rainforests

• what are the layers of a rainforest?

  • emergent layer
  • canopy
  • understory
  • forest floor
• How are buttress roots adapted?

  • Large roots above ground to obtain nutrients, as rainforest has nutrient deprived and waterlogged soils
• What is a 'drip tip'?

  • a tapered end that allows excess rainfall to drip so plants do not get too wet and rot
• What are lianas and how have they adapted?

  • woody vines with roots that grow into the ground
  • Can access nutrients but also reach the light higher up
• What are ephiphytes and how are they adapted?

  • plants that live on the surface of other plants
  • They receive more sunlight
• what is subsistence farming?

  Farmers only produce enough food for themselves and their families to eat
• Describe the 'slash and burn' technique

  • Farmers cut down trees and land is left to dry out
  • Shrubbery left behind is burnt to clear land + ash releases nutrients into the soil
  • Soil become infertile and needs to recover for 20-100 years
• What has become a problem with the 'slash and burn' technique in recent years?

  • Less time being left for recovery (5-8 years) - permanently alters the ecology of the rainforest
• What is commercial farming?

  Agriculture with the direct intent of making profit
• What is logging?

  the cutting down of trees for wood
• What is clear felling?

  All trees in an area are cut down - destroys habitats/vegetation/leads to soil erosion but is profitable
• What does road building take place in rainforests?

  • To provide space for heavy machinery into areas for construction, logging and mining
• Why is road building a problem in rainforests?

  • The chemicals from roads are washed into the ecosystem
  • Trees are cut down for the construction process
• How is energy development a problem in rainforests?

  • Dams are constructed for hydro electric power
  • Large areas of land need to be flooded - displacing communities and destroying habitats
• What is selective logging and replanting?

  • Partial felling of trees, only mature trees are cut down
  • Replanting of trees to prevent soil erosion and create a sustainable process
• What is ecotourism?

  Sustainable tourism

  e.g activities include: wildlife photography, bird watching
• What is a 'debt - for - nature' swap?

  • Countries cancel developing countries foreign debts in exchange for commitments in conservation efforts
• How are spider monkeys adapted to live in rainforests?

  • Strong limbs and strong tails
  • Helps swing between trees
• How are Jaguars adapted to the rainforest?

  • Jaguars in the rainforest are smaller than other Jaguars in the world, to allow them to move easier in thick forest
• What is the adaptation of a leaf - tailed gecko?

  • Tail looks like a leaf as a form of camouflage from predators
• How are toucans adapted to rainforests?

  • Long beaks to cut fruit from branches
• What is the global rate of rainforest cleared per second?

  1 hectare (one football pitch)
• Why is the soil in rainforests infertile?

  • heavy rainfall leaches nutrients from the soil (washes away)