Endangered Place Blog: Tropical Rainforests

Tropical Rainforests

Description of place:

Tropical Rainforests are located in regions near the equator that receive more than 70 inches of rain annually. They cover about 6 percent of the world's land surface. They have four main characteristics:

1. Very high annual rainfall

2. High average temperatures

3. Nutrient-poor soil

4. High levels of biodiversity

Biodiversity:

Rainforests are home to half of all the living animal and plant species on the planet. 2/3 of all flowering plants can be found in rainforests. A single hectare of rainforest may contain 42,000 different species of insect, up to 807 trees of 313 different species, and 1,500 species of higher plants. Rainforests also produce about 20 percent of our oxygen and store a huge amount of carbon dioxide, drastically reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. They also absorb massive amounts of solar radiation. All together, these processes help to stabilize Earth's climate. 

Pictures:

Historical Comparison:

One  example of change within tropical rainforests is the amount of annual rainfall has changed. Parts of the Amazon are receiving more rainfall than normal whereas other parts are receiving less, leading to a drought. When looking at the larger picture, in 1950, 15 percent of the Earth's land surface was covered by rainforest, compared to less than 6 percent now. 

Human Impacts:

The biggest issue of human impact is deforestation. From 2020 to 2022 alone, the tropical rainforest has lost the equivalent to the size of Nicaragua. this is after many companies and countries have vowed to stop demolishing rainforests. One reason for deforestation, especially in Brazil, is to create cattle ranches. 90% of deforestation in Brazil is linked to cattle ranching. Deforestation is obviously a huge issue that have and will cause more devastating effects to the Earth as a whole. 

Flagship Species:

The Jaguar is the flagship species of the tropical rainforest. Currently, this species is listed as "near threatened" with only about 173,000 left in the wild. They are being threatened by habitat loss (i.e. deforestation), poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.  

Conservation Efforts:

Rainforesttrust.org is trying to raise awareness by advocating for a permanent protection of a 20 million acre area of rainforest and indigenous territories. By doing this, they will save 6 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from being released into the atmosphere, as well as save many species of plants and animals from the threat of deforestation.

Geographer:

The career of Richard Resl is a great example of how a geographer can make a difference in aiding the rainforest. This link explains his life and how he used his knowledge of GIS to help better the lives of indigenous peoples within the rainforest, thus protecting their land and parts of the Amazon as a whole.

https://www.esri.com/about/newsroom/arcuser/a-passion-for-geography-leads-to-the-rain-forest/ 

Plea for help:

1. Reforest - planting new trees reduces greenhouse gases and helps rebuild endangered habitats

2. Advocate for climate change solutions

3. Support conservation organizations - either financially or by volunteering

4. Offset your carbon footprint - planting trees or regenerating soil to capture the carbon equivalent of what you generate through activities such as driving, shopping, or eating

5. Eat less beef - beef production requires a lot of grazing land, which is often created by burning of forests