Transcript Aim: What is happening to the tropical rainforest? (1)

Watch the vid.. What’s the
story?
What do you know?
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How much TRF has been lost?
Why is it being lost?
Why don’t we just replant it?
What are the consequences of losing it?
What are the consequences of continuing
to destroy it?
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/interactive/2011/feb/09/mostthreatened-forests-interactive
UNDER
CANOPY
• 10- 20 meters above the forest
floor
• Few branches
• Younger plants waiting to
penetrate the upper canopy
The structure of a tropical rainforest
40 - 60m
Emergents
35m
Main Canopy
20m
Under Canopy
5m
Shrub layer
Forest Floor
1m
FOREST
FLOOR
• Diffused light, therefore
not covered with dense
plant undergrowth – only
receives 1 to 2% of the
sunlight
• The plants have adapted
to the dark and quiet
• Has shrubs at less than 1
meter
The structure of a tropical rainforest
40 - 60m
Emergents
35m
Main Canopy
20m
Under Canopy
5m
Shrub layer
Forest Floor
1m
EMERGENTS
• Trees that have grown up out of
the canopy
• Over 50 meters tall (35 – 60)
• Small leaves to prevent moisture
being blown away by the wind, as
seeds are
• Unlimited light and sun
The structure of a tropical rainforest
40 - 60m
Emergents
35m
Main Canopy
20m
Under Canopy
5m
Shrub layer
Forest Floor
1m
THE CANOPY
• Covers the rainforest
• Captures the energy from the sun
• Largest amount of biomass of any ecosystem on
the earth
• Largest amount of leaves, fruit and flowers in
the rainforest
• At 20-35 meters above the floor
• Home to 90% of the organisms found in the rain
forest; many seeking the brighter light
The structure of a tropical rainforest
40 - 60m
Emergents
35m
Main Canopy
20m
Under Canopy
5m
Shrub layer
Forest Floor
1m
SHRUB LAYER
• Only about 5% of the light reaches
this layer.
• It is usually dark and damp
• Plants here rarely grow to more than
3.5m in height.
The structure of a tropical rainforest
40 - 60m
Emergents
35m
Main Canopy
20m
Under Canopy
5m
Shrub layer
Forest Floor
1m
Now check
your
answers...
Watch the vid.. What’s the
story?
So?
Climate
Vegetation
Living Creatures
Soil
•Deforestation – the removal or destruction
of areas of forest.
•Tropical rainforests are being destroyed at the rate of
32,000 hectares per day.
•The size of the remaining forest is about 5% of the world’s
land surface.
•80% of the Amazon is ‘untouched’ - selective and small
scale deforestation can benefit local communities.
•"Who, or what, is to blame for the destruction of the
rainforest?"
Why are tropical
rainforests being
destroyed?
Explain each…
(use textbook)
•Logging
•Road Building/Urbanisation
•Arable farming
•Cattle Ranching
•Mining – minerals
•Oil extraction
•Hydro-Electricity Power
Stations
•Drugs trade
Quick questions
• Where are tropical rainforests located?
• Why are they considered ‘fragile
environments’?
• What are the main layers of the
rainforests?
• Why are rainforests being cut down
(deforestation)?
• What amount (total and %) is/has been
damaged?
High End Questions
• Destruction of TRF’s should not be
limited?
• Is us telling them to stop is hypocrisy?
• The worlds resources are there to be
used?
• Long term consequences don’t matter?