8/13/2019 3 - Battle for the Biosphere

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Battle for the Biosphere

Battle for the Biosphere

The value of the biosphere

Use for survival (of humans andanimals)

Commercial use (for money andbusiness)

Rainforests and coral reefs are very bio-

diverse they provide habitats and homes

for a large number of animals.

orests remove carbon dio!ide from the

atmosphere and provide us "ith o!ygen

to breathe.

orests can help prevent flooding

because of interception.

orests can provide us "ith timber

"hich "e use to ma#e furniture and for

building.

Rainforests can provide us "ith

medicines and cures.

Rainforests and coral reefs often

attract tourists.

How have humans effected the biosphere: The Amazon Rainforest

$ biomeis a very large ecosystem

The effects of climate change %ncrease in temperatures along "ith "ild "eather "ould

cause "idespread changes to the $ma&on.

%t "ould trigger a shift from humid rainforest to drier

savanna ecosystems. 'his "ould affect the delicate bio-

diversity (plants and animals living there).

ildfires "ould also become more freuent due to the

hotter and drier "eather.

'hese are problems because the rainforests are a huge

store of carbon for the atmosphere. %f the forests "ere

lost the carbon "ould be released and global "arming

increased

The effects of humans

8/13/2019 3 - Battle for the Biosphere

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Battle for the Biosphere

How can the Amazon Rainforest be managed?

Eco-tourism in the Amazon

'his aims to develop tourism in the $ma&on "hich is good for the

environment* "ildlife and local people.

+eople stay in ,ungle lodges "hich has very little impact on the rainforest. 'ourists learn about the rainforest. %t also provides ,obs for local people

"or#ing as guides* in hotels and selling souvenirs.

t is sustainable because it is not cutting down the rainforest! instead

it is educating tourists and providing income for local people"

Harvesting vines from the Amazon

'his pro,ect involves cutting do"n vines in the rainforest* not the trees.

'he vines gro" bac# uic#ly and the trees are unaffected.

'he vines are used to ma#e bas#ets and develop industries* giving local

people ,obs and money.

t is sustainable because it is not cutting down the rainforest! it isproviding people with #obs and income without having an$ lasting

damage"

%hat other wa$s is the biosphere protected

RA&'AR convention: $ims to protect "etland areas

(TE' convention: $ims to stop trade in endangered animal goods

)ational *ar+s: $im to conserve areas of natural beauty (e.g. e" orest* U)

(ommunit$ ,orests: $im to provide ne" areas of trees near ma,or cities.