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Rainforests
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- 1Main ecological features: -stable climate ie. warm -lots of light because they are between the tropics so light hits earth at 90degrees -humid and lots of precipitation (rain) because lots of rising water and transpirationHigh productivity because light, temperature, humidity
high biodiversity because the stable abiotic conditions allow the development of lots of symbiotic interrelationships so lots of specific niches so lots of specialised animals occupy these niches rather than just one general organism occupying several niches at once - 2Importance to us: resources we exploit like timber, spices, food and medicinal substances eg) rosy periwinkleImportant because of resources we still haven't discovered yet like maybe more effective cancer treatment, probably lots of things we don't know because high bioviversity
- 3also ethical reasons, they have educational value eg) biometrics They sequester loads of carbon "lungs of the earth" they cause rain further inland because of interception and transpiration.also pretty.
they bind soil together and reduce soil erosion - 4threats: deforestation for resources eg) timber, paper deforestation for farming space eg) cattle ranches in Brazil or sugar/maize for biofuels global climate change means hot air can hold more water so there is less rain so less humidity so frogs don't like it eg) golden toad not seen for 20 yearsHEP schemes which flood EVERYWHERE
also mineral extraction eg) for iron and aluminium under the amazon which destroys trees :( - 5methods of conservation: protected areas eg) the rio bravo reserve in Belize which protects 100,000 hectares of forest, established by USA/UK/Canada now supported by sustainable logging and ecotourismalso restrict trade to reduce deforestation for timber eg) Honduras mahogany in CITES appendix II
dont want to ban trade completely because that would reduce economic value therefore hinder conservation - 6Debt-for-nature swaps where LEDCs swap debt for domestic investment Carbon credits are linked with Kyoto protocol because countries basically invested in conservation where they couldn't meet their emissions reductions targetsecotourism encourages and to some extend finances conservation
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- AS Level Environmental Studies Fichas sobre Rainforests, creado por elliehaf11 el 09/05/2013.
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