Unsustainable Resource Development in the Rainforest
Refers to AQA A2 Geography
Ecosystems: Change and Challenge Option
- Created by: Bethany
- Created on: 21-04-14 17:43
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- Unsustainable Resource Development in the Rainforest
- Farming
- Settlers clear small forest plots, often by burning, for the PERMENANT cultivation of food and CASH CROPS
- Includes Coffee and Palm Oil
- Not subsistance farming by tribes such as the Yanomami, which is more sustainable as it involves polyculture, mimicing the biodiversity of the forest.
- Declining yields due to soil exhaustion results in the abandonment of plots.
- Plots become secondary forest with poor biodiversity due to lack of nutrients and seeds in the vicinity.
- Plots may also become poor quality grassland for cattle ranching for low-grade meat.
- Commercial soya production occupies large parts of former rainforest in Amazonia (CASH CROPS - mainly for animal feed)
- Settlers clear small forest plots, often by burning, for the PERMENANT cultivation of food and CASH CROPS
- Logging
- Extraction of valuable hardwood trees such as Teak, Mahogony and Ebony
- Used for furniture e.g. hardwearing garden benches made from 'tropical hardwood'
- The process of logging destroys other, non-commercial species, degrading the forest ecosystem.
- Further destuction as roads are built to provide access.
- Logging is often illeagal, and, without replanting of young trees, is UNSUST - AINABLE
- Extraction of valuable hardwood trees such as Teak, Mahogony and Ebony
- Dam Building
- Huge areas of forest are flooded by dams built to generate hydro-electric power.
- Construction of dams also adds to deforestation e.g. road building for access.
- The Tucururi Dam, Brazil, is an example.
- Rainforest not cleared, river diverted and left to flood area.
- Poisoned the water - chemicals etc.
- Rainforest not cleared, river diverted and left to flood area.
- Mining
- Open-cast mining for iron and aluminum ore results in localized destruction of the rainforest
- Toxic chemicals may pollute rivers and enter food chains.
- Road Building
- Creates access to the rainforest for economic activities such as farming and mining
- Further accelerates rates of development and deforestation
- Creates access to the rainforest for economic activities such as farming and mining
- Impact Statistics
- 1 million square km of rainforest destroyed between 2000 and 2005
- Worldwide coverage over 200 years has fallen from 14% to 6%
- Farming
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