Forests Under Threat

• Abiotic


  non-living part of a biome, includes the atmosphere, water, rock and soil
• Acid rain


  rain with a pH lower than 5.7
• Afforestation


  the planting of trees
• Agroforestry


  growing trees and crops together to maintain biodiversity of agricultural land
• Biodiversity

  the number of different plant and animal species in an area
• Biofuels


  any kind of fuel made from living things, or from the waste they produce
• Biomass


  renewable organic materials such as wood, agricultural crops or wastes, when used as a source of fuel or energy
• Biotic


  living part of a biome, made up of plant (flora) and animal (fauna) life
• Boreal forest


  the taiga - the world's largest land biome
• Clear-cutting


  the logging of all trees in a wide area of forest
• Climate


  the average weather conditions over a 30-year period
• Coniferous tree


  type of tree which includes pine, spruce and fir, which grow tall and narrow to form a dense canopy
• Conservation

  protecting threatened biomes, e.g. setting up national parks or banning trade in endangered species
• Deforestation


  the deliberate cutting down of forests to exploit forest resources (timber, land or minerals)
• Detritivores


  animal which feeds on dead or decaying plant and animal matter
• Drought


  a long, continuous period of dry weather
• Ecotourism


  small-scale tourism that attracts visitors that are interested in wildlife and culture
• Epiphytes


  plants that live in the canopy on trees and have evolved to get all their nutrients from water and air rather than the soil
• Geographical conflict

  disagreement and differences of opinion linked to the use of places and resources
• Geographical Information Systems (GIS)


  a form of electronic mapping that builds up maps layer by layer
• Global warming

  the increase of Earth's temperatures, also known as the greenhouse effect
• Hydroelectric power (HEP)


  electricity generated by turbines that are driven by moving water
• Invasive species


  (or alien species) - a plant, animal or disease introduced from one area to another which causes ecosystem damage
• Leaching


  when nutrients are washed out of the soil by water moving through it
• Lianas


  climbing plants which cling to trees and climb up to the sunlight in the canopy, while getting water and nutrients from the soil below
• Litter


  decaying leaves and twigs
• Migration


  movement from one place to another
• National parks

  natural landscapes that are protected by the government for the conservation of wildlife or enjoyment of the general public
• Net primary productivity (NPP)


  a measure of how much new plant and animal growth is added to a biome each year
• Non-governmental organisation (NGO)


  NGOs work to make life better, especially for the poor. Oxfam, the Red Cross and Greenpeace are all NGOs
• Nutrient cycle


  The circulation of nutrients between abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) parts of ecosystems
• Primary forest


  the original forest
• RAMSAR wetland

  international treaty dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands with global importance
• Secondary forest

  regenerated or replanted forest
• Selective logging


  the removal of large, valuable trees leaving some of the forest intact
• Strip mining


  the digging of large holes in the ground to extract ores and minerals that are close to the surface
• Sustainable management


  meeting the needs of people now and in the future, and limiting harm to the environment
• Tar sands


  sediment that is mixed with oil, can be mined to extract oil to be used as fuel
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites

  a natural or man-made site that is protected because of their global importance
• Wilderness


  isolated, hard-to-reach places with little human interference or settlement