GCSE LIVING WORLD Case Studies Revision Guide 2022-23 PDF

Case Studies / Revision Guide 2023-24 3.1.2.2 Ecosystems 1. An example of a small-scale UK ecosystem to illustrate the concept of interrelationships within a natural system, an understanding of….. (be specific to oak woodland) Josh Producers: Producers convert water, carbon dio...

Case Studies / Revision Guide 2023-24 3.1.2.2 Ecosystems 1. An example of a small-scale UK ecosystem to illustrate the concept of interrelationships within a natural system, an understanding of….. (be specific to oak woodland) Josh Producers: Producers convert water, carbon dioxide, minerals, and sunlight into the organic molecules that are the foundation of all life on Earth. An example of a producer in the oak woodland is an oak tree which is eaten by insects such as a caterpillar and also mammals like deer. They are eaten by consumers so that energy can be transferred. Producers are normally plants. Consumers: Consumers are creatures that eat producers or other consumers to gain energy. Consumers have to eat lots to gain the energy they need as they can't get all the energy from what they eat because bones or stems for example cannot be digested. A consumer in the oak woodland is a fox or a deer. Consumers balance the food chain by keeping plant and animal populations at reasonable levels. Decomposers: Decomposers are organisms that get their energy from breaking down dead organic material. Common decomposers in an oak woodland habitat are mushrooms and some insects. Decomposers break down more complex organic molecules into simpler things, such as water and carbon dioxide. Food Chain and Food Web: Daniel Food Chain: A food chain is a diagram that shows which organism eats another organism. It effectively shows where energy starts and where it ends. There are two types of food chains: the grazing food chain, beginning with autotrophs (plant-like/producers), and the detrital food chain, beginning with dead organic matter and insects. Food Web: - A food web is a combination of multiple food chains where everything is interconnected - It is a simple way in which you can represent the transfer of food energy in a specific ecosystem or a separate population of an area of land. - In a food web, a change in the population of one organism affects the populations of other organisms. nutrient cycling: RAFI G NUTRIENT CYCLE (or ecological recycling) – The movement and interchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the formation of matter The movement of mineral nutrients is cyclic, whereas energy flow is unidirectional and noncyclic. The carbon cycle, sulphur cycle, nitrogen cycle, water cycle, phosphorus cycle, and oxygen cycle are only a few of the mineral cycles that recycle mineral nutrients into effective ecological nutrition. 2. The balance between components (carbon stores, nutrients, trophic levels): Isaac C The ecosystem and its components - Dilan - In an ecosystem, the flow of energy and the cycling of nutrients need to be constant to maintain the balance between the different elements. - Green plants take substances from water, air and weathered rocks in the soil and trap the sun's light energy to create living matter. - Any alteration in the balance of nature can trigger a chain reaction throughout the whole system. For example, if you remove all the plants from the environment the forest will be more prone to floods as the rainwater will have nowhere to go, this will harm the consumers and damage its habitat. Both natural and human factors can impact the ecosystem. Natural factors include droughts, floods, and diseases whereas human factors include changing the pH level of the water and altering the nutrient levels of the water. Any of these factors can harm the ecosystem and could result in the collapse of a food chain or worse the entire ecosystem as a whole. 3. An overview of the distribution and characteristics of large-scale natural global Ecosystems (Biomes)... (Think soil, climate, vegetation, location, and why it is there) James H Tundra: The tundra is a treeless polar desert found in the north between latitudes of 60° - 70°. The region has long, dry winters featuring months of total darkness and extremely frigid temperatures on average between -34℃ and -6℃, meaning that most flora species cannot thrive. The tundra supports communities of sedges and heaths as well as dwarf shrubs such as lingonberries and northern Labrador tea. Vegetation is generally scattered, although it can be patchy reflecting changes in soil and moisture gradients. Most precipitation falls in the form of snow, a tundra typically receives 150mm - 200mm of rainfall per year. Soils tend to be acidic and saturated with water. An example of a tundra biome would be along the Colville River in Alaska. Taiga: Low annual temperatures (between -10℃ and a couple of degrees above 0℃) characterise northern latitudes of 50° and 60°; precipitation ranges from 40 - 100 centimetres a year and may fall mainly as snow. This combination favours the preponderance of conifer species. Deciduous trees are also rather common. Ground cover is dominated by mosses and lichens. There is a thin layer of acidic soil in taiga biomes, this is not very nutrient-rich. Temperate Grassland: These are areas of open grassy plains that are sparsely populated with trees. They are home to many large and small herbivores such as bison. They receive less precipitation than average (500mm - 900mm per year) and are located between 23° - 55° with temperatures around -20℃ - 30℃. The three natural factors that impact temperate grassland biomes are tornadoes, blizzards and fires. The vegetation can either be short or tall. The soil is deep, nutrient-rich and very fertile in the upper layers. Gavin Temperate Deciduous: The temperature in temperate climates is “in moderation”, so it’s not too hot or not too cold, with a yearly average temperature of 50 degrees F (10 degrees C). They receive 750-1500 mm of rain every year. There are 4 distinct seasons in this biome: summer, autumn, winter and spring, each lasting around the same time. Hot summers and cold winters are typical in this biome. The vegetation in the biome mainly consists of broadleaf trees, shrubs, perennial herbs and mosses. In temperate biomes, it is common for decaying vegetation to provide nutrients giving fertile soil. This biome can be found in the Eastern United States, Canada, Europe, China, and Japan. - A climograph of Madrid, Spain: a region in the temperate deciduous biome. Savannah: The Savannah is a grassland with trees and shrubs scattered all around it. Vegetation includes scrub, grasses and occasional trees which grow near water holes. Savannahs have 2 distinct seasons: a rainy season with 15-25 inches of rain (this occurs during the summer) and a dry season with only a couple inches of rainfall (this occurs during the winter). It stays relatively warm all year round. During the winter months, it cools down a little but stays warm and humid throughout the rainy season. There are also often herds of animals grazing due to the abundance of grass and trees. - Where the Savannah biome is found across the world. Serengeti Climate graph - An example of a Savannah biome’s climate Desert: The desert biome covers 1/5th of the Earth’s surface. They are found in places like North Africa, the US, Mexico, Australia, Antarctica and Greenland. This biome has a layer of soil that is either sandy, gravelly or stony. Deserts usually get 50 centimetres of rainfall per year at max. The organisms that live in deserts are adapted to this extremely dry climate. There are 4 major types of deserts: hot and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold. Hot & dry and semiarid deserts are similar, in that their summers are long and dry and the winters usually bring low concentrations of rainfall: around 4 cm annually. They can both be very hot. Coastal deserts occur in cool, warm places. They have cool winters and long, warm summers, with average rainfall of 8-13 cm yearly. Cold deserts are characterised by quite cold winters and relatively high rainfall of 15-26cm annually. - Where deserts are found in the world. 5. Tropical rainforest ecosystems have a range of distinctive characteristics, the physical characteristics of a tropical rainforest: (soil, climate, vegetation) OLLIE F - Climate graph? Why are tropical rainforests wet and/or hot? : Tropical rainforests are located between 20-25 degrees north and south of the equator, the rainforest is quite near to the equator hence receiving the light and heat. The graph above shows the average rainfall each month and they all reach a factor of 200mm per month and go to the extent of 325mm Tropical rainforests are wet because of the high rainfall and the moisture in the weather conditions in the rainforest. An example is the Amazon Rainforests which receives 2000mm of precipitation per year from conventional rainfall. This water then causes high levels of humidity as the water vapour is trapped in the rainforest by the canopy level. These high levels of humidity cause high temperatures of around 25℃ in the Amazon Rainforest and cause the rainforest to remain very moist and warm all year round. There are certain plant species known as epiphytes, which grow on other biotic parts and take nutrients and moisture from the air as they are unable to reach the emergent layer without the support of taller trees and plants. The other main cause of the high temperatures in a tropical rainforest is the sun. As all tropical rainforests are close to or on the equator they receive almost all the sunlight, hence the high temperatures.  The land also gets heated up from the sea surrounding tropical rainforests like the Congo rainforest, which has the Atlantic Ocean to the west, warming up the land. The soil in the Amazon rainforest is not fertile due to the heavy rain washing away the nutrients. There are some surface nutrients, but there is only a thin layer of it as the decay of fallen leaves is quick in warm, moist conditions. The vegetation in the Amazon rainforest is evergreen to take advantage of the continual growing season. The trees are very tall, about 88 metres in height. The vegetation cover is very dense, so very little light reaches the forest floor. There is a very high biodiversity in the rainforest about 50% of the animals, plants and insect species are within the rainforest. 6. The interdependence (how if you affect one of these factors, how does it affect the other aspects) of…..: Han Climate: Plants need a warm, yet wet climate to grow. The canopy of a rainforest protects the forest floor from wind and heavy precipitation. Without the correct climate, plants would wilt and the animals would starve due to lack of food. The soil would lose its nutrients in the humus layer (at the top where roots will start to form) and no farmers could grow crops on it or ranch cattle. In addition, the destruction of the climate would increase the melting of the ice caps, a slow increase in sea levels which could lead to devastating flooding, as seen in Boscastle in 2004. Water: Water is essential for the survival of plants and animals inhabiting a tropical rainforest. It also aids the growth of plants to provide food for humans and animals. Without water, trees and plants would die out alongside the animals that live off, and have adapted to, the conditions of a rainforest to survive. Towns that have aided from the forest would not get any good produce due to animals not getting the food they need to keep them healthy. Consequently, this would make businesses collapse in the food market leaving many people unemployed. Indigenous tribes that have learned to survive off the rainforest would take a massive hit as their only supply of water - outside of (maybe) pumps - would vanish. A detrimental effect on the whole tribe. Soils: Plants are the ‘producers’ of all ecosystems and are at the bottom of the food chain. They are needed for any animal above them to survive, so if something happened to the soil which supplied the plant, it would affect the entire food chain, as explained below. The nutrients in the soil are picked up by the roots of the plants such as the Brazilian nut trees. These plants then provide food for the animals and humans; without this nutritious soil, the plants would first die out, starving the animals and also causing the climate to increase in temperature (carbon concentration and global warming). Climate change would cause the ice caps in the Arctic and antarctic circle to melt and cause floods due to higher sea water levels. Revanth Plants are the primary producers of the food chain in the rainforest, all the living organisms present in the rainforest depend on the flora. Biomass within the rainforest is essential for the health of the ecosystem and the soil which houses many small invertebrates. Without plants and biomass, a rainforest simply wouldn’t be a rainforest. Without these plants growing, secondary consumers in the food web would starve as they would not have anything to eat. This effect will continue onto tertiary consumers and so forth. Also, the climate would be affected as the carbon concentration would increase drastically, as plants photosynthesize and therefore take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. The heat would cause the soil to erode as there wouldn’t be any treetop cover protecting the nutritious soil. Also, humans selling the fruits of these plants would feel the effect of this as they would become unemployed. Animals: The animals help keep the soil thriving by leaving droppings - which are extremely rich in nutrients - scattering seeds of fruit and plants - increasing the biomass of the rainforest - and eventually their carcasses are ‘absorbed’ into the soil transferring nutrients into the rich topsoil which eventually makes its way into plants. Smaller insects such as bees pollinate plants and spread seeds due to the lack of wind. Without animals, humans would have less choice to eat, and plants wouldn’t reproduce and therefore die out. The soil would also lose its nutrients over time. The climate would also change as no plants would photosynthesise leaving more CO2 in the atmosphere. This would once again lead to the ice caps melting and floods destroying coastal settlements. People: people harvest the animals and forests, disturbing the natural ecosystems and niches present. This is already harmful to the environment. On the other hand, people can be seen to help the trees, by providing a plethora of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. However, humans who live in rainforests depend on it to survive. Many settlements within rainforests depend on it for food such as fish, fruits, vegetables and meat. Most settlements who live such a lifestyle do so in a sustainable way. The main problem occurs when large organisations exploit the natural resources found within. Ore mining, livestock farming, deforestation and oil extraction all are major components of the destruction of rainforests. 7. How plants and animals adapt to the physical conditions…. Muhammad Azhar To understand the question we must first understand the definition of adaptation. Adaptation - the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment whether this be to compete for food or a mate. Plants: Plants in the Amazon have to compete for food and water to survive in the Amazon. Because of this plants need to adapt to reach sunlight or water or to be able to survive longer without sunlight and water. Lianas have adapted to use existing trees gripping onto them to grow higher toward light. The strangler fig also uses other plants to survive, however, it is like a parasite and uses the plant's nutrients to grow. Saprophytes live on the floor of the jungle; they have adapted to survive decaying matter therefore keeping the nutrients in the rainforest's systems. Tree trunks have adapted to easily reach sunlight and water as they are tall and thin which allows them to reach sunlight. The bark on the tree trunks is smooth which allows rain water to flow down them and into the roots of the trees. The 4 adaptions plants make based on water requirement are hydrophytes, which grow on water or excessive moisture, xerophytes, which grow on the scarcity of water, mesophytes, in between hydrophytes and xerophytes most plants in England are this, and halophytes which grow on salty soil Animals: Animals need to adapt to survive in the Amazon because of the constant need for food and the harsh conditions in the Amazon. An example of an animal that has adapted to meet the constant need for food is the loris who have developed venom and are also nocturnal to help them catch their intended prey. Sloths have developed the ability to use camouflage and move extremely slowly making it difficult for predators to spot them. Howler monkeys have developed the ability to louden their voice. This helps them search for a mate in the large area in which their territory can be. Capybaras have adapted to the Amazon by developing webbed feet which helps them manoeuvre in water and muddy ground with ease. Capybaras have also adapted to the Amazon by developing the ability to stay submerged in water for up to 5 minutes which is useful as they can hide from their predators. Another example of animal adaptation is the long necks of giraffes. This adaption helps giraffes reach even the tallest of trees for leaves in environments where there are only tall trees. Link to useful powerpoint : TRF.ppt (don't click no access) 8. Issues related to biodiversity - what is significant about the diversity of the rainforest?: Daniel Changing rates of deforestation (data): The biodiversity of the rainforest is decreasing each year, due to methods being performed such as land grabbing, mining, logging and large-scale infrastructure development, usually taking place through deforestation, which has skyrocketed in indigenous lands through recent years. Due to the various methods of deforestation of the rainforests, the data has been gathered that between 3.5 - 7.0 billion trees are cut down each year in rainforests, reducing biodiversity by the second, especially in rainforests like the Amazon, which represents 14% of all deforestation, but only has 390 billion trees in the Amazon, compared to the 6 trillion that are estimated to exist in the world. Although the rates of deforestation are very high in the modern day rate, they’re nothing compared to the amount of forest destroyed in the years of the 1990s, where there were 16 million hectares of trees cut down per year, compared to an estimated 10 million hectares between 2015 and 2020. This data shows that the rate of deforestation, although still high, has decreased dramatically since the years of the 1990s, compared to our modern-day era. This is a positive change to deforestation rates which will hopefully keep on decreasing throughout the years. This is particularly important because of the biodiversity in the Amazon rainforest there could be only a few trees in each species which could all be cut down in the event of deforestation. Causes of deforestation: William L In the Amazon, 1.3 million trees are being cut down a year. There are 4 main reasons for deforestation in the Amazon: Timber Cattle ranching Urbanisation Mining Ranching is where someone has a herd of cattle, and moves them from one area to another so that they have enough food. In the Amazon, farmers cut down trees (or use controlled fires), so that their animals can graze the nutritious grass of the rainforest. Once a piece of area has been grazed, the grass cannot grow anymore, so it becomes overgrazed. Ranching is responsible for over 40% of tropical deforestation, and it leaves whole swathes of forest uninhabitable for animals to live in. Many trees are cut down for timber, which is used to make hardwood furniture. This issue could be resolved by using sustainable logging techniques, which allow trees time to regrow, before cutting them down again, and not just moving on to the next tree. This will eventually lead to an empty field, which has no chance of growing any more trees. Urbanisation is another main factor, the population of Amazonian countries are growing and they are expanding the cities and towns into the rainforests. There aren’t many solutions to this because the size of towns and cities is always growing but increasing population density would reduce the rate at which towns and cities grow. Due to an increase in demand for minerals and precious metals, the increase in industrial mining is evident. Large areas are deforested to make way for mining for items such as gold, iron and diamonds. 9. The positive and negative economic and environmental effects of……. Subsistence farming: SRIJAN Subsistence Farming is small-scale agriculture for the household, and an example of this in the Amazon is the Achuar community in Peru, as well as other indigenous communities. They spend around 35% of their day farming in the rainforest around them, e.g. creating space for farming, in areas called the chakras. Subsistence farming takes up 20-25% of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. One economic impact is that it creates jobs within the communities to cut trees, which so the community can provide resources to survive. Furthermore, it costs less to plant and harvest crops than commercial farming, as there are no large-scale processes to do. It also means that a small amount of trade with visitors/tourists can create sufficient money for them. For example, the gold miners by the Tropas River, in Pará, were given resources by the locals, who therefore earned income from subsistence farming. However, in the long term, using subsistence farming can mean that land loses its fertility, meaning fewer crops can be grown and harvested for the community's resources, making less money. Environmental impacts are that by cutting down large areas of the rainforest for farming, the biodiversity is lost, especially since only plants with edible produce are kept. A positive aspect of subsistence farming, especially compared to commercial farming, is that it deforests the rainforest at a slower rate than commercial farming, and some subsistence farmers, especially indigenous communities, only cut down trees they need, selective logging, which reduces deforestation. On the other hand, subsistence farming is used more in places where there is less education, which means that they may not cut down trees sustainably, and evidence of this happening is in Peru, where 160,000 hectares of the Peruvian rainforest is deforested for agriculture, using slash and burn which is very harmful to the environment as it releases lots of carbon dioxide. Dhruv Kale. Commercial farming (ranching and soy) REX Commercial farming is a method of farming in which produce is sold purely to make a profit. In the Amazon rainforest, commercial farming has a huge environmental impact as it results in big parts of the rainforest being deforested. The most prominent form of commercial farming in the Amazon is Cattle ranching. Cattle farming generates extraordinary amounts of money for Brazil, particularly the state of  Mato Grosso which has the most and largest cattle farms in all of Brazil. On average, nearly 400 million tonnes of CO2 are released into the atmosphere each year. Cattle ranching requires only a small investment to generate large profits - economic impact. Cattle ranching creates a need for soy plantations to feed the cattle. These plantations can only be installed in areas which have been deforested. Cattle head 2019: 214 million Cattle ranching is unsustainable, however it could be argued that it is worth it because of the huge amounts of money that could be made in the short term. It is relatively easy to set up a cattle farm using slash and burn to remove the forests. A positive impact is the new infrastructure that is built to allow the produce to be exported, however this comes with environmental impacts. For example, the Trans Amazonian Highway was built in the 1970s. Cattle ranching is damaging because it leads to lots of deforestation to make space for cattle and to transport them to exports. A reason for the rapid expansion of cattle farming in Brazil is the new demand for beef from countries such as China ; as the Chinese population becomes wealthier, they look towards purchasing luxury items such as beef. China cannot economically produce beef within China, however they can purchase cheap beef produced in Brazil. This increase in demand will see the expansion of cattle ranching. Soy is popular because it is both useful for fattening animals before slaughtering, and also for vegetarians and vegans, as you can directly sell soy to supermarkets for meat substitutes. It is also high in protein making it good for enticing the customers to eat it. This means it sells better, making more money. Evidence of this is that Brazil is the country producing the most soy, producing around 300,000,000 metric tonnes in 2018. However, again, the more soy production occurs, the less space is left, and so less money can be made in the long term. One of the environmental impacts is that soy plantations would be replacing the existing trees with a new species that has not been introduced to that area before. This is a direct way in which habitats are ruined. Furthermore, lots of chemicals are used to quickly grow soy, which contaminates rivers and soil, making them infertile and damaging to wildlife. 16. Logging: CODY NEEDHAM Logging is the action of cutting, processing and transporting trees. This has economic benefits, as it provides the material in order to produce products and societies worldwide such as construction, housing, energy, and consumer paper products. As well as this, it is also recyclable, and scraps can be used for MDF. In most cases, large areas of forest are destroyed just to remove a few highly valued trees. The effect of this devastation has lasting consequences such as: - heavy machinery compacts soil and makes it more vulnerable to erosion - silt is washed into rivers and streams - logging roads open up the area to new settlers who remove even more trees Logging adds up to 6% of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest, and logging could create around $400,000 to $1 million, especially around the area of Flora Tapajós. Logging can also create lots of space for roads and infrastructure - where 40m of road can be created for every tree cut down. The Trans-Amazonica Highway was created by logging, and is imperative for the Amazon economy. Again, logging creates new jobs. On the other hand, the logging industry in the Amazon causes deforestation, taking trees away from the rainforest. By leeching, rain can fall directly onto the soil, the soil can get washed away, and take nutrients with it. Also, the soil can get burnt, because there are no trees to protect it from the harsh sunlight. Furthermore, using chainsaws, and cutting down trees releases CO2 and reduces the intake of O2 , hence, increasing the carbon footprint and causing climate change. In more commercial farming techniques, trees are cut down using clear felling, or stripcutting, which are not very good for the regeneration of the area. Logging data and facts 1 large tree knocks down 13 other smaller trees with selective logging. In the last 40 years, nearly 20% of the Amazon rainforest has been cut down due to logging alone. Useful / helpful links: https://rainforests.mongabay.com/kids/lesson_plans/lisa_algee/logging.html https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation-and-forest-degradation Link to a useful Powerpoint presentation: Causes of Deforestation g: Olly R Good roads and transportation offer numerous benefits for individuals, businesses, the environment, and the overall economy. Maintained roads will increase safety by reducing the risk of accidents. They also improve accessibility, enabling businesses to provide goods and services, and reducing transportation costs such as travel time. However, the construction of roads can lead to deforestation, habitat loss, and the displacement of animals and wildlife, in an extreme case causing the extinction of native species. Road construction also generates significant greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to environmental concerns. As said before, new roads can enhance accessibility by opening up new areas and reducing traffic congestion, therefore reducing CO2 emissions. Improved roads reduce travel times and increase reliability, enhancing trade opportunities between regions in the UK and assisting international trade by providing better access to airports, ports, and major transport hubs. Firms may relocate to take advantage of these opportunities, leading to a benefit to the economy, ultimately benefiting consumers through increased produce output, and lower prices.  In summary, good roads have several positive impacts on safety, accessibility, and economic productivity. However they are a threat to environmental considerations. Mineral extraction (gold, iron ore): ADBULLAH - The global mining industry had a total value of $2.026 trillion in 2022. - Mining is a crucial sector in the economies of many large countries worldwide. - It involves extracting rare minerals like gold and iron ore, which can be used to fund government initiatives and improve local infrastructure. - Mining creates numerous job opportunities and offers substantial income to local workers, with approximately 90% of miners being from the region. - Mining companies may invest in advanced infrastructure and contribute to regional development. - However, mining often results in deforestation to facilitate the transportation of heavy machinery, leading to negative environmental impacts. - The Macassa Mine complex in Ontario, Canada, is an example of a highly productive mine, producing 24,000,000 ounces of gold over 86 years. - Mining activities can contaminate local rivers and streams, posing significant problems for communities reliant on these water sources. - Mineral extraction in poorer areas, particularly near the Amazon rainforest, can lead to exploitation of locals and environmental disruption due to loud equipment. - The Carajas mine in the state of Para in Northern Brazil is an example of a mine with vast gold and iron ore resources but is also susceptible to illegal mining activities driven by greed within the industry. Helpful Link : https://www.mining.com/top-10-mines-digging-out-most-expensive-ores/ Energy development (oil and HEP dams): Rory Oil is used everywhere, for example to fuel cars and other vehicles with petrol. This large demand for oil makes it a very large industry worth a massive $2.1 trillion US Dollars. This is because it is an efficient power source and can be easily stored, it is usually reliable and easy to extract. However, it can cause the destruction of habitats, especially to marine life in oil slicks and it is a finite resource that is being used up very quickly. It also contributes greatly to climate change and pollutes large areas with small spills. BIllions of people around the world rely on Hydroelectric Powered Dams to power their homes, offices, factories, hospitals and schools. They are this popular as they are reliable, renewable, low operating cost and lower greenhouse emissions as water is carbon-free. A dam is made when you block a river so that a lake forms behind it. The water released through pipes and turbines which turn and create electricity can be converted into electricity. Building the dams can provide employment as well, however, they have to be built close to cities to provide power which can displace people. Also, the cost of initially building a dam is very high. There are no greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity generated by hydro power plants. But when a reservoir is created, flooded plants and trees begin to decompose, creating vast amounts of carbon and methane. Also, when dams block running water, fish cannot swim upstream and return to their breeding grounds. This affects the next level of the food chain which relies on this fish for food and so on. Settlement & population growth: RISHEET A growing population means more people to work and trade. More children means more parents buying toys, clothes and food for their children which provides for the economy. However, the greater the population the greater the need for all of the people who make up the population. Let us take an example of an unnamed area that could comfortably support 1000 people living there and there are only 100 people living there now. If the population grew from 100 to over 200 in a few years, to maintain the same quality of life as when there were 100 people, there would need to be double the amount of goods, services and housing. This is why settlements expand over time. However, the problem is the expansion of settlements deforests land and depletes it of resources in order to grow. When the population reaches a certain point however, such as the 1000 this unnamed area could comfortably support, it runs out of space and resources. As the population continues to grow past this point the quality of life would get lower and lower, due to a growing number of people using a depleting amount of resources. This shows that population growth has a huge impact on the way people live. depleting amount of resources. This shows that population growth has a huge impact on the way people live. 12. Negative impacts of deforestation - (climate change contribution) - Why should they NOT be cut down? : SRIJAN Green highlight- impacts of deforestation Yellow highlight- causes of deforestation Deforestation is where trees are removed from a certain place or area. Causes of deforestation can involve the likes of mining, farming and many more. There are certain problems associated with deforestation. Deforestation will result in a decrease in biodiversity as the habitats of flora and fauna will be destroyed meaning they will have less places to live and survive in the wild. Also, another consequence of deforestation is the loss of medicinal sources. Many medicines in the world now have come from medicinal sources from the forest. If deforestation occurs, we will not be able to produce different medicines going forward, which could cure many diseases we see in the world today. Also, deforestation can cause fires and floods. If there is a decrease in the number of trees, it will not be able to slow down water that is falling from the mountains during strong typhoons. This can lead to rivers flooding and rivers overflowing, which could endanger the safety of humans and flora, which could end up with humans losing their lives and property being destroyed. Also, if the trees are burned down, forest fires could potentially occur. This will put fauna living in these forests in danger and it could even lead to property damage up to thousands of dollars. Also, deforestation causes greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. This will contribute to climate change. Trees take in CO2, which makes it good as it takes in greenhouse gases. However, if there are fewer trees, it will contribute to climate change. Furthermore, deforestation has an abundance of problems for the inhabitants of the rainforest. The indigenous people of the rainforest rely heavily on the natural resources in the rainforest. All resources are sourced from nature and without it, they cannot survive, and deforestation could cause the extinction of indigenous inhabitants. An example of this is the Achuar tribe in the Amazon rainforest, the tribe is at constant war with the mining, oil and deforestation industry, everyday, more and more land is destroyed by the big companies. Another reason for why deforestation should not occur, is because it can interfere with the food chain which can cause the extinction of species as they do not have enough food to survive as their food source is endangered due to the deforestation. Thirdly, trees help regulate the water cycle, as they control the level of water in the atmosphere, areas with less trees would lead to droughts and dry soil, which then causes infertility which then means plants cannot grow. Deforestation should not occur in the world because of the negative impact it poses on the environment and the fauna, flora, and people living in that particular environment. 13. Value of tropical rainforests to people: SUWAYNE Key Green highlight - Good impacts/effects Yellow highlight - Moderate impacts/effects Orange highlight - Bad impacts/effects Red highlight - Very bad impacts/effects As well as the vivid beauty that comes with great diversity in plants and animals, rainforests also play a practical role in keeping our planet healthy. By absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing the oxygen that we depend on for our survival. The absorption of this CO2 also helps to stabilise the Earth's climate. This is extremely important especially nowadays that Climate change has become a significantly large issue that the human population have been trying to resolve for a long time. There are also many people (tribes) especially in continents like Africa and South America whose homes are habituated in these Rainforests. Some may have lived there for their whole lives and the rainforests may have brought many, many memories to them and their ancestors. Not only that, but in countries like Brazil, it is extremely difficult for some individuals to get jobs and earn money due to the lack of education and resources. This means that the rainforests may be the only way out of this tough situation and they rely heavily on this. Tribes have been relying on essential resources, such as food (from hunting). When deforestation takes place, many animals no longer have a habitat, which prevents the tribes from their food. Moreover, tribes plant their own crops which is another essential part of their lives. Destroying their home, might also destroy their lives. 14. Evaluate strategies used to manage the rainforest sustainably SAI Selective logging: Selective Logging is the removal of selected trees within a forest based on what the logger wants to cut down i.e. if a logger only wants cocoa trees in the amazon rainforest, he will only cut those down and not other trees. It incorporates the cutting down of valuable trees. It is the practice of removing only a few trees, leaving the rest intact, instead of the standard ‘clear cutting’ where a large area of the forest gets cut down, leaving lots of trees to waste. A few drawbacks to selective logging are: - Even if only 1 tree is cut, for example, it could result in many trees around it still getting damaged/killed - Selective logging has been seen to increase the rates of illegal logging in that area. Being linked to the first point, slightly damaged trees could be seen as an excuse for loggers to cut down unlicensed trees. This is because a cubic metre tree can be worth up to 14000$ thus is in high demand for many To stop this, the Brazilian government for environmental issues (IBAMA), have set up in areas such as Tapajós (a river in the Amazon). This is a program that is a part of the prevention of illegal logging. In the area, they use selective logging incorporating the commercial cut of timber but not focusing mainly on many different species, just a select few. A tree census (or count) is also held in place to make sure decisions are made ahead of time making sure that seed trees are spared and that every single tree is taken account for so when cutting, the tree will not fall onto any others, therefore making the area more sustainable as the only trees being cut are the ones that are needed. However, this cannot stop the increase in criminal logging with the expected 60-80% of Brazil’s logging to be found illegal. These numbers are simply too high to be put down to a complete 0. A downside is the production of nuts on the trees in rainforests. Peru makes millions of dollars just exporting nuts in and out of the country. This adds to other countries' general demand for bark and timber. Selective logging decreases the amount of products that the trees produce making it very hard for sellers to make as much money to provide for their families and to be able to grow. In conclusion, selective logging is one step closer to being more sustainable overall, but will not be enough on its own to make that much of a difference, as it comes with its own cons. Replanting: Ethan Z Replanting is the restocking of existing forests or woodland, usually because they have previously been depleted because of deforestation or other causes. Why replanting is good is because it re-establishes a healthy forest structure by regrowing its canopy which preserves the biodiversity in that ecosystem system, however the end results may vary based on location and forest type. This generally happens after selective logging as it allows reforestation in the Amazon to occur, which also makes it more sustainable. The US ONG Conservation International will attempt to plant 73 million trees in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil by 2023. The project's reforestation technique Muvuca will spread more than 200 different species of seeds through the land. Using this technique, scientists hope that there will be 5000 trees per hectare of the Amazon, although trees may be too tightly packed to maximise their effectiveness of absorbing CO2. This is important because the Amazon is highly effective at absorbing greenhouse gases causing less global warming, it has absorbed up to 37% of our CO2 emissions which will gradually help the world climb to a much more sustainable future. Drones have been launched enabling us to drop seeds in hard to reach Preparing Muvuca, it is a mixture areas, so far 10,000 acres of land has been covered via the uses of native tree seeds. drones. This project of replanting is definitely helping the rainforest to create a more sustainable environment in order to fight climate change and to decrease it in the future. Conservation: Education: ANISH Education is teaching children the negative effects of deforestation at a young age to allow them to gain a deeper understanding of the impact it has. It also paints biodiversity in an interesting and positive way, making the kids more interested in what they are studying and are thus more willing to undertake action. Education is used to increase public awareness of the value of tropical rainforests. In addition to this, education also ensures the people who are involved in the exploitation and management of the rainforest to understand the consequences in doing so. An example of this is the Coffee Sustainability Curriculum through an interactive app and advanced training courses in Brazil. (shown on the left) Ecotourism: OLLIE Ecotourism helps protect natural and pristine habitats. The wealth of poor countries is often tied to natural resources such as forests, minerals and land that can be used for agriculture. Exploiting these resources often means transforming or destroying wildlife habitats and beautiful natural landscapes. Ecotourism allows countries and communities to build their own economies without harming the environment, which means that local wildlife and biomass can thrive while tourists can enjoy untainted areas. Ecotourism is a great way to preserve biodiversity in many areas of the world, this is why countries such as Costa Rica, Australia, Kenya, Estonia and Sweden have all contributed to saving the world’s nature by implementing their own ecotourism schemes. International agreements about the use of tropical hardwoods: LAURENT There are also international agreements on the uses of tropical hardwoods and logging. The International Tropical Timber Agreement was set up in 2006 to "promote the expansion and diversification of international trade in tropical timber from sustainably managed and legally harvested forests and to promote the sustainable management of tropical timber producing forests". Initially, in 1983, there were 58 parties who signed up including countries like Australia, Brazil, Bolivia and others. In 2006, 13 more countries joined making it 71 countries that have signed up to the agreement sponsored by the United Nations. Full document from the United Nations: https://www.itto.int/council_committees/itta/ Debt reduction and Conservation Swaps: KIRAN The rainforests are often found in poorer countries that want to exploit them. Debt reduction offers an alternative to poorer countries in exchange for their natural wealth. These swaps basically see poorer countries have portions of their debts wiped out or paid for by richer nations or charities of richer nations in exchange for promising to protect or promising to conserve large parts of their natural environment. This has large scale global effects, for example, protecting the atmosphere. In 1984, the World Wildlife Fund came up with the idea of conservation swaps and in 1987, the first was launched in partnership between the Government of Bolivia and Conservation International (CI) for $650,000 which protected 3 natural areas. Many countries have since followed, including the Philippines, Sudan, Zambia, Ecuador and Uganda. Selective logging: Harry Pomfret Selective logging is selective because loggers choose only wood that is highly valued, such as mahogany to cut down. Clear-cutting is not selective because they destroy every tree in the area. Selective logging is more sustainable than clear-cutting because other trees, plants and animals can survive in the logging process and as time goes on it can help recover the forest. However, it does have major drawbacks. When the trees are felled, it can cause damage to nearby trees and harm the environment and some of the animals living there. To get to the destination, loggers may need to bring large equipment or even vehicles with them so other trees may get in the way so they may have to cut trees down. HARRY L Replanting: In the Amazon rainforest a lot of deforestation has occurred due to many reasons such as its mineral rich crust which can be harvested for gold, or it can be used for cattle ranching and more. Because of this, the biodiversity has decreased by more than 60% worldwide since 1970, as many animals have not got a habitat, which has caused their population to decline greatly. Furthermore, deforestation is also a leading factor for climate change as they are releasing their stored carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, so the ozone layer has been damaged greatly. Luckily for us however, there is a way to greatly decrease the effect this has on our world; replanting the trees, which is more commonly called reforestation. Reforestation is a process in which a group of workers replant the trees they have cut down. The main premise of reforestation is great as replanting the trees can help to absorb some of the CO2 that was produced after having cut them down and it also prevents loss of biodiversity, as it is estimated that over 100,000 species go extinct a year in the rainforests alone. Another benefit of reforestation is that it fertilises the soil, helping to prevent erosion. However, there are some drawbacks to reforestation, as it takes on average 20-30 years for trees to grow to their full adult size, meaning the effects will only be noticeable in decades. Another drawback is the maximum amount of land that can be used for reforestation; currently, not all land on which trees have been cut down for logging or other uses is a suitable environment to regrow trees due to mineral deficiencies, harmful chemicals, and the such. AYAN Conservation: It is the careful preservation and protection of something typically to do with nature, such as a planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction or neglect of water conservation and wildlife conservation. Some examples of conservation are in the Amazon. The Amazon Region Protected Area (ARPA) which is made up of people from the WWF and Brazilian government help protect over 50 million acres of land. Due to conservation, ecotourism can happen, this leads to: People being educated of the rainforest, making them wanting to help more Profits can be put back into conservation projects Local people and employed and paid people want to protect the areas as jobs are available. Another example is the International Tropical Timber Agreement, formed in 2006. It says: “promote the expansion and diversification of international trade in tropical timber from sustainably managed and legally harvested forests and to “promote the sustainable management of tropical timber producing forests"”. Debt reduction Debt reduction normally happens in poorer countries where there is a lot of debt. These are partly paid by richer countries and organisations, in return the local people would have to protect and conserve large parts of the natural environment. How are tropical Rainforest conserved ​ Logging and replanting - selective logging of trees ensures that the rainforest canopy is preserved. This method allows the forest to recover because the younger trees gain more space and sunlight to grow. Planned and controlled logging ensures that for every tree logged another is planted. ​ Education - Promoting the value and benefits of biodiversity associated with tropical rainforests. ​ Ecotourism - this encourages sustainable tourism that creates jobs for local people whilst ensuring that the money generated is used to protect and conserve the tropical rainforest for future generations to enjoy. Money obtained by this method can be but back into conservation ​ International agreements - agreements to protect tropical rainforests have been made between different countries through debt-for-nature swaps. This is when a country which is owed money by another country cancels part of the debt if an agreement is made by the debtor country to ensure the conservation of its tropical rainforests. Malaysia Education informed the public who then protected their lands Local communities were involved Selective logging was put into action allowing 40 years for trees, so trees would re-establish themselves Permanent forest estates and national parks to protect biodiversity