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Tropical Rainforests Flashcards

(45 cards)

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1
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

A unit that contains all the biotic and abiotic parts in an area

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2
Q

What are biotic factors?

A

Living e.g. insects bacteria

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3
Q

What are abiotic factors?

A

Non living e.g. sunlight and heat

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4
Q

What is a biome?

A

A global scale ecosystem

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5
Q

What is a biosphere?

A

All the living organisms in the world and their physical environment

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6
Q

What are the two main sources of nutrients in an ecosystem?

A

Rainwater
Weathering of rocks

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7
Q

Where are TRFs found?

A

Broad belt close to the equator
From South America -> west Africa -> Southeast Asia + Australia

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8
Q

What is the climate of a TRF?

A

Equatorial climate
High temperatures
High rainfall

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9
Q

What are plants and animals like in TRFs?

A

Highest level of biodiversity in the world
Birds live in canopy
Mammals are adapted to trees

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10
Q

What are people like in TRFs?

A

Traditional tribes gather what they need to survive - sustainable
However people are exploiting rainforests

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11
Q

What are soils like in TRFs?

A

Not very fertile
Nutrients concentrated in top soil
Shall roots
Leeching removes nutrients from the top soil

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12
Q

What is the rainfall like in TRFs?

A

Distinct wet seasons
Swells local rivers + soaks into soil causing leeching

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13
Q

What resources are species competing for in tropical rainforests?

A

Light
Space
Nutrients
Water

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14
Q

What are Lianas and how are they adapted?

A

Vines that have roots in the ground
They climb trees to reach sunlight

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15
Q

What are buttress roots and how are they adapted?

A

Long roots allow trees to soak up all of the possible nutrients from the soil

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16
Q

What are drip tips and how are they adapted?

A

Leaves with pointy tips
Allows water to drip off without damaging their leaves

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17
Q

How is a three toes sloth adapted?

A

Extra vertebrae to be able to run
Can swim in floods
Grown green algae in fur to camouflage

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18
Q

What are socio-economic values of rainforests + examples?

A

Resources - timber
Goods - cocoa and sugar
Medicine - 25% of medicine comes from plants in rainforests
Indigenous tribes - Jakuna
Energy - hydroelectric pepper
Employment - guides

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19
Q

What is the environmental value of rainforests?

Study These Flashcards
A

Water - 20% worlds comes from rainforests
Biodiversity - 50% of the worlds plants exist in rainforests
Climate - carbon sink + 28% of worlds oxygen generated
Soil erosion - roots hold tropical soil together

20
Q

Where are nutrients mainly stored in TRFs?

21
Q

How many different species of plants and animals are in the amazon?

22
Q

What are the threats facing biodiversity?

Study These Flashcards
A

Slash and burn agriculture
Mining and pollution of water
Development of roads and selltlemetns
Unsustainable timber harvesting

23
Q

What are the problems of biodiversity declining?

Study These Flashcards
A

Knock on effects on the ecosystem
Indigenous tribes are unable to survive in rainforests
Plant and animal species may become extinct
Important medical plants may become extinct

24
Q

What are the causes of deforestation?

Study These Flashcards
A

Farming
Logging
Mineral extraction
Energy development
Road building
Settlement + population growth

25
What are the 3 types of farming?
Cattle Crops (subsistence) Crops (commercial)
26
What is the issue with commercial ranching?
Leading cause of deforestation in Brazilian amazon Destruction of nutrient cycle Land can only sustain herds for short periods of time
27
What is the issue with subsistence farming?
3 million landless people in Brazil Farmers stay on the land and attempt to farm The land quickly becomes exhausted
28
What is the issue with commercial farming?
Large plantations have been made Crops like palm oil, sugar cane and soybeans are grown Soil can only sustain for a short period of time
29
What is the issue with logging?
Cutting down trees like mahogany and teak Accounts for 3% of deforestation Can be sued for furniture fuel and charcoal
30
What is the issue with mining?
50,000 hectares in 2016 were used Particularly damaging as the land needs to be cleared and the top soil removed
31
What is the issue with energy development?
Constructing dams and resistors floods large areas of forest This damages the rainforest + causes the water to become acidic Belo monte has flooded more than 40,500 hectares of rainforest
32
What is the issue with road building?
Large amounts of forest are cleared Which opens up accessibility to people so there is more deforestation
33
What is the issue with population growth?
Atttracting employees as there are economic opportunities This leads to migration - so more deforestation
34
How can local climate change affect people?
Rainfall patterns can significantly change leading to further vegetation loss Can cause people to move
35
What is the issue with declining soil erosion and fertility?
Nearby rivers get silted up, increasing flood risk More deforestation occurs
36
What are the issues with river pollution?
Local governments may have to incest in increased medical care Mercury being released is irreversible May cause a breakdown of the ecosystem
37
What is the issue with the decline of indigenous tribes?
Once indigenous tribes are disturbed, their culture ad way of life are changed forever Knowledge is lost
38
What is the issue with biodiversity loss?
Species becoming extinct is irreversible, breakdown of foodchains
39
What are small scale forestry sustainable techniques?
Selective logging Agroforestry Replanting
40
What is selective logging?
Only felling fully grown trees - less valuable ecologically Younger trees provide protection from soil erosion Can’t be felled until they are at least 30 years old
41
What is agroforestry and the benefits?
Growing crops and trees together Can control runoff and erosion, reducing losses of water, soil and organic matter
42
What is replanting?
Collecting seeds from remaining patches of the original forest and planting them into areas which have been deforested
43
When was the international timber agreement and what is it?
2006 Restricts trade in tropical rainforest hardwoods - makes them more difficult to sell
44
What is debt reduction in TRFs?
HICs are allowing LICs to pay off debt they owe by putting the money into protecting their rainforests
45
What is ecotourism?
Tourism that works with rather than against the environment Profit stays in the local area

Geography (13 decks)

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