Causes and consequences of reduced biodiversity in tropical rain forests

Mongabay

Causes of loss of biodiversity in Amazonian due to deforestation Clearing for cattle pasture Colonization and subsequent subsistence agriculture Infrastructure improvements Commercial agriculture Logging Explain each of the causes using the following resource: Mongabay – Why is the rainforest being destroyed? http://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/amazon_destruction.html http://news.mongabay.com/2008/0801-amazon.html

Consequences of loss of biodiversity

Explain using diagrams the effect of deforestation on the nutrient cycle. (loss of biomass) Nagle Advanced Geography - 212

Explain the environmental and socioeconomic effects of loss of biomass and habitats. (Indigenous cultures, potential resources)

Explain how loss of rainforest effects the water cycle. Interception This is very important for the whole of Brazil, as winds from the rainforest bring rain down onto the agricultural heartland in the south.

Explain the effect of climate change on rainforests using this diagram. Explain the effect on climate change of rainforest drying and converting to savannah and the potential tipping point. Also watch ‘The day the oceans boiled’

The Atlantic Forest, Brazil – A lesson for Amazonia Only 8% of its original extent remains and it’s under constant threat from urbanisation. Pressure from illegally built housing and the use of resources from the forest such as timber for fuel and construction Its present day area covers 99,944km2 and over 50% of this is protected Unesco World Biosphere Reserve in 1992 1300 vertebrates (500 endemic) 20000 plants (6000 endemic) 950 bird species (55 endemic) Atlantic Forest 458 tree species found under 1 hectare 269 mammals