TROPICA RAINFOREST - INDONESIA

• In the 1960s, 80% of the country was covered in forest. In the last 50 years more than 74 million hectares has been deforested. Indonesia has now lost over 70% of its rainforest.
• some adaptations to the rainforest

  • orangutans: Large arms to swing & support in the tree canopy.
  • drip tips: Allows heavy rain to run off leaves easily.
  • lianas and vines: Climbs trees to reach sunlight at canopy.
• rainforest inhabitants

  Many tribes have developed sustainable ways of survival. The rainforest provides inhabitants with:

  • Food through hunting and gathering.

  • Natural medicines from forest plants.

  • Homes and boats from forest wood.
• why are there high rates of biodivesity?


  • Warm and wet climate encourages a wide range of vegetation to grow.

  • There is rapid recycling of nutrients to speed plant growth.

  • Most of the rainforest is untouched.
• main issues of biodivesity decline

  • Keystone species (a species that are important of other species) are

  extremely important in the rainforest ecosystem.

  • Decline in species could cause tribes being unable to survive.

  • Plants & animals may become extinct.

  • Key medical plants may become extinct.
• possible strategies for sustainability

  • Agro-forestry: Growing trees and crops at the same time. It prevents soil erosion and the crops benefit from the nutrients.

  • 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
• Tropical rainforest cover about 2% of the Earth’s surface yet they are home to over half of the world’s plant and animals.
• A rainforest works through interdependence (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.
• Tropical rainforests are centred along the Equator between the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn and can be found in South America, central Africa and South-East Asia.
• The Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest and takes up the majority of northern South America, encompassing countries such as Brazil and Peru.
• rainforest nutrient cycle

  • 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.
  • As these nutrients are in high demand from the many fast growing plants, they do not remain in the soil for long and stay close to the surface.
  • If vegetation is removed, the soils quickly become infertile.
• climate of tropical rainforest

  • Evening temperatures rarely fall below 22°C.

  • Due to the presence of clouds, temperatures rarely rise above 32°C.

  • Most afternoons have heavy showers.

  • At night with no clouds insulating, temperature drops.
• layers of the rainforest

  A) emergant

  B) canopy

  C) understory

  D) forest

  
• layers of the rainforest

  emergant: Highest layer with trees reaching 50 metres

  canopy: Most life is found here as It receives 70% of the sunlight and 80% of the life

  U-canopy: Consists of trees that reach 20 metres high

  shrub layer: Lowest layer with small trees that have adapted to living in the shade.