RAINFORESTS

RAINFORESTS

1. 5 and 10 north and south of equator

2. Hot and wet, 26-28 with 2400mm of rain a year

3. Forest floor damp, 2% of original light penetrating down

4. Adaptations

   • Drip tip leaves
     • Rain falls off quickly and reduces snappage.
       • Need this due to the heavy rain amount, 2400mm a year
   • Buttress roots
     • Help stabilise the plant, trees can be 50m high with small roots.
       • Need this due to the strong winds and the little layer of nutrients
   • Sloth
     • Slow moving creatures with long claws.
       • Live in trees due to being defenceless on ground

5. Amazon

   • Causes of deforestation
     • Cattle ranching = Account for 75%, large areas cleared for ranching, Brazil is the 3rd largest exporter of agricultural products in the world
     • Logging = 3% responsible, accounts for 6% of Brazil's exports which helps pay the 188 billion debt
     • Energy = 154 dams and 277 more planned, Belo Monte dam will generate 115 of Brazil's energy
     • Mineral extraction =15% covered,3.5% of GDP

6. Strategies to manage the rainforest

   • Selective logging
     • Precious Woods, allow the trees to grow every 25 years.
   • Ecotourism
     • Ukari floating lodge, 75% reclaimed wood, but it is 1k for a week stay
   • Debt reduction
     • 2010 Brazil signed an agreement converting 14 million debt into a fund to protect the Amazon. Good but change in donor gov can change the deal and may result in funds drying up

7. Impacts of deforestation

   • Economic development
     • Dam will displace 5000 people and flood 500km2 or land. But the dam will also generate 11% of electricity for Brazil and provide 20000 jobs
   • Soil erosion
     • Soils quickly washed away due to the roots not there to anchor the soil. This causes problems for fish and flooding for people
   • Climate change
     • Trees absorb CO2 and emit O2. Cutting trees reduce planets capacity to absorb CO2, reducing O levels