gcse geography tropical rainforest case study

Living World - Amazon Case Study

The Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest on Earth. It sits within the Amazon River basin, covers some 40% of the South American continent and as you can see on the map below includes parts of eight South American countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname. The actual word “Amazon” comes from river.

Amazing Amazon facts; • It is home to 1000 species of bird and 60,000 species of plants • 10 million species of insects live in the Amazon • It is home to 20 million people, who use the wood, cut down trees for farms and for cattle. • It covers 2.1 million square miles of land • The Amazon is home to almost 20% of species on Earth • The UK and Ireland would fit into the Amazon 17 times!

The Amazon caught the public’s attention in the 1980s when a series of shocking news reports said that an area of rainforest the size of Belgium was being cut down and subsequently burnt every year. This deforestation has continued to the present day according to the Sao Paulo Space Research Centre. In 2005 they had lost 17% of Amazon rainforest or 650000 square kilometres. Their satellite data is also showing increased deforestation in parts of the Amazon. The process of deforestation The Amazon helps a Newly Emerging Economy(NEE), Brazil, to make money. They build roads into the forest, logging firms then go in and take out valuable hard woods such as mahogany and cedar, worth thousands of pounds in richer economies like Europe. Then farmers, often cattle ranchers from big companies, burn the rest to make way for cattle pasture. 75% of cleared areas are used in this way. This is clearly shown on the map on figure 22 in red. Many of the deforested areas follow roads and branch off from there.  Deforestation is also worse in the South and South East of the Amazon basin, closer to major centres of population in Brazil.

© WWF   Source  Used with permission.

The causes of deforestation 1. Subsistence and commercial farming – subsistence farming is where poor farmers occupy plots of the forest to grow food to feed themselves and their families. They clear forest and then burn it, hence the name slash and burn.  They grow crops until the soil is exhausted and then move on.  This contributes to deforestation but not as much as commercial farming (Farming to sell produce for a profit to retailers or food processing companies). The Brazilian region of Mato Grosso was affected by deforestation in the 1980s and 1990s. 43% of rainforest losses were in this region, and area almost ½ the size of France. It has been replaced by fields for grain and cattle. This has allowed Brazil to overtake Australia as the largest exporter of beef in the world. The land is also flat and easy to farm. It also has high temperatures and lots of rainfall.

2. Logging – This involves cutting down trees for sale as timber or pulp.  The timber is used to build homes, furniture, etc. and the pulp is used to make paper and paper products.  Logging can be either selective or clear cutting. Selective logging is selective because loggers choose only wood that is highly valued, such as mahogany. Clear-cutting is not selective.  Loggers are interested in all types of wood and therefore cut all of the trees down, thus clearing the forest, hence the name- clear-cutting.

3. Road building – trees are also clear for roads.  Roads are an essential way for the Brazilian government to allow development of the Amazon rainforest.  However, unless they are paved many of the roads are unusable during the wettest periods of the year.  The Trans Amazonian Highway has already opened up large parts of the forest and now a new road is going to be paved, the BR163 is a road that runs 1700km from Cuiaba to Santarem. The government planned to tarmac it making it a superhighway. This would make the untouched forest along the route more accessible and under threat from development.

4. Mineral extraction – forests are also cleared to make way for huge mines. The Brazilian part of the Amazon has mines that extract iron, manganese, nickel, tin, bauxite, beryllium, copper, lead, tungsten, zinc and gold! 

The Belo Monte dam site under construction, copyright  Used with the kind permission of Phil Clarke-Hill  - His website is amazing, click here to see it.

5. Energy development – This has focussed mainly on using Hydro Electric Power, and there are 150 new dams planned for the Amazon alone.  The dams create electricity as water is passed through huge pipes within them, where it turns a turbine which helps to generate the electricity.  The power in the Amazon is often used for mining.  Dams displace many people and the reservoirs they create flood large area of land, which would previously have been forest.  They also alter the hydrological cycle and trap huge quantities of sediment behind them. The huge Belo Monte dam started operating in April 2016 and will generate over 11,000 Mw of power.  A new scheme the 8,000-megawatt São Luiz do Tapajós dam has been held up because of the concerns over the impacts on the local Munduruku people.

6. Settlement & population growth – populations are growing within the Amazon forest and along with them settlements.  Many people are migrating to the forest looking for work associated with the natural wealth of this environment. Settlements like Parauapebas, an iron ore mining town, have grown rapidly, destroying forest and replacing it with a swath of shanty towns. The population has grown from 154,000 in 2010 to 220,000 in 2012. The Brazilian Amazon’s population grew by a massive 23% between 2000 and 2010, 11% above the national average.

Impacts of deforestation – economic development, soil erosion, contribution to climate change. • Every time forest is cleared species are lost – so we lose BIODIVERSITY • Climate Change - Burning the forest releases greenhouse gasses like CO2.  This contributes to the warming of our planet via climate change and global warming.  In addition, the loss of trees prevents CO2 being absorbed, making the problem worse. The Amazon also helps to drive the global atmospheric system. There is a lot of rainfall there and changes to the Amazon could disrupt the global system. • Economic development – Brazil has used the forests as a way to develop their country.  The forest has many natural riches that can be exploited.  In addition, Brazil has huge foreign debt and lots of poor people to feed, so they want to develop the forest. May Brazilians see deforestation as a way to help develop their country and improve people’s standard of living. • Soil erosion - the soils of the Amazon forest are not fertile and are quickly exhausted once the forest is cleared. The farmers now artificially fertilise the soil when in the past the nutrient cycle would have done this naturally.  In addition, the lack of forest cover means that soils are exposed to the rainfall.  This washes huge amounts of soil into rivers in the process of soil erosion.

NEXT TOPIC - Living World - Sustainable Forest Management

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Tropical Rainforest Biome

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Biodiversity and Tropical Rainforests

Changing rates of rainforest deforestation

What are the causes of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest?

What are the effects of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest?

What are the causes of deforestation in the Malaysian rainforest?

What are the effects of deforestation in the Malaysian rainforest?

What is the value of the tropical rainforest?

Sustainable management of the tropical rainforest

Sustainable Management of the Amazon Rainforest

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Case Study: Malaysian Rainforest

Case study of a tropical rainforest – malaysian rainforest.

Malaysia is located in south-east Asia and has experienced rapid deforestation.

Deforestation

• An area is clear-felled if all the trees are removed from an area one at a time.

• Malaysia is the world’s largest exporter of palm oil.
• The rainforest has been cleared to make room for commercial farming.

• The government has encouraged people to move into rainforest areas to reduce the pressure on cities (transmigration).

Damming the river

• The government has tried to improve energy supplies for Malaysian industry and people.
• The Bakun HEP Dam has flooded large areas of rainforest.

Impacts of Deforestation on the Malaysian Rainforest

There are a number of different impacts of deforestation on the Malaysian Rainforest.

Economic development

• The Bakun HEP dam has provided jobs for construction workers and energy to support developing industries in Malaysia.
• The increased tax received by the government can be reinvested into public services like health and education.

Soil erosion

• Trees intercept rain and bind soils.
• When trees are removed, the soils are easily washed away.
• Changes to the microclimate make soils drier so soil erosion is more severe.

Contribution to climate change

• Rainforests store carbon in the trees.
• Releasing carbon adds to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
• Fewer trees also mean less absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

1 The Challenge of Natural Hazards

1.1 Natural Hazards

1.1.1 Types of Natural Hazards

1.1.2 Hazard Risk

1.1.3 Consequences of Natural Hazards

1.1.4 End of Topic Test - Natural Hazards

1.1.5 Exam-Style Questions - Natural Hazards

1.2 Tectonic Hazards

1.2.1 Tectonic Plates

1.2.2 Tectonic Plates & Convection Currents

1.2.3 Plate Margins

1.2.4 Volcanoes

1.2.5 Effects of Volcanoes

1.2.6 Responses to Volcanic Eruptions

1.2.7 Earthquakes

1.2.8 Earthquakes 2

1.2.9 Responses to Earthquakes

1.2.10 Case Studies: The L'Aquila & Kashmir Earthquakes

1.2.11 Earthquake Case Study: Chile 2010

1.2.12 Earthquake Case Study: Nepal 2015

1.2.13 Living with Tectonic Hazards 1

1.2.14 Living with Tectonic Hazards 2

1.2.15 End of Topic Test - Tectonic Hazards

1.2.16 Exam-Style Questions - Tectonic Hazards

1.2.17 Tectonic Hazards - Statistical Skills

1.3 Weather Hazards

1.3.1 Global Atmospheric Circulation

1.3.2 Surface Winds

1.3.3 UK Weather Hazards

1.3.4 Tropical Storms

1.3.5 Features of Tropical Storms

1.3.6 Impact of Tropical Storms 1

1.3.7 Impact of Tropical Storms 2

1.3.8 Tropical Storms Case Study: Katrina

1.3.9 Tropical Storms Case Study: Haiyan

1.3.10 UK Weather Hazards Case Study: Somerset 2014

1.3.11 End of Topic Test - Weather Hazards

1.3.12 Exam-Style Questions - Weather Hazards

1.3.13 Weather Hazards - Statistical Skills

1.4 Climate Change

1.4.1 Evidence for Climate Change

1.4.2 Causes of Climate Change

1.4.3 Effects of Climate Change

1.4.4 Managing Climate Change

1.4.5 End of Topic Test - Climate Change

1.4.6 Exam-Style Questions - Climate Change

1.4.7 Climate Change - Statistical Skills

2 The Living World

2.1 Ecosystems

2.1.1 Ecosystems

2.1.2 Ecosystem Cascades & Global Ecosystems

2.1.3 Ecosystem Case Study: Freshwater Ponds

2.2 Tropical Rainforests

2.2.1 Tropical Rainforests - Intro & Interdependence

2.2.2 Adaptations

2.2.3 Biodiversity of Tropical Rainforests

2.2.4 Deforestation

2.2.5 Case Study: Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest

2.2.6 Sustainable Management of Rainforests

2.2.7 Case Study: Malaysian Rainforest

2.2.8 End of Topic Test - Tropical Rainforests

2.2.9 Exam-Style Questions - Tropical Rainforests

2.2.10 Deforestation - Statistical Skills

2.3 Hot Deserts

2.3.1 Overview of Hot Deserts

2.3.2 Biodiversity & Adaptation to Hot Deserts

2.3.3 Case Study: Sahara Desert

2.3.4 Desertification

2.3.5 Case Study: Thar Desert

2.3.6 End of Topic Test - Hot Deserts

2.3.7 Exam-Style Questions - Hot Deserts

2.4 Tundra & Polar Environments

2.4.1 Overview of Cold Environments

2.4.2 Adaptations in Cold Environments

2.4.3 Biodiversity in Cold Environments

2.4.4 Case Study: Alaska

2.4.5 Sustainable Management

2.4.6 Case Study: Svalbard

2.4.7 End of Topic Test - Tundra & Polar Environments

2.4.8 Exam-Style Questions - Cold Environments

3 Physical Landscapes in the UK

3.1 The UK Physical Landscape

3.1.1 The UK Physical Landscape

3.2 Coastal Landscapes in the UK

3.2.1 Types of Wave

3.2.2 Weathering & Mass Movement

3.2.3 Processes of Erosion & Wave-Cut Platforms

3.2.4 Headlands, Bays, Caves, Arches & Stacks

3.2.5 Transportation

3.2.6 Deposition

3.2.7 Spits, Bars & Sand Dunes

3.2.8 Case Study: Landforms on the Dorset Coast

3.2.9 Types of Coastal Management 1

3.2.10 Types of Coastal Management 2

3.2.11 Coastal Management Case Study - Holderness

3.2.12 Coastal Management Case Study: Swanage

3.2.13 Coastal Management Case Study - Lyme Regis

3.2.14 End of Topic Test - Coastal Landscapes in the UK

3.2.15 Exam-Style Questions - Coasts

3.3 River Landscapes in the UK

3.3.1 The River Valley

3.3.2 River Valley Case Study - River Tees

3.3.3 Erosion

3.3.4 Transportation & Deposition

3.3.5 Waterfalls, Gorges & Interlocking Spurs

3.3.6 Meanders & Oxbow Lakes

3.3.7 Floodplains & Levees

3.3.8 Estuaries

3.3.9 Case Study: The River Clyde

3.3.10 River Management

3.3.11 Hard & Soft Flood Defences

3.3.12 River Management Case Study - Boscastle

3.3.13 River Management Case Study - Banbury

3.3.14 End of Topic Test - River Landscapes in the UK

3.3.15 Exam-Style Questions - Rivers

3.4 Glacial Landscapes in the UK

3.4.1 Erosion

3.4.2 Landforms Caused by Erosion

3.4.3 Landforms Caused by Transportation & Deposition

3.4.4 Snowdonia

3.4.5 Land Use in Glaciated Areas

3.4.6 Tourism in Glacial Landscapes

3.4.7 Case Study - Lake District

3.4.8 End of Topic Test - Glacial Landscapes in the UK

3.4.9 Exam-Style Questions - Glacial Landscapes

4 Urban Issues & Challenges

4.1 Urban Issues & Challenges

4.1.1 Urbanisation

4.1.2 Urbanisation Case Study: Lagos

4.1.3 Urbanisation Case Study: Rio de Janeiro

4.1.4 UK Cities

4.1.5 Case Study: Urban Regen Projects - Manchester

4.1.6 Case Study: Urban Change in Liverpool

4.1.7 Case Study: Urban Change in Bristol

4.1.8 Sustainable Urban Life

4.1.9 End of Topic Test - Urban Issues & Challenges

4.1.10 Exam-Style Questions - Urban Issues & Challenges

4.1.11 Urban Issues -Statistical Skills

5 The Changing Economic World

5.1 The Changing Economic World

5.1.1 Measuring Development

5.1.2 Classifying Countries Based on Wealth

5.1.3 The Demographic Transition Model

5.1.4 Physical & Historical Causes of Uneven Development

5.1.5 Economic Causes of Uneven Development

5.1.6 How Can We Reduce the Global Development Gap?

5.1.7 Case Study: Tourism in Kenya

5.1.8 Case Study: Tourism in Jamaica

5.1.9 Case Study: Economic Development in India

5.1.10 Case Study: Aid & Development in India

5.1.11 Case Study: Economic Development in Nigeria

5.1.12 Case Study: Aid & Development in Nigeria

5.1.13 Economic Development in the UK

5.1.14 Economic Development UK: Industry & Rural

5.1.15 Economic Development UK: Transport & North-South

5.1.16 Economic Development UK: Regional & Global

5.1.17 End of Topic Test - The Changing Economic World

5.1.18 Exam-Style Questions - The Changing Economic World

5.1.19 Changing Economic World - Statistical Skills

6 The Challenge of Resource Management

6.1 Resource Management

6.1.1 Global Distribution of Resources

6.1.2 Food in the UK

6.1.3 Water in the UK 1

6.1.4 Water in the UK 2

6.1.5 Energy in the UK

6.1.6 Resource Management - Statistical Skills

6.2.1 Areas of Food Surplus & Food Deficit

6.2.2 Food Supply & Food Insecurity

6.2.3 Increasing Food Supply

6.2.4 Case Study: Thanet Earth

6.2.5 Creating a Sustainable Food Supply

6.2.6 Case Study: Agroforestry in Mali

6.2.7 End of Topic Test - Food

6.2.8 Exam-Style Questions - Food

6.2.9 Food - Statistical Skills

6.3.1 The Global Demand for Water

6.3.2 What Affects the Availability of Water?

6.3.3 Increasing Water Supplies

6.3.4 Case Study: Water Transfer in China

6.3.5 Sustainable Water Supply

6.3.6 Case Study: Kenya's Sand Dams

6.3.7 Case Study: Lesotho Highland Water Project

6.3.8 Case Study: Wakel River Basin Project

6.3.9 Exam-Style Questions - Water

6.3.10 Water - Statistical Skills

6.4.1 Global Demand for Energy

6.4.2 Factors Affecting Energy Supply

6.4.3 Increasing Energy Supply: Renewables

6.4.4 Increasing Energy Supply: Non-Renewables

6.4.5 Carbon Footprints & Energy Conservation

6.4.6 Case Study: Rice Husks in Bihar

6.4.7 Exam-Style Questions - Energy

6.4.8 Energy - Statistical Skills

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Topic Video for AQA GCSE Geography: Rainforest Management - National Level (Tropical Rainforests 9)

Last updated 29 Apr 2024

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This topic video explores the options that countries have to sustainably manage their own tropical rainforests, including bringing in specific legislation and setting up conservation areas, and considers the difficult balance between promoting economic growth and protecting the environment.

It is part of the AQA GCSE Geography course - Paper 1: Unit B - The Living World.

• Rainforest management
• Tropical rainforest
• Amazon Rainforest
• Conservation and education

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Tropical Rainforests

Tropical rainforests are found in places with a hot (over 30°C) and wet (over 2000 mm) equatorial climate.

Rainforests grow in the tropics, close to the equator and the plants have a twelve month growing season. As a resultant, the rainforest is the most luxuriant vegetation system in the world.

The tropical rainforest is different from all other ecosystems because of its biodiversity. Over 50 species of tree may be found in only 1 hectare of soil in the rainforest.

The forests appear to be evergreen but the trees are deciduous and take it in turns to lose their leaves.

The rainforest is organised into five layers. From the top they are as follows;

• under canopy,
• forest floor

The profile of the soil in the rainforest is called a Latolsol . Latosols are reddish brown and the red colour comes from the oxides of iron and aluminium in the soil. They are very deep soils. The heavy rain in the rainforest leads to leaching (minerals washed out) and this is why the top layer of soil is often light in colour.

Adaptations

As there is great competition for sunlight and water in the rainforest the trees try to grow very tall. They have a shallow spreading root system to collect as much nutrients as they can. The wide buttress roots at the base of the tall trees help to prevent them falling over.

Many other plants have to devise methods of competing for light. Ferns on the forest floor are able to cope in low-light conditions. Lianas are creeping plants that grow up the tree trunks and use them to get to the sunlight. Parasitic plants such as orchids grow in cracks in the branches high up in the canopy.

Humans use the rainforest in the following ways;

• Logging - chopping down of trees
• Ranching - large areas of trees chopped down for cattle farming
• Mining - valuable minerals such as iron ore, bauxite and even gold
• Rubber tapping - some trees provide natural rubber from the sap
• Tourism - increasing number of tourists want to visit the rainforest
• Farming - farms vary from tiny subsistence farms to huge plantations growing a single crop such as palm oil

Social Issues

• Indigenous people e.g. Amerindians are left with out homes and many have been killed, either deliberately or by diseases introduced by people coming to the rainforest.
• Too many tourists and tourist facilities can damage an area

Environmental Issues

• Chopping down of large areas of woodland can influence global warming
• Animals habitats are destroyed

Political Issues

• Lots of groups do not agree about what should be done with the rainforest and this leads to great conflict

Deforestation

Main Causes

• Farming – Forest is cleared to set up subsistence farms or larger cattle ranches. ‘Slash and burn’ technique is often used to clear the forest.
• Mineral Extraction – Minerals such as gold and iron ore are mined and sold. Trees are cut down to expose the ground, and to clear access routes.
• Commercial logging – trees are felled for pure profit.
• Population pressure – Trees are cleared to make new settlements as population increases and demand for space increases.
• Road building – More settlements and industry lead to more roads being built, so trees are cleared to build them.

Environmental Impacts of deforestation

• Fewer trees mean fewer habitats and food sources for animals and birds, reducing biodiversity as organisms must move or die out.
• With no trees to hold the soil together, heavy rain will wash it away, taking away with it the nutrients
• This soil is often washed into the river, where it can kill aquatic life and make the water undrinkable
• Without a tree canopy to intercept rainfall and tree roots to absorb it, more water reaches the soil, increasing the risk of flooding, and reducing soil fertility. This makes it less likely that plant life can re-grow in the area
• Without trees there is no leaf fall, and no nutrient supply to the soil – so it is less fertile
• Trees cannot photosynthesis, replacing carbon dioxide with oxygen. In addition, burning vegetation to clear the forest produces more carbon dioxide and other pollutants. GLOBAL WARMING
• Without trees, water is not removed from the soil and evaporated into the atmosphere – reducing cloud formation and therefore rainfall; so overall climate is indirectly impacted.

Social impacts of deforestation

• Quality of life for some local people improves as more jobs become available.
• Livelihoods of some people are destroyed, as deforestation can cause the loss of animal and plant life – which some people depend on to make a living.
• Some native tribes have been forced to move when trees have been cleared
• There are often conflicts between native people, landowners, mining companies and logging companies over land use

Economic impact of deforestation

• A lot of money is made from selling timber & products; mining and commercial farming
• These industries also create many jobs in the area

Sustainable Management

Selective Logging

• Only some trees are felled, most are left standing
• This is less damaging to the environment than outright felling, as the overall structure of the forest is maintained; i.e. the canopy is still in place, so the forest can regenerate and be used in the future
• In addition, instead of using trucks to clear trees, other methods such as horse and helicopter felling are used to clear trees
• New trees are planted to replace the ones which have been cut down
• This means trees are conserved for the future
• The same type of tree that has been cut down is normally replanted, so that species variety is maintained for the future
• Environmental laws protect many countries’ forests, ensuring logging companies replant trees they have felled

Reducing Demand for Hardwood

• Hardwood is the term given to wood from certain tree species, including mahogany and teak. The wood tends to be dense and hard, and it is used to make furniture, among other things
• There is a high demand from richer companies for hardwood
• This has led to some tropical hardwood trees becoming rarer as people chop them down and sell them
• Some richer countries are trying to reduce demand, so that fewer of these species are cut down, and they are available for future generations to use
• Such strategies include heavily taxing imported hardwood or banning its sale
• Some countries with tropical rainforests ban logging of hardwood species
• Some local people do not know what the environmental impacts of deforestation are. Often locals are just trying to make money in the short-term, to overcome their own poverty
• Educating these people about the impacts of deforestation, and how to reduce them, will decrease their effect on the environment
• Education also focuses on alternative ways to make money without damaging the environment
• This all means the rainforest is conserved for the future
• Educating the international community about the impacts of deforestation will reduce demand for hardwood products, and may also put pressure on governments. It may also stimulate eco-tourism in tropical rainforests

Reducing Debt

• Many tropical rainforests are in less economically developed countries – such as Nigeria, Belize & Burma
• A large number of these countries are in debt to richer countries and organisations such as the world bank; they have allowed damaging activities such as logging, farming and mining to take place, in an attempt to reduce debt
• Reducing or cancelling debt would mean countries no longer need to do this, however there is no guarantee the money would be spent on conservation. Many of these countries are also rife with corruption.
• Conservation, or debt-for-nature, swaps guarantee money is spent on conservation, as the richer country pays off the debt in exchange for an investment in conservation
• Environmental laws can be put in place to protect rainforests, for example banning the logging of certain tree species, banning illegal logging, and banning the use or sale of wood from non-sustainably managed forests
• Many countries have set up national parks and nature reserves within rainforests, in which damaging activities such as logging are restricted or banned. However, lack of funds or resources can make it difficult to police these restrictions. In addition, corruption can mean that illegal logging takes place while officials ‘turn a blind eye’
• Ecotourism is tourism which does not harm the environment, and benefits local people
• Ecotourism provides a source of income for local people – they can act as guides, provide accommodation and transport, etc.
• This means logging and farming are relied on less to generate income; and so fewer trees are cut down, preserving them for the future
• Ecotourism is generally small-scale, with only small numbers of tourists in an area at a time. This helps to minimise the environmental impact of the tourism
• Ecotourism causes little harm to the environment; e.g. by ensuring waste and litter are disposed of properly, water and land contamination is prevented
• Ecotourism helps the sustainable development of an area because quality of life is improved without preventing future generations from using the same resources

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GCSE Geography Case Study - Tropical Rain Forest.pdf

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Extreme weather condition, changing agricultural yields and increase in the disease vectors are some of the other effects of global warming. Deforestation and air temperature being the primary reason behind global warming, we need to show greater concern towards felling of trees. We need to take quick measure to prevent deforestation so that we can hope environment as a conducive way to live in.

Pedro Zanetti

Forests play a crucial role in providing a range of ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change. This shows the global but also more regional importance of forests, particularly in places like the Amazon with large remaining areas of forests. Yet, the prevailing paradigm continues to be one of growth and development, which puts a continuous threat on our long-term well-being. Based on the notion that the dynamics and causes of deforestation are multi-faceted, complex and vary geographically as well as in time, this study focused on understanding the current and future deforestation dynamics on the Amazon region using participatory methods. First a stakeholder analysis was performed, identifying those individuals affected by climate change and Land Use/ Land Cover Change (LULC) in the Brazilian Amazon Basin. Secondly, a semi-structured interview was prepared, exploring a range of issues on the present and future situation of the Amazon in terms of drivers, future scenarios, and policies. Finally, the questions were divided into groups to facilitate analysis. A total of 18 interviews were conducted with experts covering most of the Brazilian Legal Amazon. Results indicate that, despite regional variation and specificities, livestock farming, logging activities and mechanized agriculture were perceived as the 3 main direct causes of deforestation. When asked for the main drivers in 2050, a distinctly different set was mentioned including large infrastructure programs planned for the region, followed by mining, oil and gas activities. When comparing the main current causes of deforestation with those mentioned to be important in 2050, it is clear that stakeholders are convinced that issues related to livestock farming, mechanized agriculture and logging activities will have been overcome, while big infrastructure problems related to energy supply will become the main driver of deforestation.

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Tropical Rainforests ( AQA GCSE Geography )

Topic questions.

Study Figure 8, a diagram showing the structure of the tropical rainforest.

Emergent layer

Upper canopy

Lower canopy

Understorey

Choose your answer

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Study Figure 10, a newspaper article about wildfires in Brazil in August 2019.

Study Figure 6 , a graph showing global forest loss from 2011 to 2017.

Study Figure 9 , a photograph of part of an ecotourism scheme in the Amazon rainforest, Brazil.

Using Figure 9 , suggest how ecotourism can help in managing tropical rainforests sustainably.

Explain how either international hardwood agreements or selective logging can encourage the sustainable management of tropical rainforests.

Give one effect of deforestation on the soils of the rainforest.

State one way that debt reduction can help to make tropical rainforests more sustainable.

Outline one reason for the distribution of tropical rainforest.

Study Figure 7 , a graph showing tropical primary forest loss between 2002 and 2018.

Using Figure 7, describe changes in tropical primary forest loss between 2002 and 2018.

Give one reason why deforestation has decreased in some countries

Study Figure 8 , a photograph showing an area of deforestation in Sumatra, Indonesia.

Using Figure 8, outline one environmental effect of deforestation.

Explain how ecotourism can be a sustainable management strategy in tropical rainforests. 

Study Figure 11, which shows some causes of deforestation in tropical rainforests.

‘Some economic activities in tropical rainforests have major environmental impacts.’

Do you agree?

Use Figure 11 and a case study to explain your answer.

Study Figure 7 , statements about deforestation in an LIC or NEE.

‘Tropical rainforests should be protected from economic development.’

Do you agree? Explain your answer. Use Figure 7 and your own understanding.

Study Figure 8,  two photographs showing different parts of a tropical rainforest.

Using Figure 8 and your own understanding, explain how development in tropical rainforests creates economic advantages but at a cost to the environment.

Study Figure 1 , which shows vegetation in a tropical rainforest

Using Figure 1 and your own understanding, explain how vegetation in tropical rainforests adapts to the climate

Study Figure 1 , which shows the distribution of tropical rainforests

Using Figure 1 and your own knowledge describe the distribution of tropical rainforests

Study Figure 1 , which shows the changing rates of deforestation between 2001 and 2020

Describe the changing rates of deforestation shown

Annual rate of deforestation in hectares

Study Figure 1 which shows global annual rates of deforestation in 2015

Using Figure 1, describe the patterns of rates of deforestation

Study Figure 6, information about the climate and vegetation of tropical rainforests.

Suggest how plants are adapted to the climate in tropical rainforests.

Use Figure 6 and your own understanding.