Tropical Rainforests

• Tropical rainforest

  Cover about 2 per cent of the Earth's surface yet they are home to over half of the world's plant and animals
• Location of tropical rainforests

  • Centred along the Equator between the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn
  • Can be found in South America, central Africa and South-East Asia
• Layers in the rainforest


  • Emergent
  • Canopy
  • Under-Canopy
  • Shrub Layer
• Reasons for high biodiversity in rainforests

  • Warm and wet climate encourages a wide range of vegetation to grow
  • Rapid recycling of nutrients to speed plant growth
  • Most of the rainforest is untouched
• Impacts of deforestation

  • Economic development (Mining, farming and logging creates employment and tax income for government, Products such as palm oil provide valuable income for countries, Loss of biodiversity will reduce tourism)
  • Soil erosion (Once the land is exposed by deforestation, the soil is more vulnerable to rain, With no roots to bind soil together, soil can easily wash away)
  • Climate change (When rainforests are cut down, the climate becomes drier, Trees are carbon 'sinks', With greater deforestation comes more greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere, When trees are burnt, they release more carbon in the atmosphere, This will enhance the greenhouse effect)
• Interdependence in the rainforest


  The plants and animals depend on each other for survival. If one component changes, there can be serious knock-up effects for the entire ecosystem.
• Nutrient cycle in the Tropical Rainforest

  The hot, damp conditions on the forest floor allow for the rapid decomposition of dead plant material. This provides plentiful nutrients that are easily absorbed by plant roots.
• Plants adapted to the Tropical Rainforest

  • Very tall
  • Lianas
  • Drip tips
  • Buttress roots
  • Smooth bark
  • Epiphytes
• Causes of deforestation

  • Logging
  • Agriculture (farming)
  • Mineral extraction
  • Tourism
  • Energy development
  • Road building
• How the rainforest can be managed sustainably

  1. International agreements on hardwood - governments around the world need to agree on only trading sustainable sourced products (e.g. stamped with FSC)

  2. Selective logging - Trees are only felled when they reach a particular height

  3. Education - Ensuring those people understand the consequences of deforestation

  4. Afforestation - If trees are cut down, they are replaced

  5. Forest reserves - Areas protected from exploitation

  6. Ecotourism - tourism that promotes the environments & conservation
• International agreements on hardwood


  Governments around the world need to agree on only trading sustainable sourced products (e.g. stamped with FSC)
• Selective logging


  Trees are only felled when they reach a particular height
• Education


  Ensuring those people understand the consequences of deforestation
• Afforestation


  If trees are cut down, they are replaced
• Forest reserves


  Areas protected from exploitation
• Ecotourism


  Tourism that promotes the environments & conservation
• Economic development

  • Mining, farming and logging creates employment and tax income for government
  • Products such as palm oil provide valuable income for countries
  • The loss of biodiversity will reduce tourism
• Soil erosion

  • Once the land is exposed by deforestation, the soil is more vulnerable to rain
  • With no roots to bind soil together, soil can easily wash away
• When rainforests are cut down

  The climate becomes drier
• Trees are carbon 'sinks'

  With greater deforestation comes more greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere
• When trees are burnt

  They release more carbon in the atmosphere, enhancing the greenhouse effect