Lesson 8
z
ECOSYSTEM
z
Intended Learning Outcome:
1. Define ecosystem,
2. Describe tropical rainforest,
3. Discuss the impact of humans on the tropical rainforest,
4. Evaluate the contributory factors that causes deforestation,
5. Appreciate the importance of tree planting.
z
Definition of Terms:
Ecosystem – is a community of living organisms sharing an environment.
Tropical rainforest - is a forest occurring in tropical areas with heavy rainfall.
Taiga – is a belt of coniferous forest found in the northern hemisphere, close
to Arctic tundra
Savanna – is similar to grassland but with scattered trees.
Desert – are areas of the earth’s surface which receive less than 25 cm to
10 inches of rainfall every year.
Tundra – is the coldest and driest of all biomes.
z
THE ECOSYSTEM
What is an ecosystem?
It is a community of living organisms sharing an environment.
An ecosystem has inorganic constituents, organisms, and
energy as its functional components
The largest ecosystems are called biome.
A biome is a naturally occurring habitat for flora and fauna.
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical
environment.
z
TROPICAL RAINFOREST
It is a rainforest with a high rainfall
that grows in a tropical region.
It is a hot, moist biome where it rains
all year long.
It is known for its dense canopies of
vegetation that form three different
layers. The top layer or canopy
contains giant trees that grow to
heights of 75 m (about 250 ft) or more.
z
Structure and Vegetation of Tropical Rainforest
The tropical rainforest is located
around the equator where
temperatures stay near 80 degrees
year round
Rainforest receive 160 to 400
inches of rain each year.
The largest rainforests are Brazil,
Congo (Zaire), Indonesia.
Other tropical rainforests are in
Hawaii and the islands of the
Pacific and Caribbean
z
Cross section of a rainforest
Emergents are the tallest trees and are usually
50 meters tall. Kapok tree is an example.
Canopy is the lower layer which blocks the sun
because of the leaves.
The under canopy mainly contains bare tree
trunks and lianas (vines).
The shrub layer is characterized by woody
vegetation that grows relatively close to the ground.
The forest floor is usually dark and damp.
z
Impact of Humans
z
on the Tropical
Rainforest
z
1. Deforestation
z
It is the removal or conversion of
forested land to non-forest land use.
It can be caused by natural or
human activities, but it is mostly
driven by human actions such as
urbanization, mining, and farming. It
has negative impacts on wildlife,
biodiversity, habitats, water cycle,
soil, and climate.
z
2. Slash and burn
z
It is also called fire-fallow
cultivation, is a farming
method that involves the
cutting and burning of plants
in a forest or woodland to
create a field called a
swidden. The method
begins by cutting down the
trees and woody plants in
an area.
z 3. Road building
Road building in the rainforest
opens up large areas to
deforestation. In Brazil, the Trans-
Amazonian highway resulted in the
destruction of huge areas
of forest by colonists, loggers, and
land speculators.
z
z
4. Cattle
Ranching
A cattle ranch, which can
be managed on anything
from a few acres up to
several hundred acres, is a
farm that breeds and
raises cattle. The livestock
can be bred for a multitude
of purposes, including
consumption, trade,
hide, cattle shows/fairs, and
the production of milk
products.
z
z
5. Hydroelectric
powerplant
An unlimited supply of
water and ideal river
conditions have led to
the development of
hydro electric power
stations.
z
z
6. Farming
Nutrients in the soil
are quickly
exhausted as there
is no longer a humus
layer to provide
nutrients.
z
The mining of iron ore, bauxite,
gold, oil and other minerals have
7. Mining devastated large areas of
rainforest like the Amazon.
z
When vegetation is removed, soil is left
exposed to the heavy equatorial rainfall. It is
8. Soil Erosion rapidly eroded. The removal of top soil means
little vegetation will grow. Thus it leads to
flooding as soil is deposited on river beds.
z
It is the long-term warming of the planet’s
9. Global warming overall temperature. Though this warming trend
has been going on for a long time, its pace has
significantly increased in the last hundred years
due to the burning of fossil fuels.
z
Sustainable Development for the
Rainforest
Afforestation - trees should be replanted in areas of deforestation
Shifting Cultivation – Farmers should move on after 2-3 years to allow the
rainforest to recover.
Rubber tapping – more sustainable methods of exploiting rainforest
should be pursued.
Measuring trees – trees should only be cut down when they reach a
certain size. This will ensure younger trees to survive longer and will
encourage careful management of the rainforest.
z
Check Point:
1. How do you describe the rainforest?
2. Why is deforestation happening?
Explain the causes of deforestation?
3. How can tropical rainforest be
managed?
z
FYI
Arbor Day Act mandates that
all provinces, cities and
municipalities with their
component barangays are
required to declare an Arbor
Day or Tree Planting Day at
a fixed date every calendar
year as shall be deemed
conducive to the proper tune
and season for planting trees
in the respective localities.
