite not having control or input on how the debt relief is spent
53
Are there any limitations/issues with this strategy - ecotourism?
requires significant start up investment and difficult to roll out on a national or regional scale can be expensive so it is not always attractive to holiday makers
54
Are there any limitations/issues with this strategy - education and conservation?
local governmental pressures can impair conservation efforts and the impacts of global education can be difficult to quantify
55
Tropical rainforest socio-economic value: medicine
medical drugs derived from rainforests --> 120 prescription drugs are derived from rainforest plants --> 25% of western pharmaceuticals are from rainforest ingredients
56
Tropical rainforest socio-economic value: farming
subsistence and commercial farming --> indigenous tribes practice subsistence farming --> commercial farming: crop plantations and cattle grazing provide local foods and industrial products
57
Tropical rainforest socio-economic value: logging
--> for furniture --> causes deforestation
58
Tropical rainforest socio-economic value: developments
--> mineral extraction --> energy developments
59
Tropical rainforests environmental value: climate
--> evaporation of water from rainforests helps cool the air --> contributes to 28% of the world oxygen --> acts as a global carbon sink and climate regulator
60
Tropical rainforests environmental value: soil erosion
--> shelter bind together tropical soils, preventing harmful soil erosion
61
Tropical rainforests environmental value: water
--> important resource of freshwater --> 20% of worlds freshwater comes from basin
62
Tropical rainforests environmental value: biodiversity
creates huge biodiversity --> over 50 million years of plant and animal species evolution

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