Geography: Tropical Rainforests

Geography: Tropical Rainforests

1. Climate

   • Same all year round. 20-28 C. Rainfall is very high

2. Soil

   • Isn't very fertile. Rain washes nutrients away.

3. Plants

   • Most trees don't drop their leaves. Many are tall and vegetation cover is dense.

4. Animals

   • Contains more animal species than any other ecosystem.

5. People

   • Have adapted to life there, Make a living by hunting, fishing and growing vegetables.

6. Plants and animals have adapted to the physical conditions

   • Plants
     • Tall trees competing for sunlight have big roots.
     • Trees have thin barks as there is no need to protect the trunk from cold temperatures.
     • Plants drop their leaves gradually through out the year, meaning they go on growing all year round.
   • Animals
     • Some animals are camouflages
     • Many rainforest animals can swim e.g jaguars.
     • Many animals are nocturnal, meaning they feed at night when it's cooler - this helps them to save energy.

7. Deforestation

   • Commercial Farming
     • Farming to sell produce for a profit. Cattle and crops. Responsible for 70% of Amazon deforestation.
   • Subsistence Farming
     • A type of agriculture producing food and materials for the benefit of the farmer.
   • Building
     • Building roads and highways.
   • Tropical Rainforest: The Amazon
     • 40,000 plant species. 10,000 animal species
     • Causes of deforestation
       • Mining
       • Road building
     • Effects
       • Development and mining leads to more jobs
       • Companies will pay taxes to the government to improve public services such as education
     • Sustainable Management
       • Selective Logging
         • Chopping down only the tress that have reached full maturity.
       • Afforestation
         • Replanting trees that have been deforested.