The Equatorial Rainforest

1. The Equatorial Rainforest Standard Grade Geography: Climate

2. Climate case studies For each climate region, you are going to build up a case study which will include information about: • Location of the region • Climate • A detailed study of how human activity impacts on the physical environment

3. Today we are going to learn… • Where Tropical Rainforests are found • What the climate is like in a Tropical Rainforest • Why humans cut down the rainforest and how this has an impact on the environment.

4. What words describe these pictures?

5. The Location of the Equatorial Rainforest Equatorial Rainforests are found.. • Within 5 º North and South of the equator • Roughly 1,500km either side of the equator • In the river basins of the Amazon and Congo • In South East Asia

6. Tasks • Write the title ‘ The Equatorial Climate’ • Collect a blank map of the world and glue it in your jotter. • p163/171 of ‘Wider World Foundations’ will help you to complete the map. Make sure that you… • Give the map a title • Add names of main lines of latitude • Add on and colour main equatorial regions in green • Name the equatorial regions marked on the map • Underneath your map, write a paragraph to say where Equatorial Rainforests are found.

7. The Equatorial Climate • Draw a climate graph for Manaus using the table below • Using your notes on describing climate, write a detailed description of the climate of Manaus. • Maximum and minimum temperature • Highest and lowest rainfall rainfall • Whether the pattern varies through the year or stays the same. • Temperature range • Total precipitation

8. Maximum temperature 28 º Wettest month March – 280 mm Minimum temperature 25 º Driest month August – 80 mm Range of temperature = 28-25= 3º Total rainfall 2160 mm Little variation of temperature from month to month A lot of rain every month

9. Key features of the Equatorial climate • The weather in equatorial areas is almost the same every day – warm mornings, wet afternoons and clear evenings. • This is caused by convectional rainfall. Stage 1- The sun heats the ground and warm air rises. Stage 2 - As the air rises it cools and water vapour condenses to form clouds. Stage 3 -When the condensation point is reached large cumulonimbus clouds are formed. Stage 4 - Heavy rain storms occur. These usually include thunder and lightening due to the electrical charge created by unstable conditions.

10. Tasks ‘Wider World Foundations’ p163/ 171 • Make a copy of Table C to show the daily weather pattern. • Explain what convectional rainfall is and why equatorial regions get it.

11. Deforestation: The Destruction of the Equatorial Rainforest • All countries try to improve the standard of living of their people. This is called development. • For countries besides the equator, one way to develop is to clear large areas of tropical rainforest (called deforestation).

12. What do rainforests offer? 90% of all the plant and animal species in the world are here Some trees used for valuable timber (eg: teak & mahogany) Many trees have edible fruits Other trees have different uses (eg: rubber & cocoa) One third of medical drugs are derived from tropical rainforests

13. Before After

14. Why are rainforests being cleared? • To make extra farmland to grow food. • It makes it possible for people to settle there from overcrowded areas of the country. • Any minerals can be mined more easily. • Reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations can be built. • The felled trees can be sold as timber. • More roads and railways can be built.

15. Effects of deforestation Effects on the soil Effects on the climate Effects on wildlife Effects on local people

16. Effects on the soil • With no leaves or roots, the soil becomes very poor. • With no tree roots, the top soil is easily washed away by the heavy rains. • The soil becomes too thin and poor for crops to grow well.

17. Effects on wildlife • Plants to make valuable medicines die out. • The homes of thousands of species of birds and animals disappear. • The wildlife dies or moves away and some species become extinct.

18. Effects on climate The amount of carbon dioxide in the air increases because there are fewer trees to take in the gas. Carbon dioxide traps heat from the Earth so with more carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere the earth becomes warmer (greenhouse effect). Rising sea levels means flooding to low-lying coasts. Eg: Netherlands and Bangladesh Higher world temperatures cause sea levels to rise.

19. Effects on local people • People who make their living from the rainforest (eg: hunting animals, tapping rubber trees) lose their livelihood. • People who live in the rainforest lose their whole way of life. • People come into contact with outsiders who spread diseases to which they have no immunity.

20. Tasks ‘Wider World Foundations’ p186-187 (p196) • Write the title ‘Deforestation: The Destruction of the Equatorial Rainforest’ • What is deforestation? • Using diagram A, write a detailed paragraph/ draw a spider diagram to show why the rainforests are being cut down. • Using diagram C, draw a spider to show the main effects of deforestation in the Amazon. • Deforestation affects the amount of nutrients in the soil. Using diagrams A and B on p182(190), draw diagrams to show the nutrient cycle before and after deforestation.

21. Tasks • You need to know the causes of deforestation. Copy down the following saying to help you remember them. Surely Companies Must Protect The Rainforest Answer Q 3 a) and b) on p189(p199) oads ower ettlers attle inerals imber