Geography

• when ther is a river - the oil flows beneath
• the oil is really hot - they rased the pipeline and insulated it
• in case of an earthquake - the pipeline wont leak because it is supported and can slide if earthquakes happen
• if there would be a leak - the flow of oil would stop automatically 
• pipeline would prevent the migration of caribou - they raised it up

• has been involved in protection ever since oil was discovered
• ensure that the transportation of oil protect the natural environment and the native people
• ensure that drilling for oil is kept away from sensitive areas

Antarctic Treaty

• protect the national environmental
• despite the discovery of valuable minerals
• successfull in: recognising the importance of the continent for scientific research and controlling tourism and keeping disturbance to a minimum

WWF in Canada

• WWF protects the arctic environments in Canada
• they are working with local communities to:
• manage critical ecosystems
• supporting scientific research to help protect important species
• working with oil companies / local Inuit organisations and government regulators to plan a sustainable future for the arctic

• Very wet with over 2,000 mm of rainfall per year.
• Very warm with an average daily temperature of 28°C. The temperature never drops below 20°C and rarely exceeds 35°C.
• The atmosphere is hot and humid.
• The climate is consistent all year round. There are no seasons.

• Most of the soil is not very fertile
• A thin layer of fertile soil is found at the surface where the dead leaves decompose.
• It is red in colour because it is rich in iron.
• Due to heavy rainfall the nutrients are quickly washed out of the soil

• The warm and very wet climate provides perfect conditions for plant growth.
• The wide range of plant species supports many different animals, birds and insects.
• Species have adapted to the conditions of the rainforest, eg trees and plants have shallow-reaching roots to absorb nutrients from the thin fertile layer in the soil.

A tropical rainforest is made up of the following layers:

• ground level
• shrub layer
• under canopy
• (main) canopy
• emergents

The following adaptations allow plants to survive in the conditions of the rainforest.

• Lianas - these are woody vines that have roots in the ground but climb up the trees to reach the sunlight. Their leaves and flowers grow in the canopy.
• Tree trunks - these are tall and thin to allow trees to reach the sunlight. The bark on these trees is smooth to allow water to flow down to the roots easily.

Drip tips - plants have leaves with pointy tips. This allows water to run off the leaves quickly without damaging or breaking them.

Buttress roots - large roots have ridges which create a large surface area that help to support large trees.

Epiphytes - these are plants which live on the branches of trees high up in the canopy. They get their nutrients from the air and water, not from the soil.

Many animals have adapted to the unique conditions of the tropical rainforests.

The sloth uses camouflage and moves very slowly to make it difficult for predatorsto spot.

The spider monkey has long, strong limbs to help it to climb through the rainforest trees.

The flying frog has fully webbed hands and feet, and a flap of loose skin that stretches between its limbs, which allows it to glide from plant to plant.

The toucan has a long, large bill to allow it to reach and cut fruit from branches that are too weak to support its weight.

• Farming - large areas are cleared for pastoral farming. As the global demand for meat has increased many cattle farms have opened in the Amazon Basin for beef farming. Arable farming is also responsible for the loss of tropical rainforest as many farmers are clearing land to grow cash crops, such as soya beans.

• Logging - tropical rainforests are cut down so that valuable trees like mahogany can be accessed and sold for timber to make furniture. Other trees are cut down for making paper products.

• Mining - the Amazon Basin is rich in natural resources such as iron ore, copper, tin, aluminium, manganese and gold. This has led to the development of mines which results in the clearance of tropical rainforest. The Carajas mine in Brazil is the world's largest iron ore mine.

• Roads - the construction of access roads for farmers, loggers and miners results in large parts of the tropical rainforest being destroyed.

• Hydroelectric power (HEP) - The creation of HEP stations in the Amazon Basin has resulted in large areas of forest being flooded to create the reservoirs and dams. The flooding of the Balbina dam in Brazil resulted in the loss of 920 square miles of tropical rainforest.

• Population - population growth has resulted in the loss of tropical rainforest as land is cleared to build houses and infrastructure.

Soil erosion

Once the land is cleared of rainforest vegetation the soil is left bare. When it rains, the nutrients in the soil are washed away. The nutrient cycle stops because there are no plants or trees shedding leaves to replace the nutrients in the soil. The soil is no longer able to support plant life because it is not fertile. The roots of plants and trees no longer hold the soil together so it is easily eroded.

Loss of biodiversity

Many different species of plants and animals die because of deforestation. As plants and animals are closely connected through the food web, deforestation this reduces the biodiversity, or variety of species found in the tropical rainforest.

Climate change

The trees and plants of the Amazon Basin absorb carbon dioxide during the process of photosynthesis. If there are fewer trees and plants, due to deforestation, then less carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere. In this way deforestation contributes to global warmingand therefore climate change.

Economic development

The creation of mines, farms and roads - which caused deforestation - has also led to economic development. The money created from these enterprises allows a country to generate foreign income, which can then be used to pay off debts or be invested in further development projects.

This rainforest nutrient cycle stops with deforestation

• Logging and replanting - selective logging of mature 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 - It is important that local people, businesses and politicians understand the true value of the tropical rainforest. Once they understand the value of biodiversity, particularly in terms of tourism, they will be more likely to want to protect it from deforestation.

• 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.

• 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.

The Malaysian government have implemented the following policies to ensure that the tropical rainforest can be conserved and enjoyed by future generations:

• Public awareness of the value of tropical rainforests increased through education.

• Local communities included and involved in forest conservation projects.

• Use of alternative timber sources such as rubber trees was encouraged.

• Selective logging of mature and commercially viable trees over a 40-year cycle to ensure that trees had time to re-establish themselves. This is known as a Selective Management System.

• Ecotourism promoted and developed in tropical rainforest areas.

• Permanent Forest Estates have been created by the government where no change of land use is allowed.

• Creation of National Parks to protect biodiversity.

a natural system made up of plants, animals and the environment

Living things

Convert energy from the mainly sunlight into sugar. the most obvious producers are plants that convert energy from the sun by photosynthesis.

get energy from the sugars produced by the producers. E.g. a pond snail, because it eats plants.

They break down plants and animal material and return the nutrients to the soil e.g. Bacteria, funghi

Shows the connections between producers and consumers in a rather more complex way

foods that are used by plants or animals to grow

Two main sources:

-rainwater washes chemicals out of the atmosphere 

-weathered rock releases nutrients into the soil

When plants or animals die, the decompisers help them to recycle the nutrients making them available one again for the growth of plants or animals.

Very large ecological areas on the earth‘s surface, with Fauna and flora adapting to their environment. (E.g. rainforest)

The variety of live in the world ora particular habitat.

Begins at canal hill in Tiverton and continuous from there to Greenway Bridge and Buckland.

They both influence each other. The abiotic factors will determine what kinds of biotic factors will be present. Paticular organisms and plant forms are suited for particular types of environment. E.g. frigid climates will not support lizards and other cold-blooded animals. Instead large, blubery mammals like whales and polar bears are much better suited to this type of environment. At the same time the biotic factors will influence the abiotic factors. Microbes and plant life in a lake will determine what the different factors of water will be (acidity, murkiness)

Water shortage / Over fertilisation leading to eutrophication / Exposure to water by chemical agents

Plankton and Crustaceous animals would increase unhindered. Algae education would become bigger. The birds at the top of the food chain wouldn’t have enough food and would die.

The abiotic components of an ecosystem provide a crucial habitat and environment for the biotic components to live in. I.e. the water and rainfall that fills up the canal creates the environment in which the fish can live.