Rain Forest Environmental Problems Deforestation The largest factor of environmental danger to rain forests is deforestation. Mongabay notes Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations statistics that show 10.4 million hectares of rain forest are destroyed every year. The FAO defines deforestation as "the conversion of forest to another land use or the long-term reduction of the tree canopy cover below the minimum 10 percent threshold." Logging and clear-cutting for farming (often referred to as slash-and-burn) both destroy rain forest permanently. In addition, some trees are removed to make way for roads, dams and mining operations. Degradation Degradation is also very damaging to the rain forest, but there is a possibility that areas affected to this degree can be converted back into forest. Habitat fragmentation is another example of degradation in the rain forest. Climate Change Global warming affects rain forest on a very large scale.
Rainforest food chain: top predators The Tiger Sits At The Center Of The Rainforest Food Web. Photo:Mila Zinkova The relationships among species in an ecosystem have often been described as a “food chain” in which the larger animals eat the smaller. But the food-chain image is a two-dimension one, when in fact the picture is much more complex. Rain forest relationships are better described as a web—a rainforest food web. In this complex rain forest web of life, the insects of the rainforest floor tend to eat plants, fungi, decaying material and other insects, and in turn be eaten by spiders, among a host of other creatures. Visit The Top Predators In the Rain Forest Food Web: Visit The Primates In The Rain Forest Food Web: Birds are also devoured by rainforest snakes—but many snakes, especially the smaller ones, are eaten by birds as well. Who eats whom often depends on what stage of life each creature is in, with adult animals generally having less to fear and juveniles and babies having much, much more to worry about.
NASA: Earth Observatory Temperature 20°C to 25°C, must remain warm and frost-free Precipitation 2,000 to 10,000 millimeters of rain per year Vegetation Vines, palm trees, orchids, ferns Location Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn Other There are two types of rainforests, tropical and temperate. Example: Campa Pita, Belize Description There are two types of rainforests, tropical and temperate. The tropical rainforest is a hot, moist biome where it rains all year long. Rain Forest Threats, Rain Forest Species More than half of Earth’s rain forests have already been lost forever to the insatiable human demand for wood and arable land. Rain forests that once grew over 14 percent of the land on Earth now cover only about 6 percent. And if current deforestation rates continue, these critical habitats could disappear from the planet completely within the next hundred years. The reasons for plundering rain forests are mainly economic. Threats Solutions
BBC Nature - Rainforest videos, news and facts Rain Forest Facts and Information Found in the tropical climate near the equator, rain forests make up six percent of the earth's land surface, but produce 40 percent of its oxygen. The rain forest is made up of four layers: emergent, upper canopy, understory, and forest floor. Emergent trees grow far apart and tall, their branches reaching above the canopy. The upper canopy houses most of the rain forest's animal species, and forms a roof that blocks most light from reaching below it. Deforestation Recently, deforestation has reduced the amount of rain forest present around the globe. In Brazil, which houses about a third of the remaining tropical rain forests on Earth, more than 19 percent of the Amazonian rain forests were lost to deforestation since 1970, when only 2.4 percent of the rain forests there had been cleared. Biologists worry about the long-term consequences. Why "Rain" Forests? The rain forest is nearly self-watering. Benefits of Rain Forest Plants
Problems in the Amazon Rates of deforestation vary from one Amazon country to another, mostly because the factors that drive this process also vary across the region. In Brazil for instance, most clearing is carried out in large and middle-sized ranches for cattle pasture, whereas the role of small farmers clearing for agriculture is relatively more prevalent in other countries3. Deforestation is particularly marked in areas adjacent to urban centres, roads and rivers. What are the impacts of deforestation? Loss of biodiversity: Species lose their habitat, or can no longer subsist in the small fragments of forests that are left. Habitat degradation: New highways that provide access to settlers and loggers into the heart of the Amazon Basin are causing widespread fragmentation of rainforests. Modified global climate: The forests’ ability to absorb the pollutant carbon dioxide (CO2) is reduced. Loss of water cycling: Deforestation reduces the critical water cycling services provided by trees.
CBBC Newsround: Amazon deforestation Some main reasons why areas of rainforests are cut down:Farming e.g. soya fields, cattle ranches Mining Flooding areas of land as part of hydro electric power stations Logging to sell the timber Once the trees go, the soil becomes infertile in one or two years, making it poor for farming. Hunting becomes more difficult for the people who live there as the habitat for wildlife is lost. Traditional people's cultures are also lost. The effects of deforestation: Trees are removed. Trees do not protect soil so nutrients are washed out by the rain. Soil is now less fertile and the unprotected surface becomes dry and compacted. It is hard for rain to soak into the soil, so flooding may occur. New trees grow more slowly and there are less species. Possible alternatives to deforestation: You may think that the obvious solution to the problems of deforestation is simply to stop people cutting the trees down. However, it's not always as straightforward as that. The global effects of deforestation:
Live Science: Deforestation Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses. An estimated 18 million acres (7.3 million hectares) of forest, which is roughly the size of the country of Panama, are lost each year, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Some other statistics: About half of the world's tropical forests have been cleared (FAO) Forests currently cover about 30 percent of the world’s land mass (National Geographic) Forest loss contributes between 6 percent and 12 percent of annual global carbon dioxide emissions (Nature Geoscience) About 36 football fields worth of trees lost every minute (World Wildlife Fund (WWF)) Deforestation occurs around the world, though tropical rainforests are particularly targeted. Error loading player: No playable sources found Though deforestation has increased rapidly in the past 50 years, it has been practiced throughout history. Weather vs. 0 of 10 questions complete
Wildlife Trade Our work Display of illegal wildlife products used in Chinese medicine confiscated by customs officers at Heathrow Airport, UK. © WWF-Canon/Edward PARKERWildlife trade is any sale or exchange of wild animal and plant resources by people. This can involve live animals and plants or a diverse range of products needed or prized by humans—including skins, medicinal ingredients, tourist curios, timber, fish and other food products. Why There are many reasons why wildlife is traded, including: food—fruits, mushrooms, nuts, leaves and tubers, are particular important resources in sustaining livelihoods in many rural areas. The primary motivating factor for wildlife traders is economic, ranging from small scale local income generation to major profit-oriented business, such as marine fisheries and logging companies. In fact most of us are involved in wildlife trade in some way, even if it just as end consumers of wildlife products. Over-exploitation is a major concern: