What is the main driver for deforestation?
increased demand for commodity production.
How much of the earth is covered by forests?
30% of the land.
What statistic has been reached in 2015 concerning forest cover?
40% of forest has been cleared. All has been somewhat fragmented. 20% of forest has been completely degraded.
Where is deforestation most prevelent?
In the Amazon, and in Indonesia. Also in places such as the DRC and Togo.
What are some regional trends concerning deforestation?
90% of UK forest was deforested by the 19th century.
Tar sands production has decreased forest cover in Canada.
Indonesia is the laregst deforester, with 25% of its rainforest cleared in 25 years.
CASE STUDY: New York Declaration of Forests
In 2014, they set a target to restore 350 million hectares of forest.
Reforestation is not completely beneficial, however , as monocultures sequester less carbon, can change ecosystem function, and can be disease-prone.
How much of land is covered by grassland?
26%
What are temperate grasslands?
- No trees grow here but this area can flourish with annual temperature range.
- It has rich chernozem soils which makes it susceptible to vegetation removal due to its rich carbon storage.
- Only 2% of North American praries remain in tact.
What are tropical grasslands?
- Africa has Serengeti grasslands which have scattered trees.
- It faces more deforestation despite its infertile soils from pressure from growing populations and poor management.
How has ocean acidification impacted the ocean since the 20th century?
for the last 300 million years, the ocean pH has been 8.2. now, it is 8.1, with this change occurring between the 19th century and 2015.
What can occur when these oceanic systems are changed in some way?
- They reach a critical threshold.
Where is most likely being affected by ocean acidification?
- The Arctic.
- It’s ‘cold corals’ will be impacted due to its already low pH.
What occurred in terms of climate change in 2015?
- It reached 1 degree above previous levels.
- The UK had the warmest summer since 1910, and severe flooding was caused because of this.
What would occur if global warming reached 2 degrees?
- 5% of the earth’s systems would experience climatic zone shift.
CASE STUDY: Amazon’s changing climate
pumps 20 billion tonnes of water into the atmosphere daily. 3 billion more than the Nile does ino the ocean.
- Shifts in the ITCZ has led to less rainfall in places such as Sao Paulo.
Give some statistics concerning forest dependency by the UN:
- 1.6 billion people depend on the forest.
- 90% of these are the poorest societies.
- They contribute 80% of global biodiversity.
What are supporting services, how do they benefit people?
- processes of the ecosystem such as nutrient cycling, and primary producer production.
- Increases genetic pool which improves medicines.
What are regulatory systems, how do they benefit people?
- The are earth’s ‘green lung,’. The removal of forests means they cannot regulate air quality and water-related risks.
How do forests provide goods for people?
- create fuel, wood, food, and fresh water.
- This supplies 13.2 million formal jobs and 41 million informal jobs.
What is the cultural value of forests?
- Aesthetic and spiritual such as reliance for indigenous peoples. Leisure and tourism.
What are the factors which affect the tipping point of the environmental kuznets curve?
- wealth
- rising knowledge
- aid given to poorer nations
- political systems
- participation of locals.
What are the decreasing deforestation and emissions statistics by Agricultural Organisation of the UN (FAO)
- between 1990-2000:
- Emissions have decreased by 25% and deforestation has decreased by 50%.
- 13% of forests are now considered convserved.
CASE STUDY: UK forests
forest cover in the UK has dropped 80% by 1900.
The forestry commission wished to increase forest cover. By 1990, 50% of previous UK forest was restored.
now, 13% of the UK is forested.
CASE STUDY: Arctic projections
- The arctic acts as a barometer.
- On average, the Arctic has been warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. (3-4 degrees in north-west Canada)
