Perth Academy
Geography Department
Climatic Zones
Equatorial Rainforest
EQUATORIAL RAINFOREST
What is climate?
What is a climatic
zone?
There are 2 main natural or climatic regions studied in National 4 and 5 Geography. They
are:
1. Tundra or Cold Desert
2. Equatorial Rainforest
We will look at the climate, the natural vegetation, the indigenous people and how life is
changing in each region. This unit covers the Equatorial Rainforest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3OWgb0Bv-A
Location of the Rainforest
By the end of this section I will be able to:
* Locate main climate regions on a world map
* Describe where the Rainforest is found
Firstly we need to know where in the world we find these different climate zones.
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
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Location of the Rainforest
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Task
Stick your map of the world into your jotter and then shade it in to clearly show the
location of the Equatorial Rainforest. Make sure you include a title, key and the main
lines of latitude. Use an atlas to name at least three countries that have rainforest.
Task: Revision
Copy and complete the following sentences into your jotter, using an atlas to help
you if needed.
Equatorial Rainforest – This region is found along the _____________ where it is
always hot and wet. It is found in the following continents _________
_____________, __________ and _________.
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Climate Graphs
By the end of this section I will:
* know which elements make up a climate graph
* be able to describe a climate graph
Each of the natural regions has a very distinct and varied climate. It is important that we
know these differences and can identify them on maps and from analysing climate graphs.
A climate graph has a line graph showing temperature and a bar graph showing rainfall for
each month of the year plotted together. The same scale must be used for all graphs so that
an easy comparison can be made between every region.
The figures below show the average temperature and the rainfall for each month in the
equatorial rainforest.
Task
In the Tundra unit, we learned how to draw and describe climate graphs. Use the
figures below to describe the rainforest climate.
Equatorial Rainforest
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Temperature
27
27
27
28
29
28
28
27
27
28
27
27
°C
Rainfall
125
150
125
150
175
200
225
225
250
225
150
150
mm
Remember – to describe
means to write what
something is like
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
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Homework Task
Exam style question. Using the information on the graph that you are given, describe
the climate of that area.
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The Equatorial Rainforest Climate
By the end of this section I will be able to:
* demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the rainforest climate
* understand why the rainforest has so much rain
The equatorial climate is hot and wet all year round. The annual rainfall is high (over
2500mm), as it usually rains every day. Temperatures are almost the same all year, around
28°C. The temperature range is usually between 2-3°C. There are no seasons and the
humidity is high in these regions.
The weather in Britain changes from day to day, however, in equatorial areas almost every
day is exactly the same. It is fine in the morning, cloudy and wet in the afternoon, with clear
skies again in the evening. Every day is about the same length, with 12 hours of daylight and
12 hours of darkness.
Convectional Rainfall
The roots of trees and plants absorb water from the soil. As
temperatures increase during the day, water evaporates from
the soil and plants leaves into the atmosphere. This water
vapour cools, condenses and forms clouds. The water droplets
become bigger and bigger and the clouds become saturated.
They eventually burst bringing the next days rain. This is known as
convectional rainfall. The whole process is repeated daily and the
cycle continues.
Why all the
rain?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkgThul2El8
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
Task
In your jotters, copy and complete the diagram below showing why the Rainforest
gets so much rain. Annotate the diagram with the following points:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
The sun rises high by midday
The sun heats up the ground
Air next to the ground is heated
Water evaporates from the ground and trees
Warm air rises
Air cools and condensation occurs
White, cumulus clouds form
Cumulonimbus storm clouds form
Heavy rain and thunderstorms in early evening
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Perth Academy: Geography 2013
The Equatorial Rainforest Ecosystem
By the end of this section I will:
 be able to label the structure of the rainforest
 understand the effect the removal of trees has on the ecosystem
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Task
Read pages 110 and 111 of “Key Geography for GCSE” and complete the following:




Put a heading of “The Characteristics of Equatorial Rainforests”
Copy the ‘summary’ from page 111 into your notes
Answer ‘Activities’ 1-3 from page 111 in sentences
For question 1 make sure that you sketch diagram D before
answering the question
The Nutrient Cycle
Despite its dense and lush appearance, the rainforest is a fragile environment. The soil in
the rainforest is actually very infertile and relies of the rotting of dead leaves on the forest
floor to allow a layer of rich, fertile soil called humus to develop. Without this very little
would be able to grow. Recently, large areas of forest have been cleared for development
(deforestation), which has permanently destroyed the ecosystem and large numbers of
plants and animals have been lost forever.
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
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Task
Copy the diagrams above into your notes using the heading “The Nutrient Cycle”.
Using the labels on your diagram, write this paragraph in your jotter and fill in the
missing words, underlining them to show their importance.
Dead leaves and plant material are _______ broken down by the ____, wet _______
and the large number of insects on the forest floor. The substance that is made, called
_____, provides nutrients that are easily ________ by plant roots. However, nutrients
are rapidly used up by the number of plants competing for survival. The nutrient cycle is
unbroken as long as _____________ (the removal of the trees) does not occur.
However, if the protective ______ of trees is removed, the soil quickly becomes
_________. An absence of ______ means that humus cannot be made to replace the
_________ in the soil. Heavy ________ is also a problem as it quickly _______ nutrients
out of the soil making it infertile.
Word Bank
climate
absorbed
canopy
rainfall
leaches
quickly
deforestation
warm
humus
leaves
nutrients
infertile
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
Use and Misuse of the Land
By the end of this section I will be able to:
 describe how indigenous people live in the rainforest
 show a detailed knowledge of the threats to this lifestyle
Traditional Way of Life: Shifting Cultivation
Native tribes e.g. the Kayapo in the Amazon rainforest have lived in the world’s rainforests
for thousands of years without irreparably damaging it. They practise a basic form of
agriculture called 'shifting cultivation'. It is a traditional and sustainable method of farming
which involves producing just enough food for survival. Along with other features of their
culture and traditional way of life, shifting cultivation is under threat from large-scale
clearance of the rainforests.
The main characteristics of Shifting Cultivation are:

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








'Slash and burn' agriculture is a subsistence farming system practised by the Kayapo
Amerindian tribe in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.
A small area of land (approx. 1 hectare) is cleared using stone axes and machetes.
These clearings are called chagras.
Larger trees and those which bear fruit are left to aid regeneration.
The vegetation is burned, providing ash which is used as a natural fertiliser.
Crops such as manioc and yams are planted using a long pointed digging stick.
The diet is supplemented by hunting, fishing and gathering fruit.
For a few years the soil remains fertile for the tribe to grow crops.
After 2-3 years when the soil's fertility is exhausted, crops no longer grow well. The
soil has been leached - nutrients have been washed out of the top soil. Soil has also
been eroded and washed into rivers.
The tribe have to move on and clear another small area of forest to begin the whole
process again.
The original area is regenerated over a period of 30 - 60 years, as it takes nutrients
and seeds from surrounding vegetation.
Although it destroys some rainforest land, it is sustainable as it is small-scale and
vegetation grows back in time.
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
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Task
Read pages 100 and 101 of “New Wider World” and complete the following:



Put a heading of “Shifting Cultivation”
Answer question 7a) and b) from page 105 in sentences
Copy the diagram above into your notes.
Medical Research
Many rainforest plants have valuable medicinal properties. More than 60% of medicines
sold in chemists’ shops contain ingredients derived from rainforest vegetation. Plants are
removed for scientific and medical research which may provide new food sources as well as
medicines for life threatening diseases e.g. cancer, many of which still remain
undiscovered.
Task
Watch ‘Tribe – The Penan’ and answer the questions on the sheet provided.
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
Misuse of the Equatorial Rainforest
By the end of this section I will be able to:




give the meaning of deforestation
describe and explain why the rainforest is being cleared
describe and explain the effects of deforestation
give detailed solutions to deforestation
The world’s equatorial rainforests are being destroyed (deforestation) for many reasons
such as new roads e.g. Trans-Amazonian Highway in Brazil; to mine resources such as gold
an iron ore; industries such as logging, plantations, cattle ranching and hydro-electric
power (HEP); in addition to new settlement for rapidly growing populations.
Task
Read pages 118 and 119 of “Key Geography for GCSE” and complete the following:


Put a heading of “The Causes of Deforestation”
Answer ‘Activities’ 1-3 from page 119 in sentences
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
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Effects of Deforestation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iIkOi3srLo
Deforestation is the large scale removal of trees from forested land. The world is in great
danger of losing its rainforests with more than half having been lost in the last 50 years.
The Amazon rainforest is most at risk – every year more and more of it is burnt down and
cleared. The rainforest is millions of years old and has many areas that are unexplored.
Many modern medicines originate from rainforest plants and it is hoped that there may be
other cures e.g. for cancer in the unexplored regions of the rainforest. If the forest is
destroyed then we may never know.
Soil fertility – with the increase
of rain reaching the ground,
many nutrients have been
washed out of the soil. This has
made the soil less fertile. Some
farms have had to be
abandoned.
World climate change – the
burning of the forest releases
carbon dioxide into the air.
This has caused global
warming and an increase in
world temperatures.
Soil erosion – the clearing of
trees means that there is no
canopy to protect the soil from
heavy rain or plant roots to
bind it together. Soil is washed
away and if washed into rivers
causes flooding.
Local climate change – with
fewer trees there is less
evaporation and less moisture
in the air. In areas such as the
North-East of Brazil this has
reduced rainfall and increased
drought.
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Ecosystem – the loss of forest
has changed the ecosystem.
Large numbers of plants and
animals have already been
destroyed. Some of the plants
used to make medicines have
disappeared.
Amerindians – there has been
a huge reduction of people
from local tribes living in the
area. These numbers are down
from around 6 million to the
present number of just
200,000.
Traditional culture – many
Amerindians have been forced
off their land to make way for
new developments. In many
cases their traditional culture
and way of life have been
destroyed.
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Developments such as mining, logging and cattle ranching have resulted in a loss of land for
native people. Contact with companies from developed countries has led to a loss of their
traditional way of life. Tribes have been influenced by new technologies such as rifles and
radios. Some tribes have been forced into reservations for their own protection against new
developments by foreign companies. Native people have contracted ‘western’ diseases
such as flu and measles which can kill them as they have no immunity to these diseases. The
traditional farming system is being altered as there is less land to move in to in order to
practise shifting cultivation.
Task
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Use the information on page 11 and the “Key Geography for GCSE” textbook to make
notes in your jotter using the seven headings in bold on the diagram.
The heading for your work is “Effects of Deforestation”.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/rainforestdestruction-kalimantan-indonesia-and-costa-rica/3096.html
Management Strategies
Many developing countries such as Borneo, Brazil and Kenya need to exploit their rainforest
resources in order to generate income to help them become more developed. Many of
them now realise that use of the forest must be done in a manageable or sustainable way.
To ensure the rainforest is conserved for future generations, sustainable development is
vital for its survival. Management strategies designed to do this include:
1. National Parks
Areas of rainforest can be designated as a national park by governments passing
laws to protect them from commercial developments.
2. Agro-forestry
This involves growing trees and crops at the same time to allow crops the benefit of
being sheltered by the trees. It also prevents soil erosion as trees’ roots bind the
soil. Crops benefit from the nutrients provided by the humus from leaves.
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
3. Sustainable forestry schemes
Experts calculate how many trees can be cut down without causing irreparable
damage to an area. Trees can be cut down as long as the same number of trees is replanted.
4. Selective logging
Trees are only cut down when they reach a specific height. This helps to protect
young trees and aids regeneration where deforestation has occurred.
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5. Afforestation
This involves planting more trees to sustain the canopy of trees.
6. Satellite monitoring
Satellites are used to take aerial photographs of the areas of the rainforest to check
that activities taking place are legal.
7. Education
This involves training people who are involved in the exploitation of the rainforest to
understand the consequences of their actions.
8. Eco-tourism
This can help to protect areas of the rainforest as tourists’ money is invested in
conservation programs.
Task
Create a mind map using the information above to show ways in which the
rainforest is conserved for future generations. Use the title “Management of the
Rainforest”. Include information from each heading as well as the heading itself
e.g.
Management of
the Rainforest
Afforestation
Plant more
trees to sustain
the canopy
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
Summary
Summary Task
Rainforest Information Gap Activity
Follow the instructions on the powerpoint to complete the questions given which
will help you to build up a good picture of the structure of the rainforest, plant and
animal adaptations, the importance of the rainforest and reasons why this is being
destroyed.
Just for Fun!
Rainforest Word Jumble

In your groups, jumble up the letters in the rainforest words that you have
been given
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When told to, write your jumbled words up on the board
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The other groups have to guess what the words spell. Whichever, group
gets it first gets a point.
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After the first group’s words are correctly un-jumbled, the next group gets
up to write their words.
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The group with the most points wins.
Perth Academy: Geography 2013
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